Gary…….what I meant was this, and it’s something I’ve thought about for a long time. Do musical geniuses (such as Glen Campbell…..and maybe even Prince) have so much activity and overuse going on in their brains that it, the mind, eventually starts to shut down to preserve itself (dementia, Parkinson’s, etc) and in extreme cases, shut down entirely (death).

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Known Symptoms and Diseases of a Number of Classical European Composers

“Only in the last years has scientific evidence demonstrated that creative people are more vulnerable to depression and suicide”

“Previous psychological research has also suggested a link between creativity with depression and mood swings.”
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On the other hand, my own belief is that the constant activity the brain is subject to, from playing an instrument and all peripheral functions associated with making music, keeps it healthy, wealthy, alive and kicking far beyond the minds of those who don’t follow the “use it or lose it” principal.

Either way, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it, but it does make you wonder though. Is musical talent a curse or a blessing?

Mark