Am I Too Old For My Own Music?

A few weeks ago, we were able to attend an Air Supply Concert. Did you know they have been touring every year since 1975? Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell are the duo to the songs we all know and love. Most of us have memories of high school and college of playing their songs over and over and cherishing first love. We even played their songs again through arduous breakups. I can still sing every word.

Graham Russell lives near my hometown of Kamas, Utah. He is 71 years of age. Russell Hitchcock lives in Georgia. He is 72.

They both struggle to sing the pitches they once did. They still attempt to stroke the guitar with reckless abandon and dance about the stage and throw hand motions to the crowd with their microphone to engage the crowd. I couldn't help but think someone needed to be nearby to catch them if they fell. Have you seen men who are my parents age jump up and down on a stage? You cannot look away! I was so engaged, I didn't even want to go to the bathroom or grab concessions. They are still great entertainers, but at that age, even falling over could be damage beyond repair...and I don't mean to the equipment or the stage.

Every feeble hop or an attempt to run toward the crowd had me scanning the crowd for paramedics.

Jenn and I were driving yesterday, listening to a top 20 countdown of songs from the 80s. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts brayed 'I Love Rock and Roll' followed by the Beastie Boys, 'You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party!' I found myself turning the radio down and wondered to myself, "are the artists who performed these songs also getting too old to listen to their own music?"

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