Money and training will be poured into them. Because they have a life ahead of them? Because they have potential? Because they are pretty? We all should be concerned with training up and mentoring the next generation. Absolutely.
But I wonder if the other 3 generations feel a connection when they sing/speak/present? While they shouldn't despise the young, can they relate?
I had a chance to arrange for Yamaha Music Education system when I was 24. Then I moved away to search from songwriting dreams in LA. I left that job. Though the office is gone now, I wonder if I made the right decision. Would they hire me now in midlife to do the same?
Age has a way of automatically dismissing you from the 'Rich and Famous' club (locally speaking in this case) and admitting you into the ranks of the "Poor and Obscure."
In my 40's I lead worship and a band. My young-ish round face qualified me. But then they wanted a John Mayer type on a guitar instead of a mature woman on a keyboard. Can't blame them. I learned that experience doesn't count for as much as youth and a certain look for a target market.
Lately, I am laying down and accepting this hard fact that Singing is a Young Woman's Sport.
But I fought for a good 5 years, despite re-auditions and dismissals of education and position. Though I directed dozens of choirs, I was relegated to the choir next to the hobbyist singers. The directors, whose ages were that of my children sent me form refusal letters to play keyboard despite a piano performance degree. But my own piano students were up there playing instead.
Sometimes a resume can be too long. It works against you. And it's better to leave off the dates of all your previous employment. You don't want them doing the math.
But when I was still fighting it, I said things like:
Excuse me
EXCUSE ME,
I AM NOT DONE YET!!!
I am not ready to vacate my platform spot permanently for a pimply faced fifteen year old who knows about as much about life relationally, financially, parentally as a squirrel.
Experience has to count for something! A creased face alone should not take one off the roster!
If you are in the middle of life, feeling squeezed out, overlooked, dismissed, overqualified and underutilized,
say it LOUD with me:
I'M NOT DONE YET!!!!
NOT ANYTIME SOON!!!!!!!
Then we'd best get doing what it is we do, before we cannot do it anymore. Someone will listen, appreciate and find something of worth.
And maybe a few of us can change the hard fact that "Singing Is a Young Woman's Sport"
And maybe a few of us can change the hard fact that "Singing Is a Young Woman's Sport"
https://soundcloud.com/a-marbury-shaw/singing-is-a-young-womans
She used to rock and roll
With the best of them on stage
Then she got invisible
When she hit middle age
I think I cried when I read the report
Singin is a young woman's sport
The calendar turns
You're doomed to be out of date
Don't try to be cool
It'll seal your sad fate
It doesn't matter what talent and training you could afford
You'll find that
Singin is a young woman's sport
Mick Jagger, James Taylor, Madonna and Carole King
People like that if they wanna can still stand up and sing
But all the licks and riffs and chops, they don't mean a thing
You'll wake up one mornin a day late and a stinkin' dollar short
And find that singing is a young woman's sport
It doesn't matter
If you're singin for the Lord
Singin' is a young woman's sport
Lyrics - Copyright A. Shaw 2013
Lyrics - Copyright A. Shaw 2013
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