So true. A recent survey of 6000 working musicians in the UK found that half earn less than 14k a year from their craft. Google Musicians Union for more info.
yeah, right - i can pay my bills and have a bit of spending money doing something i kind of like. believe me i'd feel more accomplished if i didn't have a bit of spending money but were doing something a love.
She said even her own circle of family and friends in person have told her the same. But the point she makes is that sometimes it takes some people a very long time unlike others who make it big very early in life.
agreed. As TS said in that great track - Haters Gonna Hate. BTW if you can find the "making of's, outtakes" of Shake It Off ? You'll smile for a week. Cheers from NZ
My mother published her first book at age 90 and spent the final year of her life promoting it. I just released my first book at age 65 and had it reviewed in Shindig! magazine. My wife, 58, launched her own UA-cam storytelling channel. Sometimes you have to wait until families are raised and your time truly becomes your own. Weirdness is a virtue and a hedge against age. It's not over until they close the lid.
64-year-old weighing in here. I’m in the EARLY stage of my music career - does it bother me? Nope. I am having fun, I am getting better, and I get my share of positive feedback from fans and other musicians. As they say, “Age is just a number.” You, Mary, are an inspiration for those of us who want to make music OUR way. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
As a 75 yo painter, who has been at it for 50 years, I can relate to this advice. The grass always looks greener... Appreciating what you have is so important. I do have fans, students, and patrons but it doesn't add up to much money. If you want to do it you will. Thanks, Mary!
"Appreciate what you have", AKA "Count your blessings" is a major philosophy of mine. I never became famous but at least I have instruments to play and ways to record
Totally agree Mary. I realised in my 20s that "fame and fortune" were not going to happen for me. Music is and will be my means of artistic expression. I spent 3 years playing in bands in Europe. Wrote a song that was released as a single in Germany. It didn't sell, oh well. I played in bands over many genres, went to the Conservatorium and got a degree at 40 and now am happily "retired" from gigging. I write and record my own albums at home and am very happy and fulfilled. I made a bit of money, travelled and met many wonderful fellow musicians along the way. The older I get (65 now) the more satisfied I am with my life in music. No regrets at all with not "making it". Regards Danny, Tasmania, Australia
you think you didn't make it cause you weren't good enough or talented enough? it's not ever gonna happen for many of us, but we can do music as a hobby like so many musicians are doing on You tube. it's fun to pretend we are rock stars
Mary kind of touched on this, but fame really does distort some people especially when fame happens to someone in their youth. Michael Jackson is a well known example. Child actors, especially those who don't get consistent acting work as adults, very often become incredibly warped and can't adjust to adult life well. All this news coverage because that actor from the American sitcom Friends passed away, and the photographers and "news" people are hounding every actor that they can find from the main stars on down. They even tracked down a woman in London who had a bit part in the show, they found her walking her dog and asked for her reaction. She probably hasn't even seen anyone from that show in 20 years as she didn't have a main part and was only in a few episodes, but she had a microphone in her face and had to say something that sounded gracious. I grew up in California, and I've had friends and acquaintances who work as electricians or carpenters in set construction. The entertainment industry is largely populated by sordid characters, and no one who knows of it is surprised by stuff like came out about Harvey Weinstein. It was virtually an open secret how he was. And the ultra-popular musicians often wind up on a path to very destructive behaviors. A 16 or 18 year old making it in any other business doesn't have the short path to millions that sometimes happens when a band catches lightning in a bottle or a movie breaks box office records, and that sort of thing can go to someone's head when that young.
@Anon54387 yeah, I believe the sordid characters bit and the Weinstein observation. You be surprised how many people would be willing to be a hand for the devil as long as they recieve his benefits. You can see this kind of stuff play out in retail even.
