Health and performing

Many here have had to give up performing publicly due to health reasons. We all know Gary's story recently. I dissolved my band this year after realization I can't handle equipment, travel etc anymore after past back surgeries. Now that extends to solos after recurrent blood clot issues in leg that prevents me from extended sitting or standing.

Not an easy pill to swallow, and time to move equipment I don't need anymore. I'd like to hear from others who have faced this and how you made the transition from stage to home player easier.

Well firstly don't let depression of not performing publicly take over your mindset...instead look at all the positiveness and your new musical direction. Sell off some old gear and setup your home studio with gear that you can make music with and most of all make yourself happy creating songs, music tracks for others, recording, writing your own songs. Try other ways to create also using VST's with your DAW on your computer, or maybe learn a new instrument to add to your songs, Listen to your doctors advice and never give up.

I wish you luck with your new adventure!

take care

A long time coming but I finally agree with Donny...100%.

chas

Unfortunately, up until the last, my mind kept making appointments that my body could not keep! Now that I no longer can perform in front of an audience, I seem to have lost some of the drive to play and sing, though I still sit next to the keyboard at last a few hours a week, if for nothing else, to relive some of those fond, old memories.

All the best,

Gary

I think if I had to move and set up my gear every day, I would retire. Friday I played for a nursing home, which I haven't done in quite a while. I have two sets of everything, so I loaded up my "stuff" from home, drove 30 minutes, unloaded, put stuff on dolly, pulled it inside, set it all up.
Then I played for an hour, and enjoyed it a lot. Then, pack back up, load into the car. By then it was time to go to Ernest's, where I work. Drive 20 minutes to there. There was a special party in the main dining room, so I got DickieT, to cover me in the lounge, using my p.a, which is already set up. I had to set up the second set of gear, which I had in the vehicle, in the dining room, and then play for three hours, 150 people.
Then of course, pack up and put the stuff back in the vehicle. Then I went into the lounge and people were demanding that I do a few songs, so I played the last half hour there.
I was so tired at the end of the night, especially after Ernest fed me, that I had trouble staying awake on the way home. The one great thing is that the "guys" at Ernest's load and unload my gear. Best $5.00 I ever spent.
The point is that the one-night, or one-day jobs, from now on will have to pay BIG money before I think about doing them. The NH paid $100., then wanted a W9 to turn in, and I have to wait a month or so before getting paid.
This nursing home is a HUGE, high-end facility, with their own Chapel, Medical Center, choice of rooms or apartments, first class all the way. They could easily afford to pay a decent price, but "corporate" has them on a tight entertainment budget. Of course half the people that play there do it for free, to "help the old people". Although they think they are doing a good thing, they are only "helping the rich people"!
To top it all off, I dropped my Tascam digital recorder out of my pocket while loading at the NH. Broke the screen, so it is toast. New one arriving Tuesday. So if you add it all up I lost money on the NH, and to top that, I'm not even going to send them a W9, and I will tell them, this time was free, but don't call me again!
O.K. Rant over. Ten years ago I did four NHs in one day, in a town 100 miles away, and it didn't bither me a bot. At least I made a LOT of money that day.
Getting old requires patience and a sense of humor.

Don... Dang it... How many chapters did you write today?

When will your book be available?

Sparky you wrote:
“The older I get, the better I was”
Nice, ya got me saying that to people all the time.

Here’s another one:

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past.
If you anxious, you are living in the future.
If you are at peace, you are living in the present”

The decision is up to you and I.

60% of performing is getting everything prepared. The other 40% includes carrying stuff, booking the job, getting dressed for the event, packing and unpacking the car. Not doing that any longer kinda balanced out what I have given up. I am still doing the 60%, setting up, I like doing it.

Sparky, this is a great to live/think, I am still trying to decide if it’s true or not aaaaaaaaa, (smile)
John C.

John (Bruno123), since you're an ol' coot like me, you might enjoy this. The singer ain't pretty but with REAL music, no one cares; talent and performance reign supreme. This is 'ol' school' jazz club music at it's best and in it's heyday, you could hear it in a dozen different clubs in Philly and Atlantic City (during the season). I grew up on this stuff and this is what we played (and still play in the few remaining pure jazz clubs). I'm not even getting into the 'arranger' thing, I'm just posting an example of the way music used to be. Use headphones or good monitors for best listening. You can also invite TonyMads, Capt Russ, Steve, Paul, Fran, and a handful of others to drop in for listen. Tell me what you think of THIS interpretation of this old chesnut.

chas

Don, you nailed it buddy!

Chas, ya brought back some precious memories. Thank you.

In my younger days I felt that ballads should be played in that tempo, that is where the feeling, the emotion is. Then I started playing the catering field, I had to play the ballads in a dance tempo. Much of the emotion was lost.

This is one of the areas I am going to take my Sx900. Play with freedom, played with what is inside of me. That’s what music is all about.
John C.

One of my ALL TIME favorites!!!!! I found this recording about 30 years ago, and it's a staple in my rotation.

The 'good stuff' wears well. The tunes were good and the players could play. Wish there were more clubs featuring this type and quality of music, but it's not likely. Sad. Anyway, glad you're helping to keep these great old tunes alive.

chas

Unlike Don, all of my jobs are at different locations and on some days I play two jobs a day-but not a lot these days. I will turn 80 In June but have been very lucky health wise and am still able to do most things I want to do. However, I have made a few adjustments that make my jobs a lot easier. Last year I changed from a Ketron SD7 to a Ketron SD40 Module and a 49 Key M-Audio Midi Controller. I also changed out my Bose L1 Compact for a Bose S1-Pro speaker. All this helps a lot and is working wonderfully.

