'Tiger' Will Mason

"Tiger" Will Mason
solo performer, with skill on guitar,harmonica, sometimes mandolin. Will has a three-octave range, and a rich, mid-to high voice, singing in the styles of many artists, from Sting, to CSNY. His cover repertoire is nearly 600 songs, from songs like 'Right or Wrong' by Bob Wills, and 'Mr BoJangles' by Jerry Jeff Walker, to 'If I Ever Lose My Faith', by Sting. he covers a lot of classic rock. his nickname in grade 12, was 'Andytramp', because he performed Supertramp songs at high school assemblies, to standing ovations.

At a Will Mason show, you can expect fun, lotsa stories, some humor, and songs with an authentic sound-he seems to be able to capture the sound of the singer who originally recorded the song. His original shows are story telling things, that capture audiences with the authenticity of the songs, themselves, as well as the heart and soul Will puts into each arrangement, and vocal. He is humble, yet displays a subtle skill that is not to be missed. His shows can be short, or long-he has played 2 and a half hours straight in some performances, and often will play two one hour sets, depending on what is required by the venue itself. Most of his shows combine cover and original repertoire; he has met many of the artists he admires, and gleefully plays their material, with heart, and soul.

“TIGER” WILL MASON
(formerly on stage as Andy Mason or Andy W. Mason)
Biography

“Tiger” Will Mason has been on stage for over half of his life.
He started teaching himself drums at 7; songs on the piano in his teens, and could play rhythm guitar, and various songs by the age of 20. He moved from rural Niagara Peninsula to Toronto to pursue a career in the arts soon after. He acted in plays, played music on guitar and piano for his high school, to standing ovations, by the time he left home in 1983.

Playing a few coffee houses, and put-together bands for various functions, in 1986 he met several street musicians in the downtown core of Toronto, and they began playing and writing. Will had, by this time, done theater, television, toured Canada as an actor, and gained some respect in the native performing arts community. He participated in K.Y.T.E.S., a theater troupe that toured Canada in 1985, and had a TV documentary made about it; the documentary featured songs by Will and his sister CJ Mason, a bluegrass songwriter. In ’87, after participating as a production assistant in K.Y T.E.S.,, musicians he met busking on Yonge Street, formed ‘4 Way Street’, Canada’s only complete ‘tribute’ to the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Moving to Ottawa summer of ’87, they were booked for shows and tours by various agencies, including The Agency, playing big venues around Ontario, and opening for many major recording acts. The band played until 95, with various members, then broke up until 2005, when a reunion sparked an interest in playing together for special events, which they still do, performing for private functions. During that time, “Tiger” Will played for a few contests, and won under his former name Andy, which led him to CJOH-TV’s “Homegrown Café”, where he won Male Adult Performer of the Year in 1994, performing new songs on television. The show had an estimated 200,000-1 million viewers on any given Sunday night.

In ’98, he moved to British Columbia, and joined with an old friend and began performing around the Lower Mainland. This led to a CD recording of songs he had begun writing as far back as 1984. The CD, called ‘Long Walk 49’, was first released in 2001 in BC, and then again in 08 in the U.S. The CD was picked up by Aboriginal Voices Radio across Canada, and enjoyed quite a bit of airplay for several years. In 08, he entered the Native-E Music Awards in Albuquerque, NM, and was nominated for 5 awards. He won, along with Star Nayea, the ‘Mainstream Song of the Year’ award for his song ‘Battle Raging’ which he performed live on the show.

He continued in B.C., playing venues, Aboriginal festivals, and opening for and with several artists like Joanne Shenandoah, Keith Secola; he and his band opened for the legendary Redbone, and jammed with the late Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman, of “Dances With Wolves” fame, in the US. He played several instruments on B.C. musician Joey Onley’s debut CD, ‘Radical Folk of the Great North’, which was produced by Joey, with help from Will, and David Roy Parsons. The former Andy Mason and David had a small production venture to produce their own, and Joey’s music. He also played with several other artists, contributing to their studio work, for which he was never credited. It was not that important to him; it was a forum for him to improve his playing and experience. He also acted in television and film during that time, as an extra in TV series and theatrical movie releases, such as ‘The X-Files’; ‘Battlestar Galactica’; ‘Masters of Horror’; film ‘Out Cold’, and others.
In 2014 he had a bit part as an indigenous elder in CBC Miniseries’ “The Best Laid Plans”

He moved back to Eastern Ontario in ’09; he continues to write, perform, and act. He has played a few big Aboriginal festivals in Ottawa, winning ‘Canada’s Aboriginals got Talent’ in 2012. This gained him an opening slot for fellow Six Nations player and Juno winner Murray Porter in 2013, with a band of friends specifically put together to perform his music. In 2014, he played his first big folk festival, the Kingsville Folk Music Festival, with Jane Siberry, Bruce Cockburn, Valdy, Jaron Freeman-Fox, Fish and Bird, Ken Whiteley, and many others.

He continues to play, hosting jams and sessions for others; playing in cover bands, and solo shows around Ottawa and Southern Ontario. He is still writing, and will have his sophomore CD out in the near future. He did a series of solo shows in B.C. in the fall of 2015, gaining more notoriety for his music and style, which encompasses many genres.

Generally, 'Tiger' Will Mason is self-contained-meaning, he has pedals, a mic he uses(a Shure SM-58)and a set-up that controls his voice, and guitars.

he would require two multi-light cans, for lighting on him. Nothing too elaborate. A PA should be provided, with at least one monitor like a Yamaha E10, at least. A mike stand, preferably a tripod with boom is required. he often carries his own, but depending on the venue and circumstance, he may require one.