Guitarists over 40...

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Trotter

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I played in several bands many years ago. The older I got the more difficult it became to find people in my area that were serious about playing. Even though I'm considered ancient in the world of rock music, I still miss playing. I thought it would be interesting to find out how many guitarists here are still performing over the age of 40. Whos still gigging over 40?

Trotter
 
I'm 45 and up until 2 years ago I was gigging 3 nights a week. I'm putting together a few things with some friends right now and I anticipate to be doing it again soon.
 
Hey I'm 37 and am just now getting serious. Seems I just started palying yesterday. Folks ask when I started and I say 1980...... it seems like just yesterday until I do the math.
 
I'm 47,and was gigging with a local rock band for years,till I quit that a few months back to devote more time to recording at home.
Its kinda funny in a way...
Older bluesmen,classical players and other styles have gained respect for their older performers.Unfortunately,many older rock guys seem like a caricature of their former youthful rebellious selves (Mick Jagger and his crater-faced guitar player are typical).
I still would love to play out if I didn't have to load out in the rain at 2:00 a.m.,deal with sharpie bar owners etc.
 
I'm 56 and it's all I do.


.......scares me sometimes.
 
I think you bring up a good point about older artists being respected in other types of music, but in rock music it seems that older people are made fun of a lot. I for one am very supportive of the Stones. Hopefully, they will keep rockin’ until they are in their eighties. Some time ago they Stones were on their steel wheels tour. I remember some comedian calling it the steel wheelchair tour. I think age shouldn’t be an issue in rock music imho. It’s funny that I don’t hear too many people making fun of the Stones anymore. In the music business I guess youth will always sell.

Loading equipment at 2 am doesn’t sound like too much fun. At one of the last gigs I played the hours were 1 am till 7 am. I don’t miss those hours too much.
 
Last week VH1 did its top 100 one hit wonders. The number one super hit was "the Maceranea" written by a pair of middle aged flamenco dudes who have been playing forever.
 
47 and still picking- currently tracking first album. Well, I make less mistakes on guitar, but I don't try to sing Queen anymore.-Richie
 
I'm 37 and still play mostly heavy blues/rock. I don't gig or anything, I just wanted to chime in on the age issue. I played more accoustic when I was younger oddly enough.
 
I'm 48 and see no end to my love of music and guitar. I just wish there were more hours in the day to play.
 
I'll be 41 in Feb. and I'd play out if I could find a band to play with. I'm starting to get really frustrated just jamming with fruity loops.
 
Turned 58 three weeks ago, funny thing is I got into home recording so I could make my own backing tracks using rhythm guitar and bass guitar instead of synth and sequencer.
Silly old bugger, I thought it would be quicker. I am not the greatest keyboard player on the planet, but when I finally spent enough money on this and that I have been over the moon about the backing track.
And this coming winter (May thru August) I am intending to do an outback tour of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
which I was going to do this winter but hadn't mastered the recording bit so missed out for the year.

As long as you want to play do so. I have a friend who lost a lung when he was a child of 9.
Last month, now age 56, they removed the lower lobe of his remaining one. And the poor bastard has never smoked in his life.
He was discharged from hospital on the Wednesday and did a guest appearance at a local function on the Saturday.
That's real determination to play.
So bugger the age, if you can, do it.
Clive
 
i am 42 and i gig almost every weekend. im the younest one in the band. we have built a following of 21 to 30 year age crowd. THANK GOD FOR CLASSIC RADIO BEING SO POPULAR THESE DAYS!!
we already know alot of the tunes the younger crowd wants to hear. we do alot of blues too (which is not supposed to go over...but does)
all my original material is blues, so, i beleive our band will eventuall be totally blues.

a 50 year old playing blues is cool...the older you are the more you are accepted and respected as someone that has "paid their dues".

a 50 year old doing rock is not real cool (im talking in the eyes of the general public)
rock music is youth music and its supposed to piss off parents. its like their parents are on stage....you are seen in the younger crowds eyes as a silly old fart having a mid life crisis LOL

thats why i can't put my finger on why we are building a younger following. maybe its because our bass player is the best i've ever seen at getting 20somthing girls to peel off their tops (the men in the crowd seen to really like that aspect of our show)

BB king is my hero....its nice to see you can grow old and have to set in a chair to play and still be cool and sell out shows.
 
Great thread Trotter, my hats off to you. I'm 42 and still love to rock the shit out of it. Past bandmates from mid 70's - 80's think I can't let go and should play my slow hand blues and jazz, which by the way I love. I just don't want to let go, why put out the fire when there is still good flame. Still keep in contact and have been laying down some tracks of original material and just as excited as back then. Funny thing, I placed an ad for a bass player a few months past and titled it, "Where are the over 35 rockers" and to my suprise, had a big response from guys who thought they were the only ones who wondered where are the "Players over 40". Play what's in your heart and be thankfull you can. PS. I'm saving the blues for when I'm 70, something to look forward too.
 
I Love That Old Time Rock 'N' Roll...

I'm 53, not exactly a bedroom player. Actually, come to think of it my gear IS set up in the spare bedroom :)

Oh well. The 'puter's in the study so I'd have to haul it all in here to lay down some tracks...

Age simply doesn't matter. What counts is enthusiasm for guitar playing. Good, bad or indifferent, it makes no sodding difference. We play, we jam, we share knowledge and the sheer love of making guitar music. We are brothers in that.

Long may we hold our plectrums firmly.

--
BluesMeister
 
I think the biggest problem with the Stones is that the music they are writing is pure crap compared to earlier albums. The Stones should hang up the towel, not because of age, but because they just aren't any good anymore!

Later,
Musik
 
does not getting paid money count? I'm 50 and still "gig" around the county maybe and average of 3 times a month with a bluegrass band. I do it for the love of the music, the folks, and the food and drink. Of course this is different than doing shows in clubs or concerts. But hey, if you not getting paid, who cares. It still fun after 25 years. One of the best things about this is fucking up during a tune and nobody gives a rip. You just keep going and hope the fiddle player covers you. he he he he he he

dtb
 
Started guitar when I was 8 years old. Now I'm 43 and doing the contemporary christian church gig these days. I split time between drums and guitar.
 
Great thread fellow old fogies....

Started on trumpet in 3rd grade, guitar in 4th. Had me 1st paying
gig at 13 years old, and have been goin' ever since. At 47, I do 30-35 gigs a year and I want to do much more----I'm just gettin' warmed up.

I've advertised for a multi-keyboardist on and off for 2 YEARS in various media in metro NYC region. I've heard from players of all ages. The thing with the 30's, 40's, 50's-plus set is that the longer the player has been OUT of the gigging end of things, the bigger & harder the kick in the butt required for said player to get up, turn off the TV, tell the ole' lady you got some important work to do, and get your arse movin!

Most musicians I've ever met have that burning in the pit of the stomach to play. It's a matter of degrees: how hot does the fire burn?
 
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