Chris Wood

Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood (born 24 June 1944, in Harborne, Birmingham – died 12 July 1983, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham) was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason. Chris Wood had an interest in both music and painting from early childhood. He was self-taught on flute and saxophone, which he commenced playing at the age of fifteen. After mastering the in... more

Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood (born 24 June 1944, in Harborne, Birmingham – died 12 July 1983, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham) was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason. Chris Wood had an interest in both music and painting from early childhood. He was self-taught on flute and saxophone, which he commenced playing at the age of fifteen. After mastering the instruments, he began to play locally with other Birmingham musicians who would later find international fame in music, as would he: Christine Perfect (later Christine McVie, of Fleetwood Mac), Carl Palmer, later of Emerson Lake and Palmer, Stan Webb, later of Chicken Shack and Mike Kellie, later of Spooky Tooth and The Only Ones. Wood played with Christine McVie in 1964 in the band Shades of Blue and then played with Kellie during 1965-1966 in the band Locomotive. He attended the Foley College of Further Education and College of Art in... less