Dave Mason in 2022
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason has added to his “Traffic Jam” 2024 tour in which he’ll share the stage for various performances with the Beach Boys, Pat Travers, Jimmy Hall, Outlaws and Jefferson Starship. Tickets are available here.
A co-founder of the legendary classic rock band Traffic, Mason’s musical path started strong and only grew more significant over time. In addition to his renowned work as a revered guitar player and singer-songwriter (who penned “Feelin’ Alright,” one of rock’s most-covered anthems, when he was only 21), Mason has appeared on some of the most acclaimed recordings in music history, including George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album, The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” and close friend Jimi Hendrix’s classic “All Along the Watchtower.” After leaving Traffic, Dave’s popularity exploded with the release of his debut solo album, Alone Together—marked by sell-out performances at Madison Square Garden and requests from artists such as Paul McCartney, who recruited Mason to play guitar on Wings’ #1 hit, “Listen to What the Man Said.”
“I was 22 years old [when I started doing sessions and solo work],” Mason told Best Classic Bands, “and what the hell do you know when you’re 22? There was no manual. I was just out there following my dream. It just happened that I was in a lot of places where things worked out for me.”
Mason also recently unveiled a new version of the timeless Traffic hit, “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” breathing new life into the classic song with the help of modern blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa. The song has long been a cornerstone in Mason’s sets, a testament to its enduring brilliance and his personal connection to the song. “Dear Mr. Fantasy has been a favorite song of mine since its release in 1967,” he said. “I’ve played it live for years in a number of different arrangements. As I’ve often said, there are no old songs, just good songs, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy,’ in my mind, is one of the finest examples around.”
Dave Mason Traffic Jam 2024 Tour (Tickets are available here)
Mar 05 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery
Mar 06 – Ponte Vedra Beach,FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Mar 08 – Orlando, FL – Plaza Live *
Mar 09 – Fort Pierce, FL – Sunrise *
Mar 11 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker *
Mar 12 – Key West, FL – Key West Theater
Mar 13-21 – Miami, FL – 70’s Rock & Romance Cruise
Mar 23 – The Villages, FL – Savannah Center
Mar 24 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theater **
Mar 25 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theater **
Mar 27 – Pensacola, FL – Saenger Theater ***
Mar 28 – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theatre
Mar 29 – Montgomery, AL – MPAC ***
Mar 30 – Memphis, TN – Soundstage at Graceland
Apr 02 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou
Apr 04 – Nashville, IN – Brown County PAC ^
Apr 05 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
Apr 06 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
Apr 10 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn ^
Apr 12 – Houston, TX – The Heights
Apr 13 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre
May 22 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
May 24 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater+
May 25 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC+
May 26 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion+
May 29 – Lynn, MA – Lynn Auditorium
Jun 01 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center+
Jun 04 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on Stage
Aug 02 – Greenville, SC – Peace Center^
Aug 08 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Theater+
* w/Pat Travers
** w/Jimmy Hall
*** w/The Outlaws
^ w/Jefferson Starship
+ w/Beach Boys
Mason also has a memoir in the works, written with Chris Epting. Only You Know and I Know is expected to be released in 2024.
From the book’s original announcement: Mason’s triumphs didn’t come without hurdles. By the mid-1970s, cocaine and a seemingly endless touring schedule began to take their toll. Workmanlike in his dedication, however, the determined craftsman never gave up. Here, for the first time, Mason shares some of the great untold tales in rock and roll—his complicated relationship with Steve Winwood, his wild legal episodes with record companies, his tenure in Fleetwood Mac, his battle with addiction and the loss of a child, and his eventual induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He dives deep on the music, from “World in Changes” to “We Just Disagree,” and shares inside stories featuring a cast of characters that includes Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Cass Elliot, Delaney and Bonnie, Eric Clapton, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
Watch Mason perform “We Just Disagree” at Farm Aid in 1986
Mason’s recordings are available for purchase here.
Related: Our interview with Dave Mason
Written when he was only 20 years old, Mason, born May 10, 1946, is likely best known for “Feelin’ Alright,” one of the most beloved and covered rock anthems since its release in 1968. The timeless song has been featured in dozens of films and TV commercials as well as interpretations by artists as diverse as Joe Cocker, Three Dog Night, Grand Funk Railroad, ELO, Coldplay, the 5th Dimension and many more. A new version of this classic was re-recorded and released in July 2020 featuring Mason alongside Mick Fleetwood, Sammy Hagar, Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers: John McFee, Tom Johnston, John Cowan and Patrick Simmons.
Masons’ co-author on the upcoming memoir, Chris Epting, is a veteran music journalist, and former columnist for the Los Angeles Times and Huffington Post. He has collaborated on memoirs with John Oates, Phil Collen of Def Leppard, and on a book with Doobie Brothers founding band members, Simmons and Johnston.
7 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI’ve always liked Dave’s music and seen him many times throughout his career. My wife is an even bigger fan. It’s a shame that he feels that’s he’s got to be such a namedropper, at every opportunity, regarding his career, as the music should speak for itself. I was disappointed to also find that Dave is a bit of a crankapus, when my wife was getting her T-shirt signed at a show in recent years. I understand that some fans don’t understand boundaries, and that traveling on the road at his age is no picnic, but when you get to the point where you regard your fans as irritating, it may be time to stop — or at least stop doing signings and meet and greets.
I have always liked his music very much. My favorites songs of his are: “The Lonely One”, “Long Lost Friend” and “You can Lose it”. Songs that were not hits, but could have been if someone with ears…..
I saw the show in February. Great song selection and great supporting musicians. His voice is still strong and had a Master’s Class on guitar.
If it’s true that Paul McCartney had Mason play guitar on Wings’ “Listen to What the Man Said” that would be the second time he had a Dave Mason play on one of his big hits. Remember the name of the piccolo trumpet soloist on “Penny Lane”? Yep, David Mason.
Wonder how Steve Winwood feels about Mason calling his tour “Traffic Jam.” Anybody heard from him about it?
Dave Mason has many great songs on his own merit. But it is somewhat odd to be calling it “Traffic Jam Tour.” He could cover some of the iconic hits from Steve Winwood?
He has so many hits over the years and into the 1980;s, he stands in his own class. As long as the tour is not called Mr. Fantasy tour. Now a true fantasy tour would include Dave Mason, Capaldi and Winwood!
Melf… If he could pull that off with Capaldi involved, that would be interesting to say the least.