A song from "Fiddler On the Roof" comes to mind when I try to answer AJ's question. That song or phrase from a song is "Tradition".

Europe still has strong ethnic and regional traditions when it comes to music. Even the accordion is somewhat still popular there. If you were to look at the Ketron line they include a multitude of those popular European styles in their arrangers.

In the good ole U.S.A. we have very few musical traditions on which we can hold. The people that used to request "In The Mood" or "Misty" are all over the hill, in nursing homes, or dead. They now want "Who Let the Dogs Out" or Rap or some other new musical fad. Ok Ok I know that there are exceptions to that statement but over all I think it is true.

I played a party this summer and there was an excellent trombone player there from Orlando Florida. He saw what my Tyros would do and said, "You could make a lot of money with that in Florida". Why is that? Because Florida is God's waiting room that's why.

From what I've seen the only music that crosses the line between young and old is country. Don Mason can probably attest to this. Even though some of the older country fans do not like the current country.

We as musicians and the manufacturers of our instruments should be setting our sites on songs from the 60's. This market nitch now has all the kids out of the house and has disposable income to spend on live music. They don't want to spend their disposable income on "Moonlight Seranade". They want to hear the songs that were popular when they were young. Songs by the Beatles, Stones, Doors, Turtles, etc.

The big band, latin, and jazz standards have no tradition among these 60's baby boomers. As the American population continues to age these styles will become almost extinct.

Tom