This is mostly for the professional everyday players,...that just had enough playing keyboard & singing day after day for 30, 40+years and need to step back for a while?...either from sickness, the burned out syndrome, plain boredom, change of act, a new setup with new gear, or performance strategies, etc,? or whatever the case may be, making a clean break from playing the keyboard for 6 months to a year is what I've just done,.....
In my case sickness, but now on the mend quite nicely and starting to trickle in again playing 30 minutes here and there at home just to stay sharp, but in no way will ever return to a grueling performance schedule ever again, just cherry picking occasionally, instead just playing at home and recording love the creative process etc,......but it does make you rethink your music & how you do it and why.
Music has been very good to me & I am grateful for for all the years of magic.

Sorry to hear that your not well Donnie ... happy to hear your on the mend. Music is in your blood, unless you went through several transfusions, you'll never be able to stay away from music ...

Jerry thanx wanna make your show sometime also.. Ciao

thats me! 45 years playing every night, consumed with playing good, having the best equipment i could get. it was a hard life but it was what it was. it was all that i knew how to make a living. along with the drinking drugs bad marriages i survived for years, then time took its toll. started playing with lesser quality musicians, places , less money. then with no insurance, the body started to give out. 3 divorces, 3 heart attacks,vascular shut down, cancer, bankrupt twice. i played my last full gig 12/31/06, cause the doctor (again) gave me 2 years since i didnt have insurance for treatment. then the crap really hit . cancer treatments, quad bypass, corotid artery , gall bladder , arotic anuryism, severe ostio porosis surgeries in less than 7 years. Well here it is 10 years later, still alive. now about my music . its not important to me , it doen't define me like it use to. im a 70 year keyboard player who dreams of playing like i use to 50 years ago but soooooo glad i dont have to anymore. for once in my life i dont have to pass the audition for the gig. as i look at the ever changing world of music/entertainment, i am so grateful that i survived it and left with diginity that i always gave it. now im the rock star in my bedroom studio and thats enough for me. but what if?...................
hope you feel better.

Stay well Donnie.... You are important to all of us here.

Take care of your health first Donny, nothing is more important... Music will come back in your live if you conquer your health problem... And even listening to music should give some comfort, music is all around is, and will allways have some way into our lives...

I am not a religious man, but if i where i would have added you to my prayers.. The fact that you are less active on these boards is definitely noticed...

Donny I do my best to stay positive, let me share.
You’re special to this forum; I have felt that way since I read your posts.

My question:
Why do people take change so seriously? For a man who has been blessed to have a great music career there is more coming. More music? Who knows, but more of something good is waiting on you.

I read a book called Portholes (like on a ship) As you go through a porthole you enter into a big change. New furniture, painted walls, and whatever – Donny embrace what’s coming and don’t look back. There are many ways to enjoy music. And it is possible that your feelings about performing may come back.

Better still it may be time to change the type of jobs you have played. I have turned from all-about-me to helping people; my music is part of what I do. I am thankful for the change.

Take care my friend, John C.

Donnie's just pissed because the ladies don't look at him as often as they did in the DARK AGES (LOL)!

Heal up, bud! Been where you are, and where "Wrinkles" has.

Hey, we can start a survivors club.

We all paid the price, and survived.

THAT'S GOOD!


R.

Thanx everyone, ....makes me feel good that Im not alone is this crazy game.In fact tonight night I sat down and played & sang one of my favorite tunes "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
Music IS the Magic Medicine!

Sure wish music would provide me with a new pair of lungs. I struggle to sing, which was my strong point when I was still on stage. Today, I went to the boat, hauling my oxygen generator with me because I no longer can be without supplemental oxygen for more than a few minutes. I am very close to the point where I last saw my old friend and synthzone member, Hank Bowman a few years ago. I really and truly miss being a performer and entertainer - it was the absolute best job I ever had in my life and if I would have died on stage, it would have been a fitting end for me.

I still sit down at the keyboard and play nearly every day, but the words to those songs are just in my head. In the next few weeks I will be going to pulmonary rehab a couple days a week, which essentially does not really improve your lung functions, but does give you back some strength lost from the decrease in physical activity from not maintaining a reasonable level of exercise.

So, Donny, don't feel like the Lone Ranger with this - you are definitely not alone.

Good luck, old friend,

Gary