So Who’s the Oldest Active Gigger here?

[rstaight]

I had my 65th birthday last week. So, I am just a youngster.

The jams I play we had a fiddle player who passed at 100. And he could still play The Orange Blossom Special. I think our oldest at the moment is 83 and plays banjo and ukulele.

There are several who are in their 70's.

[Keith Lee]

This is great news

I'm a spry 66, told my same age friend that gigged for 30 years that I was writing new songs and playing slide in alternate tunings to go back to playing churches and elsewhere

He assured (and convinced me) no one wants to hear people our age play unless we were already famous...

Ended up cutting way down on playing and working out new material, gave up on finding female singer to replace ex-wife as main vocalist

Now I can once again lie to myself and say I'm still young !!!

[shekie]

I turn 71 tomorrow, keeping busy with a trio that performs at senior living facilities once a month, solo open mic once a month, weekly meeting of an Americana Ensemble at a local music school, once a month services as of member of my Temple band. That doesn't include weekly voice and guitar lessons and oh yeah, Porchfest season is coming up as well.

Frankly, it's exhausting, but I'm still having fun doing it.

[Guitars44me]

Glad to report I am still gigging some at almost 73

I have a couple recurring monthly senior gigs, one or two quarterly, occasional parties/fiestas, and a couple occasional Road House gigs.

The roadhouse ones are amped. But, usually most folks are listening, at least!
Haha

I am older than a lot of the folks at my senior gigs, but younger than many, too.

Before the plague I was playing 240-250 gigs a year. Glad to have em slowed down now, but wouldn’t mind a few more. Time to pick and choose my battles….

Meanwhile, everyone have FUN and spread the JOY

Paul

[OptimusJay]

Wow! You all are amazing so super inspiring!! I admire each of you, and as a non-performer I am here fantasizing about the “performer life” and wonder to myself “what am I waiting for?”. I know that’s naive thought those as you performers make sacrifices in many ways to do what you do.
Good on each of you elder statesman/women.

Jay

[The Bard Rocks]

Occasional gig here and there. I am 78.

At first you hate to admit how old you are, but there is a point you reach when it becomes bragging rights. I am not sure which camp I am in.

[hotroad]

I quit gigging for three years and just recently started up again at bars, restaurants and festivals in the summer. I am 74 and can still meet my standards of "good enough". Just got a Godin Montreal to try something new to stay fresh.

[Stratcat77]

I’m 60 and am hoping to keep playing regularly after I retire.. This forum has me feeling pretty good about my plans!!!

[FingahPickah]

I’ll be 68 in June.

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Keith Lee

This is great news

I'm a spry 66, told my same age friend that gigged for 30 years that I was writing new songs and playing slide in alternate tunings to go back to playing churches and elsewhere

He assured (and convinced me) no one wants to hear people our age play unless we were already famous...

Ended up cutting way down on playing and working out new material, gave up on finding female singer to replace ex-wife as main vocalist

Now I can once again lie to myself and say I'm still young !!!

Keith, don’t listen to your “friend”.
Really, plenty of people will listen to a person who plays and sings from the heart! And folks are fascinated by slide, too!

Spread the LOVE

Paul

[RLetson]

Wouldn't call it gigging, because there hasn't been compensation of any kind of offer since Covid hit, but I'm still out in public three times a week--one very informal brewery jam, one pretty loose restaurant get-together with a Benedictine monk, and a sit-in with a jazz outfit. Turned 79 a couple months back. Even before Covid, I got slowed down by the death of one long-time partner and the disability of another, both younger than me.

[Ryan51]

I'm 72 and now in four projects that have gigs on the calendar. Two cover bands, a Doors tribute and a duo all after moving here just over a year ago. Also occasional sub in another gigging band.

[SpruceTop]

73 going on 74 in April. My gigs are now few and far between but I now enjoy just playing at home for fun.

[Silly Moustache]

I'm 76 next Monday, and no longer seeking "gigs" but "weather permitting" I run my Picker's club twice monthly. (where we meet is susceptible to local floods - it is a flood plain and they are building high density housing on them - rain water as to go somewhere - but that doesn't seem to matter to the developers.

Come April and assuming the flu season diminishes, I'll go to a couple of singarounds locally, but I have a problem with open mics and there are no decent folk clubs around any more post Covid.

[zeeway]

I hope there is a prize for this - like a new guitar. I am 82 and usually have two gigs a week in some local assisted living homes/senior centers with our gospel sing along group. And before you ask, the answer is yes, at some places, I am as old as the people we are playing for.

But I can tell age is catching up with me…I just bought a stool so I could play sitting down. That standing up/playing stuff is only for you youngsters under 80.