(April 3, 2020) If you were of a certain age in 1980, you were no doubt dancing or roller skating to the omnipresent “Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll.” It was the signature hit written and produced by multi-instrumentalist Vaughan Mason for his group Vaughan Mason and Crew, and it was a jam. We are very sad to report the death of Mr. Mason at age 69.
While that song was the Baltimore musician’s biggest, it was certainly not his only hit. Working with Butch Dayo, he released the now-classic Feel My Love project, which had the big hit “Jammin’ Big Guitar.” He also scored with “Break 4 Love” with his subsequent band, Raze. His music was often sampled by hip hop artists for its undeniable groove.
In the 90s and early 2000s, Mason mostly remained behind the boards as a producer and arranger, working with other artists. But he will be best known for a collection of songs that absolutely made us move. Rest in peace, Mr. Mason.