@@Anon54387 Really well said. I have read so many biographies of politicians, authors, scientists, and musicians.....Fame and celebrity status sounds like a horrendous noose. Furthermore, young, talented, top, top-level art-producing people tend to be flawed characters from the outset, insecurities, emotionally challenged and/or addiction tending people. Like many comments here, I play and make music at home and enjoy it. Chasing, having and then trying to retain that fame and glory seems like a dreadful lifestyle to me....
I have played the guitar since I was 9, I’m 36, never tried to “make it”. I am a musician, will always be a musician. I’m constantly learning more and more. Being a musician is so valuable to me and my health.
and you most probably don't give a shit to "music industry" but just enjoy the process. Industries are for greedy businessmen not musicians and artists (those are the exploited ones to be precise)
I'm turning 48 this December and can honestly say I'm a late bloomer. I'm truly grateful for the lessons I've learned over that time and for the opportunities I have today. Never give up on life. It's simply too precious ❤
67 years old, still loving music, writing songs, and gigging regularly. Now learning Ableton and making beats. I may not be rich but I'm surrounded by creative people and having a ball.
I'm a retired 65 year old trucker. I watch for entertainment and a learning connection. You my dear are very interesting and entertaining. It's so satisfying to hear that you understand your position in life and are also happy to be just as you are. Thank you.
As a musician of 25 + years , the trauma of those early years still stay with me .. people will criticise , they will demean and humiliate , but they will never get past the first obstacle in music .. showing up .
When I was 18, my stepdad told me that since I hadn't "made it yet," I never was going to. He worked in a hotel, so not sure what he knew about it, but it hurt. Still, I pressed on. He and my mom gave me shit for the next ten years, and minimum support (they let me use the shed they weren't using as rehearsal space for occasional rent money or electricity payments). During that time, I wrote a gazillion songs, recorded on a crappy cassette recorder, played on people's demos, sat in where I could, tried to help a producer friend build a studio, lost a bunch of money and a friend or two along the way, all along working full time jobs and paying rent in California (yikes). I had a good reputation, everybody told me all the time what a talent I was (even my asshat parents), but there was very little actual help, a lot of competition, and in the nineties there was no UA-cam and no streaming, and an artist needed a profound amount of luck to be successful, at least in a mainstream sense. I also found myself in a situation where many of the people who had once encouraged me, turned completely around and started acting like my parents had. At the end of the nineties, with rent prices out of control and beaten down by all the negativity, I sort of floated away from music and did what everybody else wanted me to do and became "normal." At 28, things just sort of ended. I still bought some equipment and pretended I was going to do something with it, but connections faded out, venues dried up, I had no place to play or rehearse or record. Now, that's a sob story, and take it or leave the details. But the thing that really screwed up my mind happened many years later. I had just started playing guitar again after fifteen years of not even touching it, when randomly I looked up the song "Closing Time," which had been a huge hit for Semisonic, ironically around the time things were winding down for me. I found out the songwriter, Dan Wilson, was 37 when that song hit. The dude had been in bands that kinda "made it,", made records that flopped, wrote songs only a few people heard, and never really charted or had significant success until he was 37. The revelation wrecked me. I mean... what did "made it" even mean? He had successes. He had losses. He kept going. Anybody who has bothered to read this far... don't let them wreck you. They're all full of shit. What do they know? Really? Do they even know how to measure success? Anybody tells you you're too old, you tell them to fuck right off.
Well said Mary. I learned long ago not to let someone elses opinion become my reality. Another true saying is 'Love many, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe' He's to us paddling into the future 😎😎
I too was washed up at 33. I am now 60, and taking names and kicking ass. I'm with Team Mary on setting realistic expectations that do not involve entitlement 😁
So good! 😭😭😭 I’m a mom of 7 and sometimes feel like I haven’t “made it” in music. But then when I write songs with my teens and perform with them I know I HAVE made an impact that will last generations. And that is my definition of true success. ♥️
Fortunately my father and music people around me has always been very supportive of any endeavor I put myself into. One thing a teacher of mine once told me was: "If you pay some of your bills with something you love to do, you've made... the purpose of life is not to be rich or famous, is to be loved and to love what you do" You inspire me very much, thank you
Bonnie Raitt deserved a Grammy for her album "Taking my Time" (1973 when she was 24). She did not achieve huge commercial success until 1989 (when she was 40). You have the right attitude. I am hoping you achieve whatever you want.
