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John-Alex Mason, RIP

Sad news today in the blues world...

John-Alex Mason passed away this morning.

I don't know if you're familiar with him or his music, but he's probably the guy who first introduced me to the cigar box guitar. Three or four years ago, I got to see him do his one man band show during the Telluride Blues & Brews festival. He made the comment that Telluride that night was probably one of the only places in the world you could hear TWO bands with cigar box guitars (I saw Moreland & Arbuckle later than night).

Fast forward to last year. I went to a show of his in Denver, and brought my Lowebow to have him sign it. Not only did he sign it, but he PLAYED it during his set. And not only that, he played his version of "Jitterbug Swing" on it... a song which I instantly fell in love with, and had been learning myself.

His latest album, Juke Joint Thunderclap is killer. I advise you check it out. Do a youtube search, too. Here's something to get you started:

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on October 19, 2011 at 1:37pm

Thats sad to hear, I was a big fan : (

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on October 19, 2011 at 1:37pm

How did he die?

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Permalink Reply by Ted Kaczynski on October 19, 2011 at 1:51pm

That something turned out to be cancer — not life-threatening, but enough to warrant surgery. Then he’d be all right again.

It didn’t happen that way. After surgery, he went into cardiac arrest, bleeding internally. Doctors revived his heart, but he stayed in a coma, unresponsive, with severe swelling of the brain. After nearly three weeks of everyone waiting and hoping to no avail, John-Alex was taken off life support Monday. His heart somehow lasted another two days.

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Permalink Reply by Nathan King on October 19, 2011 at 3:22pm

Here's an article from the Colorado Springs Indenpendant.

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on October 20, 2011 at 2:21am

Man, thats really hard to read and hear, sometimes it boggles me how sinsitive life is...once again, he was a really a talented guy and I was a big fan, its so hard to wrap my head around how easy it is to die

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Permalink Reply by flatfoot johnny on October 20, 2011 at 7:03am

wow thats very sad... my thoughts go out to his friends and family... thats a great vid !

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Permalink Reply by Skeesix on October 21, 2011 at 12:45am

Sorry to hear. I met him and saw him play a few times, at our blues fest and King Biscuit. Really nice guy and super talented.

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on October 21, 2011 at 1:04pm

what kind of cancer and out patient surgery was it??? its sounded like it was not a big deal

Ted Kaczynski said:

That something turned out to be cancer — not life-threatening, but enough to warrant surgery. Then he’d be all right again.
It didn’t happen that way. After surgery, he went into cardiac arrest, bleeding internally. Doctors revived his heart, but he stayed in a coma, unresponsive, with severe swelling of the brain. After nearly three weeks of everyone waiting and hoping to no avail, John-Alex was taken off life support Monday. His heart somehow lasted another two days.