Obit: Traffic's Jim Capaldi

While a 51 degree day cleared most of the snow from our corner of the Mississippi, this weekend in Ann Arbor is still a blanket of white. The Ann Arbor News Spotlight tab features a cover photo of Dave Mason, one of the three key members of Traffic. Along with Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi, Traffic was a convocation of equals. Like Cream, the members all came to the table with reputations and the band's work would lead to a Rock Hall induction in 2004.

Capaldi was the heartbeat of Traffic, a first generation Briton born of Italian immigrant parents, he was a percussive rarity: a drummer who could write. Whereas Ringo was relegated to one or two vocals written by John and Paul, Jim's chops were strong enough to stand alone. His composer's credit stands out amid 11 Traffic albums. By the time the band broke up in '74, Capaldi was already on his own. He was working on his twelfth solo album when Winwood suggested putting the band back together. Traffic toured in '93 and '94 culminating in a Woodstock appearance along side the Grateful Dead. And Capaldi hit the road again the following year with Dave Mason.

Talk of another collaboration was in the works when Capaldi was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He died Friday at age 60 in London.