You probably haven’t seen any of my previous comments. Short version: you are VERY valuable as a musician and all-around decent human being. Don’t stop.
I'm over 50 and I restated playing guitar 5 years ago, it's never to late to chase your dreams and inspiration has no age ❤ Dear Mary, your wisdom words are so true.
I'm nearly there myself. Just gotta get over my social media/youtube addiction first. I used to write music religiously in my early 20s. Then came kids/family, and then internet also started getting more and more addictive over the years. Now the kids are grown and I think often about going back to my old passion, wondering if there's any creativity buried down there somewhere
I have been rockin' on the bass since I was 19, now I am 65, still love to play, if you don't love it you will be full of bitterness, it's been a great journey and not over yet.
As a 58 yr old producer and musician I loved this video. Thanks for sharing. I think if you’re proud of your work and it touches others either small or large then you’ve made it. You’ve made it Mary and I hope one day I can say the same thing. If ever you feel like a holiday come stay with my wife and I and our lovely villa music studio on our paradise island of Koh Samui.
I don't know, if some guy in southwest North Dakota, USA can turn to his left and say "Alexa play music by Mary Spender" and your songs start playing, than in my mind, you've made it. Kudos to you! Plus, your music makes my mom smile. She has late stage Alzheimer's disease, so that is an amazing thing to me. Thank you so much for that.
The rule of age in music is, there is no age in music. I'm 63, I'll never "make it," do I care? Not at all. I'll never stop learning something new.. It's not always the destination that satisfies, for me, it's the journey, loving every step. Learning something new, that's success. And btw, thanks, Mary, for being an inspirational part of that.
Heartfelt advice from a 65-year-old therapist/counselor who has weathered several major crises himself and guides others through their crises every working day: NEVER give up on your passion, Mary, because it will keep uplifting your spirit when all else fails. You've already made 'it'. Carry on making more of 'it' (what you love making most). You've successfully transitioned from the intro to the first verse. The best parts of your song are still to come, and all who admire your work are dying to hear them.
I'm 81 and love your channel and music. Keep up your good music. Pat Benatar was a waitress in a Friendly Ice Cream Shop in my home town of Worcester, Massachusetts when her first husband was in the military nearby.
Scorpions were formed in 1965. Rudolf Schenker was 17 at the time. They didn't become famous until Lovedrive or Animal Magnetism - so 1980. Schenker was 31-32. And they've reached their pick around 10 years later. They still make new music, and it's actually pretty good. Their last album - Rock Believer - was released in 2022. Schenker was 73.
You've made it without a shadow of a doubt and are a true inspiration for your wonderful voice , musicianship and the insightfullness you share on your YT channel. You and Leo Moracchioli and other YT musos are the future of music , not the top 40 crap.
Bottom line here Mary...You LOVE what you do and side stepping the frustrating points, Your Career LOVES you back....and especially Your Fans too!!! That rabbit hole in the comment section has a way of ensnaring us ALL into it's verbally typed web. We all have been "captured" in that hole but we find a way to get free....until that next trap is triggered! 🤣 Very much appreciate you sharing what's on your heart with your Spender Pals and just know we got your back! Cheers From Across The Pond In COW-lumbus, Ohio MOO 👋
Thank you for addressing this topic. I had singer/songwriter dreams once when I was in my late teens and early 20s, but I soon realized that my temperament did not suit the reality of what I’d need to do to promote my work. Then another avenue for my talents presented itself: music therapy. My “audiences” became individuals and small groups with diverse needs, I wrote hundreds of songs over the years to meet those needs, I worked daytime hours, have been showered with gratitude and appreciation, and obtained all the trappings of a secure middle class lifestyle. At 61, I could choose to retire, but like other musicians who love their jobs, I think I’ll keep doing this gig for a few years yet. All this to say, success in the music industry can take a multitude of forms.
