Mason Ruffner

Mason Ruffner is an American blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas, 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 1970s, 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 such as Old Absinthe Bar. He also backed up John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim when they visited, and was soon offered a record deal by CBS. His 1985 self-titled 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 1980s saw him supporting various rock greats such as Crosby, Stills & Nash, U2, and Ringo Starr. After having played on Oh Mercy and 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 a job performing at B.B. King's Blues Club. He released his 3rd album, Evolution, in 1997, which was released only in Europe. The following year, he played at Scandinavia's largest blues festival, the Norwegian Notodden Blues Festival. Later, a couple of albums were released via CD Baby in 2007 and 2008, and, in 2011, he played at Sweden Rock Festival.