First and most important -- Happy Anniversary Gary & Carol

Second I will always appreciate Gary’s posts, they range from factual statements to baring himself in humility – he tells it the why it is.

Topic -- How has age affected your playing
I wish to view this topic with a talented driving musician in mind. You know when he plays you have to move.

Archie Bunker in the TV show “All in the family” looked at Edith and said, “Edith, you’re not getting more wrinkles, and besides as I get older my eyes don’t see as well as they did, so you always look the same to me”.

A musician does slow down with age, everything else does why not his music performance.
1-His response is a bit slower.
2-The way he managers his performance is not the same.
3-And the very important part of this topic – he no longer has the same drive of a 27 or 38 year old man.

But like Archie Bunker’s eyes, he sees Edith as being pretty much the same, he sees very little change.

Having said that, and I speak for myself, My feel for harmonies and structure has improved. There is so much more of me in the music although I have slowed down. I have traded speed and coordination for more feeling and taste. Are we still good at age 58, ya dam right we are. Are we still good at 68, a little slower but STILL real good. Am I still good at 76, Yes! I really am, I think – well it seems so?? Ya know I don’t really know. Aaaaaagh.

But who really cares, let’s keep playing our hearts out, give all we've got.

A bit of advice from an older guy – If you want it to happen before time keep worrying about it.

IMHO, John C.