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Mason Brown has been playing music since first he was breeched. He grew up in South Central Michigan, where he devoured his parents’ extensive collection of '60's revival folk records, as well as the Beatles, Stones and lots of blues. Mason's first guitar teacher, Joseph Daly, introduced him to David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, which spurred his interest in creative songwriting, which he practiced on his own and in Garage Bands like "Agnostic Birdcage".
Throughout his school years, Mason continued to study the guitar, as well as violin, piano and voice, from teachers Joe Gordier and Paul Freeburn. After graduating high school in 1984, he attended a summer music session at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, where he was exposed to free and cutting-edge jazz by Jerry Granelli, Bill Douglas, Robben Ford, Brian Katz and Paul McCandless. This became a focus for Mason during his years in Orange County, California, where he played with various ingenious buddies like Brendan Dunn and the Enloe brothers.
Mason moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1989. It was there that he was called back to folk music through the auspices of the House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park, Maryland, where he first learned to frail the banjo. He attended workshops by the great guitarist Martin Simpson, who taught open tunings as well as his signature "frailing" guitar style, which Mason has gratefully put to much use ever since. In the early 90’s, Mason returned to his home state of Michigan, and took part in the recreation and performance of a 19th-20th C. medicine show.
In 1995 Mason moved to New Mexico, where he established a musical partnership with Taos-based musician, Chipper Thompson. Their CD, "Am I Born to Die?", was released on both the Banjosnake and Dorian record labels. In Taos, Chipper introduced Mason to bouzouki master Roger Landes, founder of the ZoukFest world music camp, where Mason got to play with and learn from such great musicians as Chris Smith, Angela Mariani, Randal Bays, Grey Larsen, Connie Dover, Stanley Greenthal, Stellamara, John Carty, Matt and Shannon Heaton, Beth Cohen, Polly Ferber and Paddy League. It was at Zoukfest where Mason met Gerald Trimble, who introduced him to the Viol, an instrument that Mason plays in both the bass and pardessus.
Mason now resides in Weston, Missouri, where he performs regularly at O'Malley's Pub. He is a member of the Kansas City- based Irish music group, "Kelly," and also plays Appalachian and old-time music with fiddler Doug Goodhart. And performs with Jed Marum's "Lonestar Sout".His forthcoming solo album is titled "When Humans Walked the Earth".
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