Interesting thread. I'm 57 now and played my first paid gig in 1975 ( was too young to know what I was getting into. Got my first deal at 16, which went bad due to things I only later understood.
Unlike everyone around me I only ever wanted to write and play solo, did this for a while but ended up getting sucked into the mainstream machine. Got pulled around in all directions, listened to some bad advice/ some good advice and, well lets' be honest, I did love playing electric guitar, the all the fun of the fair life with a band and all that went with it.
That took up most of the late 70's / 80' and early 90's saw the world, acted the part, then had what can only be described as a breakdown, looking back on it.
I went back to playing acoustic gigs again which was very therapeutic but now gave me stress and anxiety in a way that had not affected me until the few years previous.
I then ended up crossing the fence , so to speak and worked with some major labels in various capacities while keeping up my personal outlets by a) putting together the odd touring band for artists b) co producing / mentoring artists c) writing songs for others , and d) playing solo acoustic singer songwriter /folk gigs.
I left that scene approx 12 years ago and went back full time into playing /writing.I got new management played gigs/festivals etc and lo and behold discovered that I hated it. Basically I felt too old and too vulnerable to smile through all the hassle anymore.
Thankfully, I'm still working but these days I write for others, do some screen composition stuff ( a lot of learning software and arrangement techniques |) and play on other peoples' stuff a well as totally under promoted /under the radar acoustic gigs twice a year.
If you've got this far, basically the OP's thread heading fits very well with me. I sit in my studio on my own, communicating with collaborators etc via the web, talk to myself and make sure I get out for a coffee and a good walk everyday before I go stir crazy. In truth I find it perfect for me now and dread actually having to get out and meet folk in this business.
When this phase ends, I will have finally distilled the last few decades into perfection, just playing guitar for me, because that's all I ever wanted to do in the first place.
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