I started playing clubs around my home town at age 12 with step father Jerry Burns, a Peabody Jazz artist. Later moving to Sarasota Florida, and became influenced by the southern rock scene.

The newest concept is a family oriented vocal group, featuring Mason and his son Taylor who's vocals are hard to tell apart... even on the phone. This lends to harmonies and vocal stylings that blend like butter.

If have you ever walked into a nightclub, and been blown away by the band performing... it is likely The Smokestack Barons were playing that evening. The Smokestack Barrons ... currently a power duo with drummer/vocalist Rodger Mason and bassist/vocalist Taylor Mason make it hard to believe your only hearing a duo by utilizing cutting edge technology to reproduce classic album rock hits like Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" ... The Beatles " A day in the life"... Elton John's "Levon" ... Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon" and Don Henley's "New York Minuet" just to mention a few. Mason's vocals tend to sound like the original artist from song to song. Mason has his own distinct vocal style but is some what of a vocal chameleon. His vocals tend to be of the smokey blues genre as well as rock tenor Paul Rogers of Bad Company fame. His son Taylor Mason seems to have this same gift, and it's hard to tell their voices apart and together, their harmonies are tight and forceful. The Smokestack Barons is a labor of love by veteran performer, recording engineer and stage technician Rodger Mason. See his on line resume' and hear some of his original material at roadie jobs dot ning forward slash profile forward slash mason Playing drums and singing lead & back up vocals for bands specializing in rock & blues to top forty dance, Rodger has performed in countless bands all over the US and the Caribbean. As a professional IA stage tech Rodger has set up shows for cooperate events and mega rock shows like Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones and Lynard Skynard. Rodger has a rare combination of experience that puts this project above and beyond most duo/trios and even some full bands. As a vocalist Rodger has worked with such acts as 38 Special, Johnny Neel. If you would like a band that "sounds like the record" for your event... you want The Smokestack Barons!

GRANNY WHITE I was picked out of 500 vocalists in the Nashville area to sing lead for this band.Lead by Grammy award winning engineer/guitarist/vocalist and writer Richard Aspinwall. Formally assistant engineer for garth Brooks and Allen Reynolds, we were able to record the project at Jax Tracks in Nashville. Also in the line up was Jeff Coffin on sax, now with Dave Mathews and Bella Fleck.Former drummer for Maynard Fergusin, Chris Brown on drums...Granny White was a force to be reckoned with.

Soundscape Studio's was an award winning studio in Berry Hill Tn, now considered a part of music row. There I worked as a session vocalist, drummer and PA for owner Gary Loyd and legendary engineer John Mills. John engineered everything yu heard on the radio in the 70's.

Chris Anderson of THE OUTLAWS picked me up as lead vocalist for his band Collision featuring band mates from Greg Almans band, and others from Florida's guitar army, with Government Mules current drummer, Mat Abts it was another rocking band. All songs were written by Mason and Anderson who later collaborated on the great Outlaws hit Trail of Tears.TRail of Tears life was cut short by the sudden passing of Outlaws founder Hughie Thomasson, as they no longer perform it, and the album "Once an Outlaw" was never released.

We won 1985 Tampa Bay Y95's battle of the bands, taking first place out of 500 other bay area bands...

Worked with many talented bay area artists, also did camera work, 3/4" editing and computer animation for various clients.I was a session vocalist and drummer.I wrote, recorded and produced the new theme song for the Bay area Coast Guard Auxiliary.Worked to write and produce 16 songs for a musical called "The man who loved the Business"Worked as a assistant to production for The Allman Brother rehearsals held there.