Remembering Draylen Mason

May 26, 2000 – March 12, 2018

KMFA Classical 89.5 will pay tribute to Draylen William Mason on Thursday, May 26, on what would have been his twentieth birthday.  The accomplished Austin musician was a victim of the city’s 2018 bombings. KMFA announced this past October that the 135-seat music studio that will be the centerpiece of the station’s new home will be named after Mason.

In honor of Draylen, Dana Wygmans, bass teaching artist for Austin Soundwaves, will teach a lesson exploring the base lines spanning multiple genres as part of KMFA’s Sound Ideas educational program on Thursday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. via Facebook Live.  Draylen was the Principal Bassist at Austin Soundwaves and his church.

The celebration of Mason’s life will continue Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00 p.m. during KMFA By Request with host Jeffrey Blair. Draylen’s friends and fellow musicians from Austin Soundwaves will share stories along with music that inspires their memories of him.

You can click on the "LISTEN" button in the upper righthand corner of this article (above Draylen's photo) to hear a replay of this special edition of KMFA By Request. 

The Draylen Mason Fellows Program, a full-scholarship initiative of Austin Soundwaves created to honor the legacy of Draylen Mason, will also be performing their end of year concert virtually this year via the organization's Facebook page on Monday, June 1, at 6:00 p.m. 

We look forward to unveiling the new Draylen Mason Music Studio in the new state-of-the-art building in east Austin, where we hope people will one day be able to watch radio broadcasts, attend live performances and socialize with others.