Dave Mason, Traffic Co-Founder, Dies at 79

Dave Mason, the influential British rock musician and co-founder of the band Traffic, died Sunday, April 19, at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada. He was 79.

A statement from his family described the passing as peaceful. "After cooking an amazing dinner with his beloved wife Winifred, he sat down to take a nap with sweet Star the Maltese at his feet," it read. "He passed away peacefully, in his favorite chair, surrounded by the beautiful Carson Valley that he loved so much. A storybook ending. On his own terms. Which is how he lived his life right up until the end." The family added that Mason "lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved" and "leaves a lasting imprint on the soundtrack of our lives and the hearts he has lifted. His legacy will be cherished forever." No cause of death was disclosed.

Mason's career spanned six decades, beginning in the 1960s as a co-founder of Traffic alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. The band formed after the members retreated to a countryside cottage to develop their sound, blending psychedelic rock with melodic elements. Mason contributed key songs to Traffic's early albums, including the whimsical...