If Houstonians of all races, creeds, colors, political beliefs, Spotify playlists and Wordle skill levels can agree on one thing, it’s that traffic jamsUnless of course, the “Traffic Jam” is the umbrella title of a tour by Classic Rock singer/guitarist Dave Mason, wordplay on the name of his former band.
Mason did get to lead the All-Star Jam at the end of the ceremony with “Feelin’ Alright,” a tune he wrote at the age of 19 which has since gone on to become a Classic Rock standard It’s been covered by everyone from Joe Cocker, Three Dog Night and Grand Funk Railroad to the Fifth Dimension and the Jackson 5.
The UK-born Mason will also play some dates in the spring and summer with the Mike Love-led version of the Beach Boys, with whom he’s shared stages with dating back on the ‘70s. “But for me personally, it’s just another show, and that’s the way I treat it. I’ve done shows with so many different acts over the years. But it will be fun. And I get to go on early and get off stage and get on the bus. Me, Winnie, and the dog!”
Behind the keyboards on the Traffic Jam tour will be a familiar face and mop of hair to Classic Rock diehards: Mark Stein, singer/keyboardist for Vanilla Fudge. He and Mason also go back decades, and Stein was a musical and songwriting contributor to Mason’s 1980 albumthat he and Mason were recording in the same studio as the Jacksons, when he found Michael in the hallway by the soda machine and talked him into appearing on the song.