English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason. They began as a psychedelic rock group whose early singles were influenced by The Beatles and diversified their sound through the use of instruments such as keyboards like the Mellotron, reed instruments, and by incorporating jazz and improvisational techniques in their music.
After disbanding in 1969, during which time Winwood joined Blind Faith, Traffic reunited in 1970 to release the album John Barleycorn Must Die. The band’s line-up varied from this point until they disbanded again in 1975, although a partial reunion, with Winwood and Capaldi, took place in 1994.
In 2004, Traffic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.