I have been struggling with the idea of totally retiring from my music profession for the last 6 months. Truthfully, I have not missed playing and actually have spent very little time playing my keyboards at home. So, the problem is what to do when the calls start coming in. Well, today I got a call from an AD wanting me to play every Friday night the rest of the year for dinner hour. I had to really think this one through but decided it just was not something I wanted to do so I graciously declined the offer.

Truthfully, I don't understand the senior places trying to open up and putting their residents in danger. But I guess that is their call.

Deane

Deane, please consider recommending another DFW keyboardist, like me for example I play and sing all the old standards. My parents are in their 80's, I grew up with and love their music!

Whatever you decide, good luck to you!

Deane, I'm in the same shape. 9 weeks off in 63 years. The club closed for the virus and I think I'm done...even from the Philharmonic. I don't want to embarrass myself. AT 76 years old, I have had to lower some keys and stopped "back-to-backs".

Still have my 24-30 annual film scores for my productions and about 10 studio calls a month.

Never was much of an entertainer, anyway. And, the songs I loved to play were not what the dining room audiences wanted to hear.

Was a BALL while it lasted, though.

Best of luck!

Russ

I totally understand Deane. I too have retired from the music business, at 83 it is about time. I don't feel motivated to sit behind the keyboard and play the songs on my playlist. Tired of playing the same thing over and over again because that's what the ADs and audience wanted or expected. It's still too dangerous to go to Nursing homes and other venues. I'm in the process of restoring the keybed on my Yamaha YPG 525. If I'm not successful I will give it away, sell my arranger keyboard and purchase an 88 key digital piano and play piano. That's how I started at 8yrs old and will finish in my 80's or later, Lord willing. The one that comes to mind is the 88 key Korg XE20, Italian or German piano voice, hammer action and if one longs for styles, rhythms and other voices, there is an Korg EK50 on board. I'm not giving up on music, but giving in on the circumstances that surround all of us.

Gerry

Russ
I am curious as to why you feel your music was not what the audience wanted to hear. I am asking thinking maybe mine isn't either. What music do they like, as opposed to yours?

Bernie

I was staggered when I realised reading this that the music I play by Abba is circa 40 to 50 years old...and that was the 1970s. So if you are playing 60s music or even earlier then the years have really caught up with you...

I always try to tell my audience ‘Here’s a song you would have requested, except you forgot how good it was!’ 🎹😂

Personally, I think too many entertainers place too high a value on requests. We’re not Spotify... it’s our job to take them somewhere they didn’t know they wanted to go, but are glad they got there!

Bernie, I am a hopeless "jazzer". What I want to play is George Duke's T Jam, Legrande's How do you keep the music playing?, Popsicle Toes, Four, etc. I can get by with that playing simple versions at low volume in country Club dining rooms.

At parties, no one is familiar with what I want to play, and I don't need to play anything I'm not interested in.

It's all a compromise. I will play requests, but, left alone, I head for the stratosphere, tune-wise without ever realizing it.

Russ

Russ, maybe the thing to do at this stage is to simply tell people what you want to do, what you want to play, and let the chips fall where they may..?

I’m sure with your reputation and ability, you will get at least a few jobs that let you be you, and even though it won’t be back to backs, the charge you get from playing live can energize you and make a break from the cloistered studio life. Especially if you finally get to play only your favorites!

Every musician you admire took this step, to say that they would only play what they wanted. The greats still kept playing live, and found an audience for what THEY felt was good. If you can contemplate stopping altogether, you can also contemplate this alternative...

Hey Roger
It has been awhile. Perhaps it has, unless the people I play to are in the same boat. I don't take requests and play a good mix of vocal and instrumental from the 40's to the eighties. I hate feeling like a fish out of water, and watch my age group carefully. Like Russ, I play the music I like, but would not last an hour at one of his jazz sessions.