Music is tied to life in every way. It's the universal language that can turn a stranger into a friend, and create cross-cultural connections without the utterance of a word. It's a gift that many are blessed with, and that even more love.

But is there a way to age gracefully as a musician? This month is a mile marker for me, and I've been thinking about this month’s feature for a while. This May 23rd, I turn 40 years young, and I'm reflecting on the impact of music in my life and how my interests in music have changed and grown in accordance with changes and growth in my personal life.

Introspectively, I look at my own musical enjoyment and motivations of today and compare how my involvement with music has been a life long journey. From the age of three, when my mother bought me a 'potato horn' (a type of melodica, or wind piano), to the present, I have been obsessed with nearly every aspect of music. I took every music class offered from grade school through high school, and in college, took every music class available for an Economics major. After elusive success in the sales industry, I was broke, homeless, and realized that the only thing that ever made me happy was music. Coming full circle with my passion and finding a way to make my passion my living has been a blessing in many ways, helping me realize that my way to musical fulfillment was through helping other musicians.

The art of performing live and looking cool:
Is it the music that is timeless or the artist? At what point does one become too old to perform? Since I attended my first bluegrass festival at age seven, seeing 'pickers' their 70s and older, I've felt that musicians only improve with age, but is there an age where you 'stop looking cool'? Is it genre specific?

To see a jazz icon in their teens or even twenties is almost unheard of because you EXPECT the artist to be older, but to me, it's absurd to imagine a 70 year old man in spandex and big hair, playing in a metal band. So as we age, do we change our pursuit of music to suit what the pubic might expect, or just play what inspires us at that time in our life?

Another insight is how moderation of partying becomes a necessity because the body just doesn't recover as quickly. All of the inspiration that 'mind enhancement' of any type can lend has to be weighed with the consequences of not feeling healthy.

To gain insight into this realm of middle age, I sent an email out to some of my favorite featured artists that are in the over 40 bracket.

Mark Easton - Sydney, Australia
Age 44

How has music affected your life, and what have been some of the high points of your career?
Well I guess in some ways I’ve seen and experienced a lot of things most people would never experience, some good some bad! To tell you the truth if I didn't love it so much I would have given it away years ago, its a lesson in how to live below the poverty line and still come up smiling! While I’ve seen a lot of my friends get married and have kids buy houses and cars and have lots of money and then get divorced and lose it all, I’ve just kept on playing my guitar in the hope that I might get lucky one day, and I’ve met a lot of beautiful women as well, which is a huge consolation! The high points would have to be supporting and hanging out with Cheap Trick, The Cult, D.A.D. and having AC/DC and Motley Crue, with Heather Locklear stand on the side of the stage and watch as the bass player from Skid Row jammed with us in Sydney in 1991, and of course meet and support and become friends with my childhood heroes like Peter Wells from legendary Aussie band Rose Tattoo, and Dave Hole!

Are you where you thought you would be 20 years ago?
I thought I'd be dead by 30!

Do you have any regrets or wish you could have done things differently? If so, how?
I guess I wouldn't be who I am now if I changed it but I do have some regrets. Heroin being one of them and giving up playing guitar for a few years would be another

Your views on drinking and drugs. Do you think differently today than you did 20 years ago? If so, why?
20 years ago I had tried speed, pot, cocaine, acid, booze, barbiturates, amyl nitrate, opium, but I swore I’d never use heroin, but I did eventually and lots of ecstasy, by the time I was 31 I’d tried everything except crack, and the only reason I didn't was because you couldn't buy it in Australia! Yes I do think differently now, DRUGS SUCK!!!!!!!! I lost 2 guitar players (Ron Barrett aka GYPSY and Paul Spooner R.I.P.) and girlfriend and countless other friends to drugs, I sold all my beautiful guitars, and screwed up my career, but I’m back in the saddle now. A couple of Guinness’s before the show and one after and I’m happy

What advice do you have for musicians of today?
Keep your head together! Don’t take drugs! And don't take success for granted! Work hard! Be a good musician and be an even better showman, and be humble even when you’re on top because it don't last forever

What things are important to you today, and how have those things changed over the last 20 years? 
Its important to have focus, because its never been one of my stronger points, SURFING, also friends and family, never take them for granted or screw them over, and life isn't all about music all the time, expand your mind without drugs, its a big world out there and a lot to experience! And yes there is a GOD and he's a good bloke, SURFING, and of course my love for the BLUES and SLIDE GUITAR, 20 years ago it was the last thing I thought I’d be playing! PEACE!!!!

Joe Richardson - Austin, Texas
Age 53

How has music affected your life, and what have been some of the high points of your career?
I've been playing' so long I really can't remember not playing'. I suppose I'd say its affect on my life is the same as breathing. Could not exist without it. I've played in dives, and I've played in stadiums. Truth is, it's not where I play, but that I play, that makes every moment playing as cool as the next.

Are you where you thought you would be 20 years ago?
Oh man, you really know how to hurt a guy! Of course not! I was still young enough to believe that you worked real hard, and played real good, and things all fell into place. Ahh......... Youth!

