I am thrilled to say that I am celebrating my 52nd Birthday this week and I’ve never felt better musically. I’ve got half a century behind me and maybe the same – or a little less – in front of me. But you know what? I’m OK with that and I am so happy about the place where I am.

The best days of my musical life aren’t behind me, they’re ahead of me.

This goes against a lot of what we see in music. We live in a society obsessed with youth and filled with judgements about aging. When you’re younger, you’re taught to embrace this and make the most of your golden years. Then you inevitably get older and everyone tells you that your goals and desires are out of reach because you missed your opportunity.

I just don’t get it. I like being old.

Every stage in life has it’s benefits to music and the creative process. That’s the beautiful thing about making music – it’s a lifelong endeavor. You’re never done learning about music; it’s just as vast and evolving as humanity itself. And you can make music – you can grow as a musician – whether you’re 25 or 52.

I mean, I understand the thrill of being a young musician; I was there at one point. It’s exciting and inspiring to be a young musician. Every time you discover a new musical topic, there’s a completely new adventure ahead of you. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of discovering things for the first time. Then there’s the adrenaline of getting on stage in the early years of your career; its a rush like no other. If you have any sort of success, it’s like the world is your oyster. You’ve done it. You’ve made it in music. And you’re young.

But I’ll be honest, there’s something incredibly liberating about the experience that comes with being an older musician. It’s true, I’m past a lot of those first times in my musical experience, but that’s OK. There’s a different sort of comfort at this point that can make things even more exciting. I’m able to be in the moment even more than ever before. And it’s not like there’s no first times left – I’m learning new things all the time. I could sit back and just do the same thing for the rest of my musical life, but that would be kind of boring. I’m able to discover new things, learn about them more quickly, and enjoy them more fully.

I enjoyed my experiecne as a young musicians, but honestly, I simply wasn’t ready to be the musician that I was destined to be when I was young. There was definitely the fact that I didn’t have the musical experience or technical skills to evolve; but that wasn’t all. I didn’t have the defined perspective on life. I didn’t have the maturity to grow from my mistakes. I simply wasn’t wise enough to figure it all out. I just wasn’t ready.. Some people are ready to make musical statements when they’re younger and that’s great. It just wasn’t me, that wasn’t my path. We all have our own artistic journey that defines our lives; each one is valid and important.

Honestly, I think we should all just get over the number associated with age and enjoy whatever moment we’re living. I understand that every age has its benefits and its challenges, but we only live in that space once. So why not enjoy those benefits and face those challenges and make the music that the moment demands.

Music should be a reflection of our lives. It should be a reflection of our CURRENT lives. Young or old, that reflection can lead to some powerful music.

And even though I’m kind of old, I’m going to keep sharing that reflection with you. So get ready!