Oldest musician you've seen perform live

[The Curious Orange]

Last summer I saw Jefferson Starship and David Freiberg was 84 playing guitar and did the male lead vocals.

Oh, I forgot them. I chatted to Frieberg at the bar at a London show a few years ago, he's a jolly nice bloke to boot.

[cfmoran13]

I'm jumping on the Roger Waters train, too.  He was 78 when I saw him at Madison Square Garden two years ago.

[cramx3]

Well, I just saw George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic the other night.... George Clinton is 82.  But he didn't perform a whole lot really.  Mostly sat on stage, sang a few lines here and there and interacted with the crowd a bit.  Not quite a performance like most people mentioned here, but he was still doing it so I guess it counts.

[lightningbolt]

Frankie Valli - 85 years old in 2019.  He was clearly lip synching / his backup singers were doing the majority (all?) of the work.  It was a little sad to watch, but still fun in a way.  Not usually my cup of tea, but the things we do for love (one of my wife's favorite acts).

Paul McCartney - 79 years old in 2022, he turned 80 shortly after.  Very fun concert

[King Postwhore]

Paul McCartney obviously found the fountain of youth.

[TheLordOfTheStrings]

I saw John Williams conduct an orchestra at 90 years old. Other than that, probably Billy Joel at the Hollywood Bowl in (I think it was) 2014. He wouldn’t have been THAT old, only 65. I guess that would tie him with Jordan Rudess since I last saw DT in 2022 when JR was 65.

[ErHaO]

I think Jerry Lee Lewis when he was 72 or Ted Neeley when he was 72. Or Dutch performer Herman van Veen... also at 72. I can't think of someone older than that, at least not part of the main band/act I was going for. They all performed really well, considering being singers at that age. Close is Niko McBrain at the drums of Maiden as a 70 year old last year.

[Stadler]

I'm going to see Hank Williams, Jr. in a week, and he's 75, and Blackmore's Night in a month, and Ritchie is 79, so I think I'm going to be padding my stats in the coming weeks.  Haha!

[WilliamMunny]

I'm going to see Hank Williams, Jr. in a week, and he's 75, and Blackmore's Night in a month, and Ritchie is 79, so I think I'm going to be padding my stats in the coming weeks.  Haha!

I'm sure you're math is right, but damn, that number just doesn't seem right!

I vividly remember him putting together the Blachmore's Night thing and wanting it to be so much more that it is (but kudos to him for doing his thing).

Hard to believe that was nearly 30 years ago :'(

[Stadler]

I'm sure you're math is right, but damn, that number just doesn't seem right!

I vividly remember him putting together the Blachmore's Night thing and wanting it to be so much more that it is (but kudos to him for doing his thing).

Hard to believe that was nearly 30 years ago :'(

You know, I see photos from the '80s and man, he was just SO FUCKING COOL, all in black, with the white Strat... everything I envision a rock star to be (and I think he's a very handsome man, too).   Amazing. 

So Blackmore's Night is a bit off from that.  I'm not really down with the costumes and such (and pity that the guys are more into the costumes than the girls, figures) but I'll say this: the man can still play.  I dragged my daughter to a show, and her take:  "it was all a bit odd, but that old guy was a really good guitar player".  He did this long-ish intro to Soldier Of Fortune last time and it was breathtaking.   I'd literally give a month's pay to be in a room - like a bar or a living room - and just listen to him noodle for an hour or two.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

You know, I see photos from the '80s and man, he was just SO FUCKING COOL, all in black, with the white Strat... everything I envision a rock star to be (and I think he's a very handsome man, too).   Amazing.

Yeah, I'm starting to think Luke was right. 

[Orbert]

Mrs. Orbert and I saw Gordon Lightfoot in 2018.  It was in the summer, and he turned 80 in November of that year.  Unfortunately, his voice was not very strong any more, but it still had that great "color" to it that made his songs so cool.

[Kwyjibo]

I saw B. B. King when he was around 70. He was sitting the whole time but he and the concert was still very cool. And he had an excellent band.

[Stadler]

Yeah, I'm starting to think Luke was right. 

Remind me what Luke said? 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56132.msg3116580#msg3116580

[Jamesman42]

I believe it was Ronnie James Dio in 2007 (I think, looking at old tour dates leads me to that but I thought it was 2009 and he passed in 2010).

[Stadler]

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56132.msg3116580#msg3116580

Oh THAT. Yeah, he's right as rain.