How many of you seniors still play gigs?

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 24 Apr 2009 9:26 am

I am 71 and although I have slowed down, I still play at least one or two gigs per month.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 24 Apr 2009 10:19 am

I'm 69 and still play at least 3 gigs per week and sometimes 4 or 5 per week but I do gigs one either pedal steel or lead guitar with an occasional bluegrass mandolin gig thrown in at least once or twice a month........JH in Va.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 24 Apr 2009 10:41 am

Define "senior" !

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 24 Apr 2009 10:53 am

I'm 70,still play several gigs a month,with the Strokin Dixie band. last year the band played about a 150 dates,little slow right now,hope things pick up I like to work a LOT,I'm a poor old geezer and need the money. DYKBC.

Chuck Christensen · Post by **Chuck Christensen** » 24 Apr 2009 10:53 am

Hey Joe,I'm over 70 and this month I have 4 and next month, 5 on the books! I thank the LORD I'm still able to play and people like to hear it. Chuck

Derrick Frank · Post by **Derrick Frank** » 24 Apr 2009 11:00 am

Going on 72, still play with a band, and work with an American singer who has lived here in England for 40yr's.
We play the senior citizens clubs, they love the older type country, the fiddle and a few jokes, we do a couple a week.
We get £75 each, and it helps with the pension.

Jack Ritter · Post by **Jack Ritter** » 24 Apr 2009 11:01 am

I am only 74 and have been playing my Wednesday nite gig for going on 13 yrs this August with the same band "Ridgerunners" and also play with the "Country Pride" band. Have from 60 to 100 dancers every Wednesday. Do classic country and some 50's rock and can't wait till the next Wednesday gets here. Last Wed was my 865th gig with these same guys. Might say we have a ball!!!

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 24 Apr 2009 11:16 am

I'll be 77 in June and still play 3 Saturday nights a month. Dwain Birdwell plays the other week. Can't hardly wait to play again tomorrow night.

Eddie Cunningham · Post by **Eddie Cunningham** » 24 Apr 2009 11:30 am

Even at 80 we can still enjoy our music !! I play with a band that does the old traditional country music a couple or three nites a month and my old Rick. DW-16 D-8 non-pedal steel fits in just fine !! I hope I can keep going forever !!! Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal , no reverb , dead string , out-of-work old geezer )

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 24 Apr 2009 11:35 am

Man!! It's great to see that us older guys are still in demand. Like I said before, I have slowed down, but still enjoy playing with the band.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 24 Apr 2009 11:38 am

Roger Crawford wrote:Define "senior" !

Roger, I guess it's when you are old enough to get the senior's discount when you go out to eat.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 24 Apr 2009 11:39 am

Senior dicounts in restaurants start at age 55.

ROGER

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 24 Apr 2009 11:42 am

Roger Shackelton wrote:Senior dicounts in restaurants start at age 55.

ROGER

Yep, and I always take advantage of it too.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 24 Apr 2009 11:56 am

I just do qualify! I'm 3 to 4 gigs a month average. Has been as many as 6, but that cuts into the home life too much.

Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 24 Apr 2009 12:43 pm

Hi all, I am now 75 and have been playing at least 12 to 13 times per month for the last 11 years. I just scaled back a short time ago to 6 to 8 times per month. I believe my age is trying to tell me something, but I have been trying my very best to ignore it, but it is getting harder to ignore. Oh well, time will tell!

Sam Lewis · Post by **Sam Lewis** » 24 Apr 2009 4:22 pm

I'll be 79 come August. Still play show/dance at Houston Country in central Arkansas every Sat night Great family place and I have A BALL. One thing I have noticed is that my Steel King, Nashville 112 and Mullin RP have grown a lot, at least they are putting on some weight. Takes a bit more to carry them.

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 24 Apr 2009 4:47 pm

I'm 67. I guess that makes me the 'youngster' in this post.

Yep, I still play out. In fact, I just connected with a new band that wants to play out frequently.

I hope so.
.

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 24 Apr 2009 5:44 pm

I will be 79 on July 12th. Last year did 136 gigs with Greg Kent and The Lonely Road Band plus 2 steel guitar shows and numerous steel guitar club meetings. Had a small health problem in Feb. and had to give up my job with Lonely Road. Things got better healthwise and I did the Dallas Show and hopefully played OK and am now looking for another band while subbing for other pickers. I hope to be on the OSGA(OKLA) one day show this year on May 23rd. in Tulsa. Jody.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 24 Apr 2009 7:28 pm

One of my best buddys,Mr. Shorty Smith in Columbus Ga.[just across the river from me] Still plays every weekend,Think he's 76.He spends the weekdays catching bass,and playing golf,and flirting with pretty girls. DYKBC.

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 25 Apr 2009 2:51 am

Great to you fellows out gigging...and inspiring the rest of us.

Eddie Cunningham invited me to his family luau last year. He inspired me with his beautiful playing on his Rickenbacker DW-16 (some folks call it a 206). Eddie sounded so good with his Jerry Byrd-like style that I wanted to imitate him, so I tracked down a DW-16 for myself.

I hope I can be like Eddie when I grow up.

Andrew

Alan Harrison · Post by **Alan Harrison** » 25 Apr 2009 4:36 am

My wife and I spend 4 months in South Texas during the winter, I have worked with the same band four years this last winter.
We play two to four times a week either dances or shows plus play in staff band at two jam sessions each week. I had to slow down some this last February due to back problems.
At 73 years old, I'm not the best player in the world but I'm dependable and no one enjoyes playing any more than I do.
"Put on a new set of Jagwire's in November, just changed them yesterday, none broken and they still sounded great"...alan

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 25 Apr 2009 4:50 am

Im 72 and still do four to five a month. Sometimes more but not very often.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 25 Apr 2009 5:07 am

I'm 71 and still picking. I have stopped the bar gigs (30 years picking in bars was enough) but that's about all. I do a weekly Tuesday daytime show in the winter "season" (our last show of the season will be this coming Tuesday). I've got the next two NYE gigs booked and our band does some dance jobs, mostly at RV parks. This past February was the 7th year that I've worked(toured)with Tommy Cash here in Florida.

There is nothing on the horizon for the summer except our monthly steel guitar club jams. But that is typical of this and many areas in Florida. I'm going to take the Summer to work on a new instrumental CD.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 25 Apr 2009 5:12 am

You guys have got me inspired to start playing more. It's 9:00am here in Charlotte and I am fixing to load my stuff in the car and head over to Howren Music in Gastonia NC. They have a jam there every Saturday and I am going to see if they will let me set in.

ollie strong · Post by **ollie strong** » 25 Apr 2009 7:21 am

I'm coming up to 74 in july,,I have 10 gigs on the books and another 5 by Sept.,duos,3,4,6 piece, plus jams whenever,,I also do some recording at my home studio...most gigs are pre 80 country but still enjoy the odd 'other stuff'...Still learnin

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How many of you seniors still play gigs?

How many of you seniors still play gigs?

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Turned 80 last month and still tickin !!

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