I enjoyed the responses to Don's April Fools joke but it kind of fell into my thinking lately. Things have been going pretty well here in SC but as I said I didn't move here for gigs. This July I'll hit 50 years in the business and its been a great ride. I just passed up an opprotunity to join a working band here. I prefer solo but band stuff is fun too. The reason is I really want to manage my own schedule and be free to take off when I want. Also I'm getting tired of the same music. I know you have to play what they want but its getting boring to me. Someone asked for "Leroy Brown" recently and it did get some dancers going but I was thinking how much I hated it while playing. I'm not a musical snob but I know some of you must feel the same way about some of the stuff you have to do. Playing some jazzy stuff on a real piano at a house party recently was so much more fun.
Fran said something interesting about missing events. I've missed a lot because of music and regret missing some of them. Back then when bookings were by the month if you took off one Sat. you lost the whole month so you didn't have much choice.
I remember back in the day a musician who played Hammond organ 6 nights a week told me he was quitting and going to Fla. I said "why your doing great !' He said "I'm tired of being in a bar every night " Another very , very successful guy ( at one place he played the owner bought him a Cadillac for Xmas ! ) had his gigantic keyboard setup go down in a susipious restaurant fire. He said "thats it for me " and never played again. Burnt out in more ways than one.

I don't think I'll ever quit altogether but lets hear your thoughts ?

I still enjoy it most of the time, but I'm happy with just a couple nights a week. I don't do bars anymore and haven't in years. I still do the occasional private party, but usually I just play the same place. I don't have to move equipment, just walk in and play.
Sometimes you feel that if you have to do Mustang Sally, Browneyed Girl, etc., ONE MORE TIME, you will gag. I have a way of tricking myself. I will try to do it as if it's the first time I've ever played that song. Sometimes I will experiment with different styles, lead sounds, etc., to freshen it up. Occasionally, I'll pull up a midi file and play with that, to remind me how it's SUPPOSED to go.
I was recently invited to record an interview with a local art gallery, Norton Art Gallery. They are recording interviews with successful local musicians, and those that started locally and moved on to bigger things, in an effort to preserve the musical heritage and history of the area. They will eventually devote an area of the gallery for exhibiting the interviews, along with photos and other local musical history memorabilia.
There were some questions asked that caused me to reflect on my career, and my future. If anyone is interested you can hear it, but it is pretty long and pretty personal to the area. I was honored to be invited though!
At this point, I'm able to pursue fishing and golf and family four or five days and nights a week, and then "escape" to my world of music for two or three nights. As I've said, I get to play music, people tell me they like it, give me money, feed me, applaud me...WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE??!!
If it gets to the point that either I'd rather be doing something else, or that they stop inviting me to play, then I will have no problem walking away. Or maybe kicking and screaming as they drag me away.

Bill, only YOU will know when it's time to hang it up. In my case, I was working 6 to 7 days a week, often doing doubles, and not just the NH circuit. I also filled in for guys that had regular nite club and restaurant jobs when they wanted to take another, higher paying job, or had health issues. I loved every minute of it, and yes, there were times when I got somewhat tired of playing Leroy Brown, Brown Eye Girl, etc..., but I just jazzed them up a bit, switched to different right hand voices, etc..., which help maintain what little sanity I have.

If my health had not gone to Hell, I would still be out there nearly every day of the week, but now my lungs are shot, which effects my vocals a bit, and my back is disintegrating, which makes sitting in one position for one to three hours nearly impossible. I went to three surgeons, and all told me that there was nothing that could surgically be done, and surgical intervention was way to risky and could result in paralysis from the waist down. I have to live with the pain.

Fortunately, I knew this day would come and I have been preparing for it for the past 30 years, by stashing money into a retirement program that I established for myself three decades ago. Smartest move I ever made.

So, now that I no longer work every day and night, what do I do with all that free time. Well, I have a massive front lawn that needs mowing, which I'll do today with the tractor. It also has 7 rock gardens, all of which require some minor maintenance. With the yard work, I do what I physically can, then take a break, mix up a tall Green Coconut Margaretta and when I feel like it, go back to the task at hand.