Do you have any regrets or wish you could have done things differently? If so, how?
At times I do, but then retrospectively it was all so fun and exciting, I think it was just too cool to change.
Your views on drinking and drugs. Do you think differently today than you did 20 years ago? If so, why?
Mind enhancement !! ?................... I suppose I see the importance of moderation now as opposed to then.

What advice do you have for musicians of today?
Get your chops up, Write Write Write, and last but "NOT LEAST", network and make connections!!!!!

What things are important to you today, and how have those things changed over the last 20 years?
Waking up, comfortable clothes, loved ones and PLAYING! Well........ 20 years ago I didn't worry about comfortable clothes or waking up. Other than that, everything’s about the same.

Any final words to the readers?
I'm not "really old" yet, but I prefer that none of my words be my last ones !!!
Just take it easy, be cool, keep on playing', and never give up a dream.

Bill Kirchen - Washington, DC
Age 54

How old are you now?
I'm 54 now. I hit the double nickel on 6/29/2003

How has music affected your life, and what have been some of the high points of your career?
Music's certainly provided the score (and a very fine one at that) for my life. That's a tough question because it's been so interwoven in everything I've done. It's been both my vocation and avocation. It's also been an interesting focal point for my relationship with my wife, who is also a musician and songwriter and all around music person.

Personal high points:
Never once dying, especially in the '70s when I tried to a few times; Traveling the world; Being allowed to make a living playing weird limited interest hillbilly rants.

Listener high points:
Seeing Bill Monroe, Skip James, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Professor Longhair, James Brown, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Connie Smith, Bob Dylan going electric and a hundred more.

Performing high points:
Playing guitar with Link Wray, Gene Vincent, George Hamilton IV, Lily Tomlin, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Hoyt Axton, Johnny Bush, Johnny Gimble, Ronnie Dawson, Doug Kershaw, Bo Diddley, Elvis Costello, Huey Lewis, Doug Sahm, Asleep at the Wheel, Sleepy LaBeef, Ry Cooder, Maria Muldaur, Elvin Bishop, Rosie Flores, Jr. Brown, Ralph Stanley, Robbie Fulks, Nick Lowe and Danny Gatton.

Professional high points:
Having a top ten record with Commander Cody in 1972 and being nominated for a Grammy 30 years later in 2002...same telecaster both times. A gig where the band outnumbered the audience in Roscoe, New York, then playing for a quarter million at Knebworth, England at the last Led Zeppelin show and being unable to decide which was cooler.

Are you where you thought you would be 20 years ago?
I have absolutely no idea what or if I was thinking 20 years ago

Do you have any regrets or wish you could have done things differently? If so, how?
I wish I had paid more attention

Your views on drinking and drugs. Do you think differently today than you did 20 years ago? If so, why?
I've been sober and clean for 19 years. Why? Because drugs and alcohol kicked my ass. My ass is pretty well healed up and I've lived to tell the tale, which I do.

What advice do you have for musicians of today?
If you get rich and/or famous, don't come whining to me!

What things are important to you today, and how have those things changed over the last 20 years? Also, any final words to the readers?

My Family and Friends are my center point today. I don't know about the last 20, but I do know that our Democracy's been hijacked and I feel that it's of paramount importance to defeat Bush the next election. The climate of fear that he is promoting even infiltrates MY world of travel and music, and can only get worse unless we work hard to reclaim what's been stolen.

Peace ~ Bill

Alice Stuart - Seattle, Washington
Age 60

How has music affected your life, and what have been some of the high points of your career?
Playing with Mississippi John Hurt at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles & Opening for Van Morrison on a 2 month long world tour and playing the Rainbow Theater in London

Are you where you thought you would be 20 years ago?
I thought in my 20s I wouldn't live to be 40. I quit playing music when I was 38 and didn't think I'd ever do it again, but I picked my guitar up again when my youngest child was 12. Now I'm 60 and as musically active as I've ever been

Do you have any regrets or wish you could have done things differently? If so, how?
I wish I hadn't let cocaine waste my time in the 70s and basically ruin my chances the first time around

Your views on drinking and drugs. Do you think differently today than you did 20 years ago? If so, why?
I learned by my actions in the 70s that drugs don't mix when you're trying to be successful, same with drinking.

What advice do you have for musicians of today?
Get an education. You don't realize how important a well-rounded education is and how school (college especially) can help you make the right choices and arm you with good information that can help you in every aspect of your business

What things are important to you today, and how have those things changed over the last 20 years?
Family, friends and being a good person...

Any final words to the readers?
Age is a state of mind, trite as that sounds.

These days, I'm preferring acoustic over electric primarily because I don't have to lug a bunch of heavy amps around, and have been amazed at the kinship among this community of players. I picked up a mandolin last year and I have recently started banjo, so I'm slowly morphing into that old picker I saw when I was seven. I'm comfortable with my life, friends and music and enjoy playing on my terms whenever I want to without having to worry about it paying the bills. I couldn't imagine my world without music or playing music and I look forward to the possibilities that each day brings.

I've often said that "being old is when you realize you've become like your parents". I'll do my best to keep an open mind on all interpretations of music and will try not catch myself saying, "You call that music?”

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