It’s no longer a surprise when you hear of musicians in their 70s, 80s and even 90s still performing on tour like they did decades ago.
“You’re never too old to rock and roll” was a key refrain in the Jethro Tull song Too Old To Rock ‘N’ Roll, Too Young To Die from 1976 and lead vocalist Ian Anderson, 78, still sings it on stage to this day.
At the moment, the oldest performing musician is Texas country singer Willie Nelson, 92, who had a 24-show tour in the US from February to July this year. Sir Cliff Richard, 85, just ended his “Can’t Stop Me Now” tour throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Ringo Starr, 85, will bring his All-Starr Band to 12 shows from May to July next year in California, Utah and New Mexico. Bob Dylan, 84, recently concluded his “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
Dionne Warwick, 84, will perform in the US and Germany in February. Paul McCartney, 83, finished his “Got Back” US and Canada tour in Chicago last Nov. 25. Mick Jagger, 82, is rumored to be planning a Rolling Stones “One Last Ride” tour with 35 shows starting in June in Australia, Europe and the US. Rod Stewart, 80, is on a 10-gig journey that began in Germany last Nov. 28 and went through Switzerland, Austria, Belgium before Greece on Dec. 13 and the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 17, then in February, opens a 32-show US trip from February to August. Zombies lead vocalist Colin Blunstone,80, will launch his 12-stop “Believe In Miracles” UK tour on the Isle of Wight on May 7.
In Birmingham last Oct. 13, Graham Nash performed at the Symphony Hall of the International Convention Centre with Peter Asher as the front act. It was a stop on a UK tour that was billed as “More Evenings of Songs and Stories.”
Nash, 83, sang songs from his nearly 70-year career with the ‘60s British Invasion band The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, plus his solo work. Asher, 81, was the “second voice” of the Peter and Gordon tandem that was a rage in the ‘60s.
Asher interspersed six songs with stories from when he joined Gordon Waller to form a duet in 1962. He began with a tribute to the Everly Brothers on Crying In The Rain, then did two Buddy Holly compositions, True Love Ways (with the late Waller singing lead on tape) and It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.
He went on to I Go To Pieces, which songwriter Del Shannon offered to The Searchers and when it was turned down, Peter and Gordon made it a Top 10 Billboard single in 1965. You’ve Got A Friend was next and Asher mentioned he produced James Taylor’s song.
Finally, Nash joined Asher on stage for A World Without Love. Asher said McCartney wrote the world No. 1 hit and was his sister Jane’s boyfriend, who lived in their family’s Marylebone home for two years before The Beatles broke out.
Nash sang 16 songs, including Bus Stop, Our House, Teach Your Children, Chicago and finally, Suite Judy Blue Eyes.
Like Asher, he told stories of his life and the inspiration behind every song. Nash spoke about his two-year relationship with singer Joni Mitchell and how a teenaged songwriter Graham Gouldman’s mother pestered Hollies’ manager Michael Cohen to use her son’s compositions, one of which was Bus Stop. Nash will be back on the road in the US from April to May.
In another concert, Moody Blues lead vocalist Justin Hayward performed in Truro, a city in Cornwall, last Oct. 20. It was the second stop of an 11-show UK “Forever Autumn” tour. Hayward, 79, is the only surviving Moody Blues member with bassist John Lodge passing a few weeks before the Truro gig. The front act featured Hayward’s guitarist Mike Dawes, a virtuoso instrumentalist.
Hayward did 19 of his solo and Moody Blues hits. Nights In White Satin, I Know You’re Out There Somewhere, Your Wildest Dreams, Tuesday Afternoon and Forever Autumn were well applauded. He was accompanied by Dawes, Julie Ragins on keyboards, Karmen Gould on flute and Josh Johnson, who played bass guitar with one hand and drummed with the other while sitting behind a kit.
Hayward was somber after his farewell song and repeatedly waved to the crowd with tears in his eyes before walking off. He’s still actively recording with his latest single, Life In A Northern Town, playing on the sound system at the end of the show, so it’s not as if Hayward is bidding goodbye forever. Like the others in his age group, he’s never too old to rock.