What Don said about the Senior living places is very true. The corporate owners don't seem to care a lot about the residents and often do not give the Activity Directors a lot of money to work with and the turnover of the Activity Directors is Hugh which often makes rebooking a real pain - but it Is all part of the Senior Living business - take it or leave it.

The biggest negative now for me is driving to and from the jobs. In the last two years the traffic In our area has gotten very bad. Often it will take me 2 hours to drive to a job that was once only an hour drive. It was reported that last year 24 families moved into our area every hour! But, what else would I be doing - probably just sitting around the house and really growing old! My wife of 57 years goes with me and we have a lot of fun being together and watching all the stupid drivers we see.

I guess as long as my clients want me I will continue to play and I am already booked at some for 2020.

Deane

Can we call this thread, "The Don and Chas Show?"

Let's don't talk about getting old. I get a quick reminder everytime I walk more than three feet... or turn the wrong way too fast. But I do have an Arranger Keyboard... and I enjoy that darn thing entirely too much.

Don, I really enjoyed reading your NH and Ernest's story. In the back of my mind, if you could no longer perform (no matter the venue)... I would bet you'd miss it after just a day or two. Yeah, all that toting would take me out of the game before the "waltz" even began. Having the talent to have such a strong base of dedicated "fans" is a gift... and you are gifted, my friend.

Chas: You brought back memories with that "clip" of Etta Jones and that marvelous "backing band"... I cannot begin to thank you enough. So many things about that 6 minute video could not be economically done in today's music biz environment... it leaves me amazed at how much talent existed "back in the day." She had a voice that probably won't be duplicated... and you are so right... her looks had nothing to do with what her audiences were looking for. Sadly, she seemed to live in the shadow of Ella Fitzgerald for most of her career... and that is a shadow I believe would be "bearable" because the bar was set so high.

What a great way to start my day... or, even better, end an evening. Really marvelous stuff.

Thanks to both of you, ----Dave

I still enjoy all the 'work' that goes into doing solo 1 hour gigs. It's still running a business and very difficult too. The paperwork (computer) is never ending and following up on payment due is sometimes very frustrating.

That said, I like the 1 hour 'work' that comes with it. What pure joy. Nice not to traipse through industrial plants trying to deal with PAs, Engineers, Chemists, etc. Done with that.

And Hammer.....you are my idol. 80 and going strong. Hope I can say the same in 11 more years. I will play till I drop.

I've already dropped a couple of times but have been able to get back up so far!

Only thing I've dropped is a semitone or two on some of the songs I've sung for years.

Don, the only thing you’ve dropped is your Tascam recorder . Did you get the new one yet?
Mitch

Will arrive today. You'd never guess what I did. I ordered one off Ebay, from a licensed dealer, late at night. Then yesterday I was talking with my Sweetwater guy and told him I needed one; I forgot I had already ordered one.
I called back, but not sure I got it canceled in time. Maybe I'll have an extra one or one for sale. I hate to return it when it was totally my fault.
There are already FOUR on my desk. Two have broken displays from dropping them, one is just "dead"; one still works but the battery cover is loose so it is taped on.
Senility is lurking.

LOL...

So tasty! Been playing this little gem for years.

R.

I feel better about myself now...….. healing from my broken wrist on a 'dog' fall

Thanks Sparky for another great thread! Good discussion on the trials and tribulations we all are facing daily with our aging processes. Just coming "out" of my triple bypass, I wonder how much longer I can go to the beach in 105 degree heat and set up my amp and wait for the wedding party to show up (which is usually way late!). So far, so good and I will keep gigging as long as my health will allow me to. But playing at home is also a wonderful way to keep the mind alert and focused for sure. Not having to deal with managers, ADs, traffic and weather makes relaxing at home w/headphones and the amazing technology we enjoy these days even sweeter.

Thanks Chas! Also loved the Etta Jones version of the song "Don't Misunderstand". Saxman and vocals were perfect! This is a wonderful song that is rarely heard. Alan McPike offers a great backing track for the singers and horn players of the world... Here is a recording of my good friend Enny Monaco playing the McPike version of the song.

Randy, I've listened to Allan for years. That's the guy you need to listen to if you want to learn how to properly accompany someone. Nice sax work. He wouldn't by chance be related to Tony Monaco, would he? Wasn't sure if your reference to 'Etta James' was just a typo or a reference to a different recording. The one I posted featured Etta Jones. I love both of them anyway .

chas

Chas - wow! Always great to meet another McPike fan! I have a ton of his tracks. He does super work for sure. I will ask Enny if he's related to Tony Monaco. We never have met other than through the 'net, but we have had a lot of dialogue on sax playing.

Sorry - old age creeping on me. I read it right and typed it wrong. Etta Jones did a phenomenal job!

Wouldn't surprise me if that smooth, unobtrusive bass was Allan playing pedals----he's that good. He's another one of those 'invisible' guys known mostly by other admiring musicians.

chas

wow has this thread taken a nose dive south.....getting back to the original topic....Sparky I hope your getting the medical attention you need and make a tremendous comeback to a healthy lifestyle.
Happy Holidays to you and yours also.

+1 - Sparky, best wishes for your continued good health and may positive strides come your way in the coming months.

Right on Chas! Here's an appropriate selection of Alan playing pedals with his usual flair. Man this guy exudes talent. Just sayin'. Listening to Alan has inspired me time and time again and will continue to do so.

Randy and no arranger in sight.. Just sayin..

This guy is the "ultimate arranger".

Thank you Donny, Randy, John, Gary, Chas, and everybody for responding.