Saturday, June 16, 2012

Too Old to Dream?


The girl I used to be...

Are we ever too old to dream?

Last night, Troy and I went with our friends Carnie and Rob to see Kenny Loggins in concert. After all these years (40 plus, can you believe it?) Kenny has still got it – let me tell you. He is handsome and fit and sings his ass off. He performed Danny’s song as beautifully as the day he wrote it. He jumped around the stage, danced, rocked This Is It and Footloose like he was thirty years old.


Are you ready for this? Kenny Loggins is 64. 

Kenny also performed an opening set with Blue Sky Riders, a new vocal harmony band he’s formed with two of Nashville’s top singer songwriters. Kenny said that when he told a trusted advisor he was going to form this new band and go on the road, this friend told him, “You’re too old to start a new band. Maybe you should think about retiring.” In response, Kenny and his bandmates wrote this song,  Dream,  which will now be my new life mantra.

Who are you to tell me what I can’t be
Well, that ain’t right
As if all I’ve been is all I’m ever gonna be
for the rest of my life
You take the glory days
I’ll take what’s on its way
All I can do is believe in myself
If I listen to you, they might as well
leave me in the rain, take me out to sea, lock me up in chains, throw away the key
the day I ever got too old to dream. 

After the show, we went backstage to visit with some of our friends in the band. Our friend Shem, the bass player, said that at 64, Kenny has softened as a person, but has never slowed down artistically, and is writing and singing better than ever. And then I thought about what a wuss I have been lately. 

It’s no surprise to me that this experience would come just as I told Troy I was thinking about quitting my singing career. A woman only has so much shelf life in this shallow music business, after all. Basically, I wanted to leave the biz before it left me, and it was leaving me slowly, my phone sitting quiet for months now.

As if on cue- my phone rang. A few times. And now I have two unexpected gigs this weekend (both with my hubby) and a session next week. I was feeling confused by this. The old Clash song ran though my head – Should I stay or should I go? ( you youngsters probably don’t even know who The Clash is)

Watching Kenny last night, I felt inspired again. What is age anyway? I mean, its inevitable. It’s going to happen to all of us, but it’s the way in which we age that matters. We can fill our lives with joy and gratitude and passion, or we can become bitter and rigid and stiff. Whatever way we choose, it is reflected in the way we appear. A person whose passion burns inside is beautiful on the outside.

Today I am feeling just a bit more hopeful, thanks to Kenny reminding me that I’m never too old to dream. I’m dusting off my songbook, packing up my gear for a gig tonight – and I won’t forget to bring the most important thing of all - my passion. To quote the Blue Sky Riders: You take the glory days- I'll take what's on its way...

Take a moment to watch this video and see if you don’t feel the same:

Blue Sky Riders with Kenny Loggins

6 comments:

  1. Gilli moon. Sorry I missed your showbthursday night. Had a session I could not turn down. Do not give up. I am 66. I am better than I have ever been. The more you do it the better you get. Read my datamusica post on Monday. It addresses why we do this.
    You keep om girl
    James

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  2. Yes, I needed this! I'm collecting the names of writers who wrote into their nineties. Thanks Hollye!

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    1. Judy,
      Maya Angelou is a huge inspiration to me. She is in her eighties and still writing, travelling...inspiring people all over the world. That's my goal!

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  3. Fabulous blog, inspiring words from a beautiful lady……you just know I'm sucking this all up Hollye!!!!! YOU…..inspire ME!!!!! Your beautiful voice was meant to go on…..and on…..and on ♥

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    1. Yay Georgie- I was hoping you'd read this. This is most definitely your time to dream. It's a new story, a new life, a new page - and you're the author!

      xo

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I love hearing your point of view- thank you for taking the time to comment and be part of the conversation!
love,
Hollye