Oldest Performer You've Seen Who Was Still Excellent

Neil Young and Crazy Horse. A few years ago, supporting Psychadelic Pill.

Wonderful, challenging, relevant!

 

This year, April 1st, at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Marshall Allen blew, wailed, squealed, and smoked...

 

Doc Watson. Not sure how old he was at the time but pretty near the end. You could tell he'd lost a bit on his vocals and a half-step on his guitar pickin but his mind was sharp with entertaining stage banter.

 

Man, how could I forget Randy Weston? I saw him a month ago, playing a solo set on his 90th birthday at 11PM at a local university chapel. It was spell-binding.

 

Can't disagree, entirely. But I saw him in support of the Gershwin album, and those songs seemed to light him up a bit. It was a fine concert.

Tomorrow, I'm actually purchasing tickets for his Pet Sounds show, coming here in April. I know...but I just gotta go! I honestly love his touring band, regardless!

 

Yep he was nearly 80 and transcendent

 

John Mayall

 

Earl Scruggs, 80. In 2004 at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

 

Stephane Grapelli at 88, about a year before he passed.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/stephane-grappelli/Content?oid=891634

 

Ennio Morricone

 

Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong at Rosa's in Chicago.

We had seen a documentary about him that was the first film by Terry Zwigoff, who later directed Crumb, Ghost World and Bad Santa.

Armstrong was (I think) 81 at the time; he had a pick-up band that were in their 30s, and they were wanting a break, but he wasn't having it, Howard just wanted to keep playing. We finally had to leave to catch the last train home, and he was still playing.

 

Another one for Ian Hunter. Remarkable.

 

Very glad Randy Weston & Marshall Allen are mentioned numerous times.

For me many great jazz/improv guys playing at peak levels 70+:

Joe McPhee this year 76/77. Peter Brotzmann in 2014 @ 72/73. Evan Parker in 2015 @ 70/71. Three of the greatest living saxophonists playing at or close to peak level.

I was fortunate to see Benny Carter @ 90 play the alto saxophone at a very high level.

Surprised no one who saw Cecil Taylor this year @ The Rubin has posted yet. Cecil is 87 and a couple of friends of mine said he has some sequences where he approached his genius level onslaught of his late peak. The way that Taylor plays the piano would seem not to be able to be played by someone in their 80's. I saw him a few times when he was in his late 60's and there is little of maybe even nothing in this world as awe-inspiring as seeing/hearing Cecil Taylor play the piano up close and personal.

Certainly not for all tastes but he is Cecil Taylor.

 

Michael Nesmith 2013

 

I saw Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater in August when in Chicago and he put on a great show. His guitar work was still good for someone his age (81) and his vocal delivery was solid. He was very entertaining.

 

Leonard Cohen,73. Neil Young, 70. Leonard, though excellent, looked already very old then.

 

Merle Haggard last September in Toledo.

 

Tom jones. He was great!

 

Saw the Zombies in February this year. Colin Blunstone still has an amazing voice!

 

Keith Jarrett - in his 70s. The man is still a piano monster.

 

Eric Burdon can still bring it!

 

Muddy Waters at 68, 1981. Funny how that doesn't sound so old now.

 

Saw Neil Young in 2008, making him around 63. An absolute monster.

Recently saw Nels Cline who is 60, and he's not showing a bit of age.

Those are probably the oldest performers I've seen, period.

 

Definitely..............still as edgy and creative as ever, and way ahead of the curve. I've seen her front the Plastic Ono Band (including her birthday show with Eric Clapton), and a jazz band. A couple months ago, she showed up for the encore of a Lennon-Claypool Delirium and fit in great on a Primus song.

Additional votes also for Leonard Cohen and Ian Hunter.

 

Bucky Pizzarelli age 90 remains the best living guitarist to my taste. Possibly the best musical mind as well.