Makes me wonder what Arranger Artists will be asked to play 50 years from now? From all I've gleaned from my weekday ASCAP newsletters, RAP and House Music (I use the term "Music" lightly) are the big money makers now, followed by "Dance" music which is a far cry from what we danced to when I was in my teens and twentys.

Seems like a big gynormous spinning wheel. Who knows, maybe it will be Western Music in demand... again. LOL!

Great to be alive in 2019. I feel your pain, Deane. Sounds like Mason may be onto something with his name the show's tune contest... assuming the prizes are not too expensive. (Maybe Ernest's will throw in a Shrimp Cocktail or Crawfish Etoufe. (sp?)

Hang in there, guys and gals... assuming we still have some ladies active in this gathering. I'm working on the "Pelosi Waltz" even as we speak.

If anybody watched New Year's Rockin Eve last night on ABC shaking your head at the so called performers you'll get the picture this new generation don't want to know anything about the old songs we grew up with you're in for a rough ride thank God we had many good years playing music because it won't be long before you'll be shouted out of every venue you go to because you're not playing songs that the mainstream wants and worse than that you have no idea what they're talking about and then you have to sing them also?.... and I'm not kidding it's a sad day for our generation musically..... Makes you feel like what the hell am I doing up here? .. Grrrrrr!
The Future Has Arrived even in nursing homes don't be fooled the day has come when DJs will rule the world... this is only the beginning.

My opinion:
Keep playing what you love. Above all do not try to play music you have no feel for. If you do, they will be disappointed and you will be hurt.
There still are some people who love the older music, but their numbers are diminishing.

Deane, most of the older musicians that I know are, or have, experienced the same thing. --- it has nothing to do about you.
John C.

Don,
I play a lot of the songs you listed but have not used them for gigs recently. Perhaps I will try them at a few places and see what happens.

Deane

John, Right on the mark ...

Yes, my wife and I 'sort of' watched the NYE presentations as I switched from channel to channel ... did we know the artists or the songs? NO, because we are not listening to today's 'pop' music ... Imagine how are parents and grandparents felt when Dick Clark started his 'Rockin' New Year's Eve' show in the early 70's after watching 20 years of Guy Lombardo on TV ... don't forget, 50's rock and roll was called 'the devil's music" ...
What we are witnessing is LIFE ... it changes, sometimes for the better, sometimes not ... only history decides ...
Most of us here are in our 70's or pushing close to it ... Accept what we had, continue to do what we can, and when the time comes, hopefully bow out gracefully ...

For decades I have said that the years we had the band in NY WAS the best of times ... we played music from the 40's, through the 70's in our own style, and people hired us because of it ...

I guess if one wanted to play music that stands the test of time, one would play Jazz, because even today the young Jazz players are playing songs that were popular generations ago ...

At the age of 77 years, I am happy to say that today I got a call to sub at one of my favorite high end Italian restaurants on Saturday ...
THE BEAT GOES ON ...

Deane,

I told you this would happen 10 years ago. It was inevitable! My rule of thumb has always been to perform the songs that audiences enjoyed when they were 15 to 35 years of age. Pretty hard to go wrong using this theory. Additionally, I took DNJ's advice and rarely performed a song that you could not dance to - made a huge difference in audience participation.

Now, for your next challenge. I have heard you sing in person many years ago. You have a fair good voice and with a bit of practice, you would be a lot better in no time at all. Your audiences would love it, and so would the ADs.

Good luck,

Gary

John and Tony,
I think you are right on target. My niche is playing songs they remember and have not heard in a long time - a very common comment I get all the time. I am will be 79 this year and most of my audiences are close to this age and older. Most grew up with the music I play and often people stop to tell me how the songs brought back many good memories. This said, I do understand the need to include newer music as needed.

Gary,
Yes, In my youth I did sing - a lot. Even won local town contests. But that was 65 years ago and I have done little to no singing in the past 40 years. Every once in awhile I will sing a song at a gig and it is interesting to see the audience reaction - most ask me to sing more.
Who knows, maybe I'll get back to it this year - actually thought about it. Seems a shame to waste all those hours of voice lessons I had as kid and while working on my music degree in college.

Deane

Now here’s a touch of wisdom by Tony.

Most of us here are in our 70's or pushing close to it ... Accept what we had, continue to do what we can, and when the time comes, hopefully bow out gracefully ...

I have been blessed with a career in music for many years ---- I have nothing to complain about. And I’m still playing my guitar and keyboard.
John C.

On the positive side.
To keep up with the change in music I had two CDs filled with original music like the Electric Slide, Hot Hot Hot, and up country songs. I did not want to use midi files. I did what I could do well like YMCA, Macho Man, Johnny B Good, and used the CDs to do the rest. It kept me in the business.

There was a series of CD’s, that were popular. One had a was “Hooked on the fifties. The music was a medley of songs played non-stop for approximately 20 minutes. They set up a strong beat and added the flavor of each song – the basic rhythm did not change, they did add to it. I heard a five- piece band do this at wedding, it was good.
This would not be hard to do with our keyboards --- and you would not be compared to the original artist.

Just a thought, John C.

I have definitely noticed this too; we play more and more earlier Rock (1950s-1970s), and we get requests for the Doors, Eagles, Beatles, Stones, others. Sometimes it's the family visiting the resident (who are younger), but sometimes the residents at the retirement 'villages' where I play, do indeed ask for rock'n'roll. As I'm only 59 myself, I'm all set and known plenty of rock (1960s-1980s was my heyday) !!

Jim