Octogenarians To Centenarians

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Will they ever "give up" their steel guitars? Is there an age when a player might say, " I can't do this anymore."

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I would suspect that there are more players who give up playing because they don't want to anymore than there are players who give up playing because they can't play anymore.

My wise ole dad told me many years ago not to worry about getting old and not being able to do the things you want to anymore....because in most cases your "want to" will end before your "can do" ends!

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 July 2006 at 10:53 AM.]

Roger Kelly · From: Bristol,Tennessee

Someone used to sing a song titled "When My Git-up has Got-up and Gone" some years ago. Haven't heard it in years but it's getting more appropriate every year for me.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I would suspect that the gentleman: Mr Arth'r Itis is a primary reason for not playing steel guitar in our declining years.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Hey, I turn 76 next month and my goal is to play a show with John Hughey, Herby Wallace, Buddy Emmons when I'm 100. That's only 24 years away, so if I practice every day, I should be good enough to get on the stage with them. I hope my good buddies Fred Shannon and Jack Kondora can make it, too.

Sam Lewis, Pedalmaster D-10 8/5, MSA Classic D-10, 8/4, twin Steel Kings, and some more stuff I don't know how to use.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Gene made a good point there.

My want to and Can do is sitll ok , yet,and I will be 85 on Dec 10, The Good Lord willing.

So just keep on playing that Steel , even at home as long as you can. ....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Gene, all due respects to your father -- but his philosophy does not reflect my own status at 76. My "can do" is gone but my "want to" is still alive and kickin' -- and that is not limited just to playing steel.

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Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

...now Roy, for some reason I don't believe your self-assessment is accurate. I don't know about your "want to", but I know that your "can do" is still alive and kicking!

gene

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

My late friend Ralph Kolsiana had a burning desire to play right up until blindness and other age-related infirmities made that impossible. I met him when I was about 35 and he was about 81 and he was still as excited about music as I was.

Lee Gillespie · From: Cheyenne, Wy. USA

By golly... I was super proud when I announced my 75th on SGF last week. Shucks now I feel like the youngster in this thread.. congrates to you older gentlemen, and on the upcoming birthdays... Lee
P.S. my goal is to reach 80 and play on stage at the Grand ole opry with my Nephew Mark Gillespie who now works with Tracey ? Atkins/

[This message was edited by Lee Gillespie on 06 July 2006 at 07:20 PM.]

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Steel is a good instrument for the geriatric set,
because you can sit down and play,
then sombody young will demand to move it for you!

ifn you're a little shakey, it's called vibrato

ifn you play slow, it's called beautiful style.

ifn you only play tunes 35 years old or older,
nobody is surprised.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 July 2006 at 11:57 PM.]

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Sadly, there is no shortage of debilitating afflictions, which could hamper the desire to maintain reasonable levels of practice on the steel guitar. The barriers and cumulative effects of ill health, could disrupt ambitions once realized. To reconcile with the unforeseen, and a turning of events,
may be the sole mainstay in preserving that which we have gained.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Sometimes keepin' on, is a question of luck.

Sometimes there are lucky people
with little talent and an easy road
to what they want.

Sometimes there are very talented people
who get every possible bad break
and it cuts them off at the past.

And for some it just suddenly ends as it begins ;
end of story.

For most of us it's perserverance,
and moderate luck, interspeced with,
kicks in the head,
and those sparkling bright moments
we all try to remember.

But I guess percerverance is the main component,
to getting along succesfully.
When the donkey kicks you in the backside,
get up, kick the sucker in the head,
and remount!

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

Cowboy up. Play more non pedal western swing and don't slant? I pray I can always play music on something, if'n I'm lucky enough to live a long life.

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

My good friend from the 50's, Gordon Terry, passed away recently. He was a great fiddle player and singer. I re-connected with him a few months before he passed on and he told me how bad his health was. I told him I was still in good health at 76. In his typical humorous way he responded, "Yeah, but you steel players got to sit down."

So, perhaps that's our secret to longevity.

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Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Bill-Glad to see you posting again. Very interesting post.

Roy-That's it! I quit playing guitar after I found out I could sit down and play Steel all the time, instead of occasionally. That way I could still play 5 hour jobs without getting too tired.

Now days I Wouldn't want to play more than a 3 hour job anymore. But I can still play all the old songs on my 60 year old set list on my Website, and the later ones too. I am amazed and feel just lucky and blessed...love that steel...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 07 July 2006 at 12:26 PM.]

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

So retcop, how is life on Vega??

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 09 July 2006 at 03:01 AM.]

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

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