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Where is Groovekiller?

I'm here. I retired from repairing musical instruments at a music store and all I do now is play woodwinds full time, or as full time as it gets nowadays. The music biz is somewhat seasonal here in Florida. I'm pretty busy October - February, but it's slow now. The down time leads to laziness for me. I'm no spring chicken and I'm actually surprised I'm still active.
I have shifted the aim of my saxophone collecting from 1920s collectables to horns I can actually use in performance. I still have a lot of saxes of all kinds, and it's fun to play odd horns on gigs for the public.
I got to play a big concert with the O'Jays a few weeks ago and a few days ago I played a gig at the Hard Rock casino in Hollywood on straight tenor, Conn-O-Sax and baritone.
I have a steady once a month blues gig in Jupiter, FL that actually pays well, and a steady once a month big band gig for dancers in Boynton Beach FL.
Every year I play a huge Christmas pageant gig in Ft. Lauderdale on tenor, baritone and clarinet that takes up the whole month of December. In October I get slammed with gigs in a German band for good bread. January and February are busy with Palm Beach society gigs on alto, tenor or bass(!) saxes. I actually play baritone sax more than anything. I have quite a few custom charts for contrabass sax and big band and I play that horn more than one would expect.
I intend to keep playing until I suck, which should occur in about an hour and a half.
 
Good to hear you are keeping active. I played for years with a guy in Chicago. He played alto, tenor and clarinet in multiple bands right up until the week before he passed at age 101. He was a crusty old Italian gentleman who liked his Crown Royal (kept it in his case), and was famous for raiding the sweet table at weddings. He would grab one of everything, wrap it in a napkin and take it home for his after gig snack. I'm 63, and will be happy if I can keep up the pace for another 15 or 20 years.
 
I played for years with a guy in Chicago. He played alto, tenor and clarinet in multiple bands right up until the week before he passed at age 101. ... I'm 63, and will be happy if I can keep up the pace for another 15 or 20 years.

My wife keeps talking about retiring from music and we are 64 and 62 respectively. I wanna play as long as the "guy in Chicago" 'cept I've predicted I'll die at age 97. Hey, my dad turns 90 next year, so longevity in my lineage. Thanks for peekin' in Randy. I follow you on Facebook and enjoy your posts of some of the weird instruments you play in bands.
 
I do have some longevity in my family. My grandfather on my father's side lived to 101. My Mom is still going strong at 94, and her Mom lived to 99. My Dad only made it to 76, due to an abdominal aneurysm that was mis-diagnosed for a week before the doctors finally figured it out. Then again, any of us could get run over by a bus or struck by lightning tomorrow!
 
My Dad only made it to 76, due to an abdominal aneurysm that was mis-diagnosed for a week before the doctors finally figured it out.
AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) is genetic. Get yourself tested NOW, then every 5 years or more, depending on what your doctor tells you. IIRC, it was just an X-Ray. It's a much higher risk in men. Source: that's how my father died. Smoking is a big-time contributing factor. (Seriously. Get tested. I want to keep you around. Yes, this is one of the few threads that I'm 100% serious.)

According to my mom, I should live until my early 60s. Thanks for the encouragement, mom!
 
I have been tested twice so far. Due for another one in about a year.

The thing with my Dad is that he had been diagnosed, but his doctor retired and no one took over his practice, so the records went into a black hole (pre electronic records). He went to the ER two days in a row and they kept telling him it was back spasms. Finally, on the third trip (via ambulance) they did an MRI and discovered it. I'm guessing he didn't mention it because he was in such extreme pain and / or he was heavily disoriented from loss of blood.
 
Ouch! I am glad my wife the nurse will probably outlive me as she remembers all these important medical thangs. I used to tease my kids with the recommendation that "you marry a rich spouse". Now a daze I'd say marry a nurse. Suzy catches so much waaaay before I do. And she won't let me shirk away from necessary medical stuff.
 
He went to the ER two days in a row and they kept telling him it was back spasms.
I mentioned elsewhere I was diagnosed with back spasms a couple months ago. My back has been hurting for the past month, but I haven't had a chance to make a dr. appointment. I shall do that this week.
 
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