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Gary

What Gary said

That’s why I hope arranger manufacturers don’t move too far away from the traditional styles that seem to appeal to the older crowds and to me, as well.

great article I do many senior shows and get the same reaction in fact I do lots of main stream show as well and find senior show are more rewarding most of the time it great when you can make a impact on someones day.

All the trasitional styles have been done, and could be loaded as user styles ...

But believe me, they will stick to the traditional styles, maybe adding some newer age musical styles, but they will never abandon their cutrrent styles..


Back on topic, i can really see how performing for older people and giving them their necessary rays of sunshine can be very very rewarding.

His story is my story. That's exactly why I got into the senior market and I've been a very happy camper ever since. It's the best move I ever made and I hope I can do it for the next 20 years as well,

What decades of music do you guys include by percentage, knowing it differs somewhat by average age of the audience.

If I were to guess, I would say:

30's and 40's of all types-40%
50's and 60's -20%
70's and 80's -20%
country -20%

I suspect I should increase the newer, but I am always well received so it's difficult to know.

I am speaking of NH or assisted living venues.

I'm using approximately 35 - 40% 50s - 60s and it is on the increase ... there can be a wide variety there between Doo-Wop, RnR, Beatles, Pop, etc. ... I find that as I get older, more residents are in MY age group ...
The other genres break down to about 20% or so of each ...

Hi ... I too play at many Retirement Communities and such ... and I try to ask the Activity Directors about the "age range" (as well as "observer" it with my eyes). It seems that most places (I play at about 10-12 different places in central NC, USA), they usually tell me that the predominant age is people in there 80s. Some in their 90s, some in their 70s. But the 'average' from what I'm told (and it sort of matches what I observe) is that the people are mostly 75-95 in age. So, I try to think about "what kind of music were they listening to as teenagers and young adults", and play mostly that. Music from the Big Band era, Swing era, Ballroom, etc. always seems to go over well for them. And a few classical pieces. But, time does march on ...

As the years go by a person that is now 80 (for example) in 2015, that person was 20 years old in 1955. I think they say that people's "favorite" music is the music the "grew up with" (their teen years and young-adult years). So, this 80 year old was 15 years old in 1950 and 25 years old in 1960. So, they are bound to like 50s and early 60s music. Someone 90 today was 15 years old in 1940 and 25 years old in 1950, so they will likely enjoy music from the 1940s and early 1950s.
So as the years roll by, even these older folks are going to enjoy 50s and 60s music more, and there will gradually be less people in the audience that enjoyed 1930s and 1940s music.

I do find that more and more, when I play "early rock and roll", in nursing and retirement places, for the most part they love it! I think they enjoy the "energy" of it (and the "Beat" of course). Plenty of them still want to hear 1940s music though. So I tend to mix in pre-1950s and am gradually doing more 1950s and 1960s music, and even a bit of 1970s music.