Thanks Mitch. I've been blessed with a long career that keeps me happy, challenged, and local enough to be in my own bed each night. I'm thankful for each day I get to climb up on stage (or nestle into a corner) and share a bit of my soul with the audience. For me, there's no option. If I had a "real job" there wouldn't be enough hours in the day to play music, and that just would not do. There was a short (10 year) segment that I chose to teach HS music and drama (age 50-60), but that was all music-all day, and I still performed quite a bit, both with the kids, and on my own.
I turn 65 in March, and I hope nothing changes! (fingers crossed) I figure, I might have enough energy to keep this pace up for 10 more years, then if the business will still have me, I'll scale back (just a little) until I can't be effective anymore.
It'd kill me to give up the connection I have with my clients, and fans, and just sit at the computer all day, reliving my glory days, trying to fill the hours.
I once asked an elderly friend of mine when he might retire, and he replied ... "every time one of my friends retires, I become a pall bearer".
He passed at 94, and played almost all the way through.
That's the goal. Play to the end. (wish me luck!)
Quick sidenote: There's a line at the end of a Billy Crystal movie (Mister Saturday Night) that sums up my connection to show business.
Billy played an entertainer named Buddy, and when Buddy's wife was asked how she put up will all the craziness of the biz, she relied:
"Buddy just needed that extra hug, he could only get from strangers ...."
That's me, I think. I like the strangers .... for a few hours a night. Then, I get to go home.
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