Gigging late in life

[teleme01]

Short story long, I got my first guitar in 1974 and have been obsessed lifelong. I studied music theory in college and played in the "b" jazz band. Because of personalities (multiple) or just because I was a b player, I never really made the scene or was part of a band to speak of, UNTIL NOW

Yes, I have come of age and am now a playing member of the DeRidder Medicare Bluegrass Band. We play the 2 nursing homes here in town, 2 birthday parties a month. I am really enjoying this gig, for multiple reasons.

1. It pays me all I need (0)
2. 1 mile from home
3. Daylight playing hour
4. Nobody cares if I screw up
5. The audience is captivated and can't run away.

Anybody else on the nursing home circuit?

 

[u.9]

Seeing that modern assisted living audiences are getting (uncomfortably) closer to our age groups, how long before they begin insisting on spandex, mosh pits, and pyrotechnics at these gigs?? I think you're safe with bluegrass!

 

[teleme01]

We are as old as the residents are and I don't know about the other guys but I might have them beat in the meds. The guys in the group older than me are in their 70s and 80s, played in rock and blues bands going back to the 1960s. Old men really do rock!

 

[VanHeGen]

#5 on your list cracked me up!

 

[Don O]

I had been practicing with a singer/guitar player for over a year. Me, late 60s, him early 70s. Last summer he reached out and found a drummer, late 60s. The drummer knew a bass player, early 60s. We hit it off well, worked up over 30 songs and did a few gigs. Then the singer had a life altering medical event that took him out of the game. We had fun while it lasted and now I’m hunting for a new (old ) singer/guitar player.

 

[teleme01]

I had been practicing with a singer/guitar player for over a year. Me, late 60s, him early 70s. Last summer he reached out and found a drummer, late 60s. The drummer knew a bass player, early 60s. We hit it off well, worked up over 30 songs and did a few gigs. Then the singer had a life altering medical event that took him out of the game. We had fun while it lasted and now I’m hunting for a new (old ) singer/guitar player.

View attachment 64807

Sounds like a fun group to be part of