Many here have had to give up performing publicly due to health reasons. We all know Gary's story recently. I dissolved my band this year after realization I can't handle equipment, travel etc anymore after past back surgeries. Now that extends to solos after recurrent blood clot issues in leg that prevents me from extended sitting or standing.

Not an easy pill to swallow, and time to move equipment I don't need anymore. I'd like to hear from others who have faced this and how you made the transition from stage to home player easier.

Well firstly don't let depression of not performing publicly take over your mindset...instead look at all the positiveness and your new musical direction. Sell off some old gear and setup your home studio with gear that you can make music with and most of all make yourself happy creating songs, music tracks for others, recording, writing your own songs. Try other ways to create also using VST's with your DAW on your computer, or maybe learn a new instrument to add to your songs, Listen to your doctors advice and never give up.

I wish you luck with your new adventure!

take care

A long time coming but I finally agree with Donny...100%.

chas

Unfortunately, up until the last, my mind kept making appointments that my body could not keep! Now that I no longer can perform in front of an audience, I seem to have lost some of the drive to play and sing, though I still sit next to the keyboard at last a few hours a week, if for nothing else, to relive some of those fond, old memories.

All the best,

Gary

I think if I had to move and set up my gear every day, I would retire. Friday I played for a nursing home, which I haven't done in quite a while. I have two sets of everything, so I loaded up my "stuff" from home, drove 30 minutes, unloaded, put stuff on dolly, pulled it inside, set it all up.
Then I played for an hour, and enjoyed it a lot. Then, pack back up, load into the car. By then it was time to go to Ernest's, where I work. Drive 20 minutes to there. There was a special party in the main dining room, so I got DickieT, to cover me in the lounge, using my p.a, which is already set up. I had to set up the second set of gear, which I had in the vehicle, in the dining room, and then play for three hours, 150 people.
Then of course, pack up and put the stuff back in the vehicle. Then I went into the lounge and people were demanding that I do a few songs, so I played the last half hour there.
I was so tired at the end of the night, especially after Ernest fed me, that I had trouble staying awake on the way home. The one great thing is that the "guys" at Ernest's load and unload my gear. Best $5.00 I ever spent.
The point is that the one-night, or one-day jobs, from now on will have to pay BIG money before I think about doing them. The NH paid $100., then wanted a W9 to turn in, and I have to wait a month or so before getting paid.
This nursing home is a HUGE, high-end facility, with their own Chapel, Medical Center, choice of rooms or apartments, first class all the way. They could easily afford to pay a decent price, but "corporate" has them on a tight entertainment budget. Of course half the people that play there do it for free, to "help the old people". Although they think they are doing a good thing, they are only "helping the rich people"!
To top it all off, I dropped my Tascam digital recorder out of my pocket while loading at the NH. Broke the screen, so it is toast. New one arriving Tuesday. So if you add it all up I lost money on the NH, and to top that, I'm not even going to send them a W9, and I will tell them, this time was free, but don't call me again!
O.K. Rant over. Ten years ago I did four NHs in one day, in a town 100 miles away, and it didn't bither me a bot. At least I made a LOT of money that day.
Getting old requires patience and a sense of humor.

Don... Dang it... How many chapters did you write today?

When will your book be available?

Sparky you wrote:
“The older I get, the better I was”
Nice, ya got me saying that to people all the time.

Here’s another one:

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past.
If you anxious, you are living in the future.
If you are at peace, you are living in the present”

The decision is up to you and I.

60% of performing is getting everything prepared. The other 40% includes carrying stuff, booking the job, getting dressed for the event, packing and unpacking the car. Not doing that any longer kinda balanced out what I have given up. I am still doing the 60%, setting up, I like doing it.

Sparky, this is a great to live/think, I am still trying to decide if it’s true or not aaaaaaaaa, (smile)
John C.

John (Bruno123), since you're an ol' coot like me, you might enjoy this. The singer ain't pretty but with REAL music, no one cares; talent and performance reign supreme. This is 'ol' school' jazz club music at it's best and in it's heyday, you could hear it in a dozen different clubs in Philly and Atlantic City (during the season). I grew up on this stuff and this is what we played (and still play in the few remaining pure jazz clubs). I'm not even getting into the 'arranger' thing, I'm just posting an example of the way music used to be. Use headphones or good monitors for best listening. You can also invite TonyMads, Capt Russ, Steve, Paul, Fran, and a handful of others to drop in for listen. Tell me what you think of THIS interpretation of this old chesnut.

chas

Don, you nailed it buddy!

Chas, ya brought back some precious memories. Thank you.

In my younger days I felt that ballads should be played in that tempo, that is where the feeling, the emotion is. Then I started playing the catering field, I had to play the ballads in a dance tempo. Much of the emotion was lost.

This is one of the areas I am going to take my Sx900. Play with freedom, played with what is inside of me. That’s what music is all about.
John C.