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Dave Mason was a principal member of the British rock group Traffic and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, known for his songwriting and collaborations with major artists.
In 2004, Mason started an electric guitar company with business partner and industrial designer Ravi Sawhney, focusing on sustainable materials and modular design. The RKS system featured a neck-through-body core, interchangeable body shells, and structural ribs made from aluminum or wood. The use of Tenite, a cellulose-based plastic, made it one of the earliest sustainable electric guitars. The design received two Silver IDEA Awards from the Industrial Designers Society of America and was featured in BusinessWeek. The project was also the subject of a Harvard Business Review case study. RKS guitars were played by musicians including Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Don Felder, and Rick Springfield. Mason and Sawhney were awarded honorary doctorates from the Academy of Art University for their contributions to industrial design and innovation in music.
Primary Wave Music Publishing announced its partnership with legendary songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason.
In 2005, Mason became an official supporter of Music Will, a non-profit organization that provides free musical instruments and lessons to children in U.S. public schools. He served as an honorary member of the organization's board of directors.
Mason co-founded Rock Our Vets, an all-volunteer 501(c)3 charity, with Ted Knapp. The charity supports military veterans and the families of law enforcement and firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. Its efforts include providing food and clothing to homeless veterans, laptops for aspiring student veterans, and suicide prevention initiatives.
David Thomas Mason was born in Worcester, England, on May 10, 1946. He developed an early interest in electric guitar, a passion that led him to form his own band, The Jaguars, in his teens, recording a single in 1963. In 1964, he joined The Hellions, where he befriended drummer Jim Capaldi. After touring internationally and facing limited commercial success with The Hellions, Mason worked as a roadie for The Spencer Davis Group, further deepening his connections within the music scene.
In 1967, Mason, Capaldi, Steve Winwood, and Chris Wood formed Traffic. Mason quickly established himself as a songwriter and singer, writing and performing lead vocals on hits like “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin’ Alright?” The band’s debut album, “Mr. Fantasy,” was successful. Despite his contributions, Mason’s tenure with Traffic was intermittent. He pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album “Alone Together” in 1970, which included the hit “Only You Know and I Know.” Throughout his career, Mason collaborated with a range of musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Michael Jackson. He also achieved solo success with his 1977 hit, “We Just Disagree,” which became a staple on US radio.
Mason’s career included various projects, such as forming RKS Guitars in 2004 with Ravi Sawhney, aiming to innovate electric guitar design with sustainable materials. This venture earned industry recognition and honorary doctorates for Mason and Sawhney. He briefly joined Fleetwood Mac in 1993, touring and contributing to their album “Time” (1995). Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic in 2004. He continued to release music, with his final album, “A Shade of Blues,” released in 2023, before announcing his retirement from touring in 2025 due to health challenges.
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