I also spend a fair amount of time on my sailboat, even when it's not in the water. Today, I caulked a couple small leaks where bolts enter the cabin, and hopefully, that will solve the minor leak problem I have. In two weeks, the boat goes in the water, I'll reinstall the sails, put on the Bimini top, bring the bedding onboard (sheets, pillow cases, blankets), put the radar back in place, and reinstall the electronics. Next, the bar and pantry will be stocked, the refrigerator cleaned out, and I'll take the boat out on a shakedown cruise of a day or two. If nothing breaks, which I hope is the case, then I'll pack a seabag with clothes, add some frozen foods to the fridge, plus a couple bags of ice, then put up the sails and head down Chesapeake Bay, stopping when I feel like it, playing music in some of the marina restaurants and bars to make some fuel money, and do some fishing and crabbing at locations where I anchor for the night.

Of course, cruising comes at a price - I'll have to pay someone to mow the lawn every week, and with a front lawn of 2.5 acres, that carries a price tag of about $80 a week until August, when the grass doesn't grow nearly as fast and it only has to be mowed every other week. When October rolls around, I have two choices, either put the boat on the marina parking lot and winterize it, or, if my health allows, put up the sails and point the bow of the boat south, not stopping until the winter temperature and my age are the same (75), which seem like the most logical thing to do. At that point, I'll be living aboard the sailboat, which has all the neat things I have at home, but on a much smaller scale. And, again, if my health allows, I'll play music a few nights a week at the Marina and restaurant Tiki Bars, which will help supplement my cruising expenses. If I don't stay in marinas, I can live aboard the boat for about $500 to $600 a month, and that includes food and booze. If I opt to spend some time in the comfort of a marina, add another $750 a month for slip rent, water and electric.

Good luck, Bill,

Gary

Gary
I thought of you as I was writing. Health issues are something you can't argue with. Many musicians have been forced to retire for medical issues, some normal and some self inflicted. I was going for the mental aspect of the job. I still really enjoy making people happy even if I have to play those same songs for the 1000 time.
I'm glad to hear your going to enjoy yourself and keep doing whatever gigs you feel like
Good sailing.

Nice gig and you hit all the good reasons to keep it. I think I would hold onto it too. No chasing people around to get booked, and I'm really getting sick of that ! , no moving equipment, and best of all, your appreciated which is why they've let you hang around so long.

My 2 cents....
I do not think there is a simple answer to the topic, because it's not age specific, it's more a health-related question.
However, if / when the day comes when it is only yourself and not your audience being entertained, the show has been going on for too long.
One must recognize their own limitations, and learn to know when it is time to retire from the public room.

I will repeat............

"For me I hope the day never comes that I can't wake up and perform music on stage,... It's always been my passion & my love to be blessed with being able to share the magic of music with people."

some don't realize how lucky they are to be able to play professionally.....one of my fans once told me..

"God gave you a gift,....do you know why?" when I said No he told me ......
"because he wanted you to share it with the world"

I never forgot that,.....
to me retirement is a prolonged death sentence

My big satisfaction comes from knowing that my work is part of world-wide visual/audio communications efforts. In my field, this is the big leagues.


Plus, I often get to write/direct the entire project, and that's another big love of mine.

Playing for people....it depends on what people. For me, it's all about playing with others...making great players sound fabulous.

I know I have a limited audience, but I am NOT willing to play crap just because some uninformed person wants to listen to it.

When others do it, that's entertainment. When I play it's all about the music.

It's less money, fewer crowds and a lot more work.


I wouldn't have it any other way.


Russ

Bill,
You have touched on a subject that has many different emotions.

Performing --- Love of the music you understand.

Normally people do not stop performing until they are no longer effective. Even then they may keep trying.
Loving the music you understand is different. The joy of creating the music you understand stirs your emotions – there are times when you hate to stop playing. Many years ago when I was playing bars and lounges we played a job that started at 9PM and ended at 2AM. By 2:30AM we had the piano rolled out and played until 5AM.

The sax player in my band was one of the best. He is now 81 and still has a strong desire to perform. Not having the opportunity to perform any longer his sax and flute never leave their cases. His love lies only in performance.

IMHO, John C.

PS, Most musicians have some degree of both. I will play the music I understand until I no longer exist. It still stirs my emotions. I do not get tired of playing the same songs; I can play Misty with 400 variations and different harmonies depending on my mood.

Just got back from a gig in your old neighborhood Bill, Congress Hall, Cape May.