Some music stars don't know when to retire. I saw one last night.

[DFW]

Two nights ago, we saw Hot Tuna. Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are both over 70, but were in top form and put on a fabulous show.

Last night, my wife and I went to see Melanie Safka, another 60s-70s icon, Woostock veteran, and writer of some memorable songs ("Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma&quot . She is 68, but so what? John Mayall is 81 and still touring. Melanie's son (a great guitarist, by the way) and granddaughter had to help her walk onstage, but no one could help her sing. Her voice is just gone. It was very painful to sit through (though we did). What used to be a powerful, memorable voice is now little more than atonal squawking. Maybe she needs the money, who knows? But this poor woman is past the time when she should be doing concert tours.

[hlthe2b]

1. Sadly, I'd bet she DOES need the money...

sigh...

[panader0]

2. I saw Bill Graham introduce her (and Santana) at the Fillmore West about '69

I never cared for her stuff--but Santana-wow!

[Hoyt]

3. That's too bad. Here's a recent video that's OK, but she's got a lot of help.

There's another on her site that's not very good, though.

[DFW]

4. Yeah, she talked quite a lot about that duet.

No such help this time.

[dembotoz]

5. For some years I had everything she did

Only had one real chance to see her and I just could not get there that day.

[DFW]

6. I have seen some old youtube videos of her way back when

If you liked her then, don't go see her now. You're in for a rude shock if you do (as I was). Keep the good memories.

[cloudbase]

7. That's why there's Branson. n/t

[ghostsinthemachine]

8. I remember seeing an 80+ year old Pinetop Perkins

at a teeny weeny blues festival a few years back. He rode up and his manager lady (who drove) told everyone (backstage hangers around, photogs, press etc) that he would be unavailable before the show but that he would have 45 minutes after the show, and not one minute more than that..

He promptly say down and feel asleep until about two minutes before show time and everything was set up. His manager woke him and then guided him to the stage. One feeble old man. Could barely walk. He sat down at the piano (an upright, hence the name PineTop) and started to play. And man was it bad. Oh it was like he was walking behind the whole band.

But then all of a sudden he started to hit it. Next thing you know he is doing those finger rolls for which he is famous for and he is bouncing aorund in on the bench, just rocking the house. All of a sudden he was 21 again and playing like a madman.

he ended his set to thunderous applause and then proceeded backstage to meet and greet.

he sat and told stories and talked with everyone for exactly 45 minutes, then fell dead asleep right in his chair.

For 45 minutes there he transported himself, and the crowd as well, to anothe time. That's why musicians, unless they are total jackasses like Robbie Robertson, don't retire, they can't. it is their lifeblood.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. Now I'm sad. Hope it was just a bad night. Melanie was very special to me back in the day.

Saw her once late seventies, give or take, at the Ivanhoe in Chicago.

The record companies never knew what to do with her voice. I have to wonder if she just eventually blew it out trying to force it to do things it wasn't meant to.

[DFW]

10. I couldn't tell you.

She was in bad physical shape all around. Grossly overweight and unsteady on the guitar, and could barely walk. She needed to be supported on both sides. I guess after seeing Hot Tuna 2 days before with a 74 year old Jorma Kaukonen in peak form made this particularly devastating to watch. Youtube didn't help, either.

I remember seeing a special tape of one of her concerts in Sweden in 1970, and thought how completely at ease she was. Now, every song was an effort, every note, even. Better to keep your memories than to go through what we did last night. It WAS sad.

[bluesbassman]

11. Could've been an off night.

I've seen some videos of Johnny Winter in his last years performing horribly, and I mean flat out terrible, off key, out of time, just embarrassing. But then I've seen some where he was spot on. Maybe not quite as fiery as in hi younger years, but still had it.

Maybe Melanie was just have one of those age related nights. Who knows? I do know one thing, it's hard to walk away from the stage. I did for about five years and I missed it every single day.

[DFW]

12. I hear you on that

Nearly 40 years ago, I was given an ultimatum: keep touring the European clubs or make a full commitment to my day job. There weren't enough hours in the day or days in the week for me to do both. A few years later, it arose again when my part-time group signed with Warner Brothers--do the music or do a fast fade. I told WB thanks for the vote of confidence, but I just didn't have time to tour or tape TV spots. They thought I was stark raving nuts, and didn't do a lot to promote the record they just signed us for. I still get the rare chance to perform every now and then--kinda rarified when you have Bill Clinton sitting in the first row! But I chose long ago, and don't regret it--much, anyway. My day job permits me to do everything else I want that I'd never be able to do as a touring musician, and I still get to do the occasional gig. Not QUITE the best of both worlds, but closer than I would have gotten if I had stuck to playing only music.

