Mason Ruffner is an American blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter from Mason, Illinois, born in 1947. He studied and lived in California from age 17, but his newborn interest in blues took him to Fort Worth, Texas in the early 70s, where he honed his skills as a guitarist and also found live work, backing Robert Ealey in a local joint. Just a few years later the Francophile Ruffner moved to New Orleans where he formed his own band, Blue Rockers, and played in Bourbon Street clubs like Old Absinthe Bar. He also backed up John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim when they visited, and was soon offered a record deal for CBS. His 1985 selftitled debut, produced by Rick Derringer was a hit, both critically and commercially, and earned him the job as supporting artist for Jimmy Page on tour.
His second effort, the 1987 Gypsy Blood, was produced by Dave Edmunds, and the late 80s saw him supporting various rock greats such as Crosby, Stills & Nash, U2 and Ringo Starr. After having played on Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy and Daniel Lanois - Acadie in 1989, Ruffner bought a place in Wimberley, Texas, and withdrew from the music industry for almost a decade, but in 1989 he moved again. This time to Memphis, Tennessee, where he found job performing at B.B. King's Blues Club. He released his 3rd album, Evolution, in 1997, which was released in Europe only. The following year, he played at Scandinavia's largest blues festival, the Norwegian Notodden Blues Festival. Later, a couple of albums were release on CD Baby in 2007 and 2008, and in 2011 he played at Sweden Rock Festival.
His second effort, the 1987 Gypsy Blood, was produced by Dave Edmunds, and the late 80s saw him supporting various rock greats such as Crosby, Stills & Nash, U2 and Ringo Starr. After having played on Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy and Daniel Lanois - Acadie in 1989, Ruffner bought a place in Wimberley, Texas, and withdrew from the music industry for almost a decade, but in 1989 he moved again. This time to Memphis, Tennessee, where he found job performing at B.B. King's Blues Club. He released his 3rd album, Evolution, in 1997, which was released in Europe only. The following year, he played at Scandinavia's largest blues festival, the Norwegian Notodden Blues Festival. Later, a couple of albums were release on CD Baby in 2007 and 2008, and in 2011 he played at Sweden Rock Festival.
JorgAusfelt
November 28, 2022The Ruffner gig was at KB's 2nd site (I'd never been to its original site, where they only were situated for a year), and saw such diverse artists there as Danielle Dax, Stan Ridgway (ex-Wall Of Voodoo) and a superb Ten Years After in Dec. '88 with all four original members, before the move circa 1991 to its current location. Swedish blues man / band Jan Gerfast / Gerfast from Osby (living in Copenhagen) was a perfect guest artist.
Then I wondered for 25+ years whatever happened to Mason (born in Mason...), since we only saw 2 LPs here. I didn't know about the others until 2011, when he surprisingly played at Sweden Rock Festival 2 hrs northeast of Malmö. I guess he was a few years too early. He missed the blues boom that started with Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues in 1990, and continued with boy wonders like Eric Gales, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jeff Healy and Jonny Lang (not to mention my special darling Sue Foley...), six artists I've had the pleasure to catch LIVE onstage here in Sweden, Copenhagen or at the Danish Roskilde Festival (Jeff Healy twice, even).
Apparently, he's continued working, locally in Memphis, like so many other US blues men and women, whether it's in San Antonio, New Orleans, Nashville or wherever. Some are lucky enough to find work out of state. Like the awesome Jim Suhler, whom I caught live - for free (I was ashamed, since I'd seen him before, playing 2nd fiddle with the enormously popular party rocker George Thorogood, but had a good talk with him afterwards) in a Swedish sports bar in the old university city of Lund, 10 mins. from Malmö. Where I also watched the amazing swamp rockers The Tailgators once...yes, for free. Also, his reputation rendered him other jobs, playing and/or recording with a wide variety of artists such as Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page, Daniel Lanois, U2, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr and Crosby, Stills & Nash, as well as Memphis Slim and John Lee Hooker, indeed, during his Ft. Worth years in the 70s.
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