Dave Mason is best known for being a founding member of the legendary rock-jazz band Traffic, crafting the 1977 solo hit “We Just Disagree” and providing session work on some of the most iconic rock anthems of all time, including “Street Fighting Man” by The Rolling Stones and “All Along the Watchtower” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

But these days, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s passion is working with the organization Work Vessels for Veterans. The group helps military veterans find employment in civilian life by providing them with tools ranging from computers to boats to tractors.

Mason, 64, touts the organization every chance he gets, and tries to raise money for it at his shows by taking donations and auctioning off a guitar from time to time.

“I’m not much for flag waving, but I grew up (in England) in a family with a strong military tradition,” Mason said in a recent phone interview. “My father was a World War I veteran, and when I was growing up, we were still looking at places that had been bombed out during World War II. So when I heard about this cause, I knew it was something I wanted to get involved in.

“I’m a very strong supporter of keeping the peace and our way of life, and don’t believe the government does enough to help them (veterans).”

Mason will likely mention the veterans’ cause on stage Saturday, when he plays a show at Jonathan’s in Ogunquit.

Mason’s rock resume is impressive. He grew up in Worcester, England, where one of his friends was Jim Capaldi, later his bandmate in Traffic. It was an area that seemed to breed rock stars — Robert Plant and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin grew up about 15 miles from Mason.

Mason was “musically curious” from a young age. He listened to American rock stars of the day, such as Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly, as well as blues, jazz and classical. He even explored the music of other countries, including Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia.

When he was about 18, Mason met Steve Winwood, who had already found fame as a member of The Spencer Davis Group. The two formed Traffic in 1967 with Capaldi and Chris Wood. Mason wrote the group’s biggest hit, “Feelin’ Alright,” which has been covered more than 50 times, most notably by Joe Cocker in 1969.

Traffic’s sound was guitar-driven, moody and definitely different for its time.

“We all had very eclectic musical tastes, and we were very song-oriented,” said Mason, who has lived in California for years and showed barely a trace of his English accent during this interview. “I’d classify us as one of the original alternative bands.”

Friction with Winwood meant Mason’s time with Traffic was disjointed. He left the group shortly after the debut album, “Mr. Fantasy,” rejoined less than a year later, then left again — and rejoined for the 1971 live album “Welcome to the Canteen” before leaving for good.

But Mason has also enjoyed a long career as a singer, songwriter and guitarist in his own right.

He was one of the most in-demand session players of the 1960s and 1970s, recording and touring with Hendrix, Paul McCartney, the Stones, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and others. He was even a short-lived member of Fleetwood Mac in the mid-’90s.

Wood and Capaldi are now dead, and Mason is not close to Winwood. When Traffic was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2004, Mason attended the ceremony but was notably absent from Traffic’s live set. When asked if he keeps in touch with Winwood, he replied, “He doesn’t keep in touch with me.”

Although Mason released a new solo album in 2008, “26 Letters — 12 Notes,” he says he’s not very interested in putting new music out, partly because he thinks radio stations don’t play anything new or different. And he’s also not a fan of online file sharing, which he considers stealing.

“If I put anything out, I’m just going to put it on my website (davemasonmusic.com) and let people download it from there,” he said.

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:

rrouthier@pressherald.com

 

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