I only met Johnny Winter once at a rock festival in France in 1970. He was at the top of his chops then, and the nicest guy you could ever want to meet. A real contrast to Rick Zehringer (now calling himself Rick Derringer), who was one of the rock world's leading assholes back then, and a member of Johnny's band at the time.

Maybe Melanie was just having an off night, but her voice sounded like it hadn't been hitting the notes for a very long time now.

[Boomerproud]

19. What a fascinating story in your post.

Did you actually meet Bill Clinton, and what was your impression of him? Did he have the larger-than-life

presence he is known for (even by his detractors)?


I feel bad about your Melanie experience. She was very big in my high school days.

[DFW]

20. Sure, I've met him several times

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Yes, he ABSOLUTELY does have that larger-than-life presence. Obama comes close, but for sheer aura-eminating charisma, I've never met another president like Bill Clinton. For that matter, I don't think I've met a non-president with his charisma. It's nothing tangible, but you feel it the second he walks in the room (or train car, or wherever).

Melania was very sobering. I've seen many aging stars of yesteryear perform, but most of them were still brilliant performers. Melanie was someone who should have retired years ago. I liked her material for way back when, otherwise I would not have shelled out $100 for two tickets to see her, but I cringed every time she tried to hit a note or a guitar chord and missed. I felt really bad for her, because she must know how much she has lost of her former sparkle.

[kwassa]

13. True story. I spent her entire act at Woodstock going to

And from the Portapotties. It took a very long time to get there and back. They were gross and over-flowing.

And I have a brand new pair of roller skates, you have a brand new key.

[DFW]

14. She sang that one too

Had a funny story to go with it.

[DawgHouse]

17. Was it about McDonald's?

I've read an interview where she credits McDonald's with that song!

[olddots]

15. its agonizing for me to see people my age (67) trying to rock

it is small of me but I can't shake it ( ha ha )

[DFW]

16. Some still can, actually

Back in the early 1970s, there was a TV adventure series called "The Name of the Game." One episode was about a publisher who fell asleep in his car and dreamed he woke up 40 years or so later. There was a brief scene of a home for the aged with long-haired feeble seniors with electric guitars playing a feeble version of rock. It keeps coming back to haunt me!

[UTUSN]

18. Performing in any form can be a pathetic activity like a trained animal act.

Not just vaudeville, living out of a trunk, think Judy; street performing with a hat for tips.

[Jetboy]

21. I like old music so I go to a lot of shows featuring older performers such as Jerry Lee Lewis and

Chubby Checker. I like that vintage 50s-early 60s American rock-n-roll. Almost all of these older performers have been fantastic! I've seen artists just months before they passed away who truly shined on stage. Reatha from the fabulous Bobbettes (Mr Lee) tore up the stage and even signed an autograph for me. Then I was sad to learn that she passed away not long after. How blessed to see these true talents!

These artists were kind of forgotten by boomers when Beatlemania happened and were never really picked up by the younger generations like the Beatle era artists. These folks truly enjoy performing, telling stories and especially they enjoy when fans take the time to see them and give their appreciation. I try to go and see any and every act from that era that I can since every other day an old rockabilly, rock-n-roller or doo-woper passes away. The other day it was the Diamonds (Little Darlin') lead singer who passed away. I had to google it to find the article since it wasn't visible on Yahoo or any other site.

Go out and see an older artist or group. They will be thrilled for your patronage and are certain to put on a great show for you. And put Chubby Checker in the RnR HOF already! What does a rock-n-roller have to do to feel a little appreciation!?!?!?!

[DFW]

22. A friend of mine in California hired Little Richard to perform at his wedding 20 years ago

The condition was that he was required to play no more than 20 minutes. But he had such a good time, he played for over an hour.

[Jetboy]

23. Sadly Richard has retired from live performing.

He played Viva Las Vegas a few years ago and just didn't have it anymore. He retired on the spot.

His '50s recordings were the most frenzied and exciting rock-n-roll ever put to wax IMO. And perhaps only Jerry Lee Lewis could match Richard live. He's an American Treasure but still could be appreciated more for all that he's done in his career. And Fats Domino too, all but forgotten here. That's why I try to give props to these artists. They are my favorites and they deserve better than to be mere footnotes to all the British Invasion artists this country adores. (Seems like they only get mentioned as influence to the Beatles etc)