Mary, you have no idea how much I needed to hear your message today. As I've been approaching 30, I've been feeling really down about where I am in my own music career. It really is never "too late" to find your success and "make it" in your own way. Thank you for your inspirational message, looking forward to hearing more music from you soon!
I'm 71 and still hold out some hope that my music might be discovered in this vast desert known as UA-cam. It lives in you and never leaves... You are an inspiration for many Mary. Keep on keeping on...Paul Bradford
Absolutely no age limit. Sometimes one needs life experience to call upon to write. Your music is personal to you and hits me hard. You go girl, you’re fabulous as you are!
If you're making a living from music full time, then you've made it. Dont need a hit song or be famous to enjoy a wonderfully satisfying life of playing music. Keep it up Mary, you've already made it! we love you.❤
I started playing violin for the last 5 years and I will be 46 next month. As long as you enjoy what you are doing and continuing towards your goals I won't matter at the end of what people think. The saddest words of tongue and pen are of these words it might have been
Right on Mary! Well said! Alan Rickman came to acting later on - something that has stayed with me whenever people say, ‘it’s too late’ or ‘you’ve missed the opportunity’. No, it’s there for those who dare. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your videos. Love the CD!!!
You have lots of time Mary - it's also not just about becoming huge - it's about loving what you do and being exceptionally good at it.. and you demonstrate that with every video. Good on you girl...
Mary, so glad to see the connection with you and Rick Beato. I am a musician, but also a retired teacher. You and Rick are both great teachers and obviously enjoy helping others. Like the last comment, you are already successful. Keep it up, Mary!
Mary is always grounded and always offers sage, mature advice. No artist should ever quit based on someone else's perception of success. Part of being a creative soul is the thrill of the journey, the experience of the creative process. Countless people have had success, whatever that means to them personally, well into the upper years. Even at 80, you can suddenly be "Seen", or better yet, heard. You don't have to buckle to ageism and hurl your guitar into the bin. As long as you are loving the process, just keep producing. Because you like it.
Wow! I love what you’re saying here. When I was 33 someone said the same to me. I’m now 69 and feel my next album will be my best thus far. Thanks for the inspiration.
Looks to me like you've already "made it". I've been making music on and off since my teens. I'm in my 40's now and though most people have never heard me play a single note, it still brings me great joy to write a new song. I have no one to impress and no one to disappoint. I have been hesitant to release any of my material online and don't know that I ever will.
"If you can be content to make a living, and not a fortune, from your art..." - Exactly Mary! Far too many who've made it super big have spoken about how their fame has become their prison. I've been following you for awhile now. Your skill as a musician has improved greatly, and it's really cool seeing you develop your interviewing skills on trips like your recent one with Rick Beato. 🙂
Working full time on your music, putting out content, recording, and having a HUGE amount of people here on You tube who appreciate you enough to spend time in your world, must be seriously satisfying. Great achievement. From a part time musician (34 years now) who always has a day job.
“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's. That's a difficult statement to live up to, but then I've always believed that the way you affect your audience is more important than how many of them are there.” - Tom Waits
I made a comment a couple of videos back, “How is this Woman not a Huge Star”. So many reply’s on that comment. You are whatever you want to be. Love your content.
Great video! As a mid 30s musician who’s just started my own UA-cam journey, messages like this one act as a kind reminder to not let the pressure and expectations of age be a cause of lingering anxiety. Thanks for making this one :)
I love your common sense take on the world. It’s very refreshing to watch videos like this one where you give your opinion in a clear and respectful way. And I LOVE your singing voice and style. You have over 700,000 fans here on UA-cam. I’d say you’ve made it and you have done it your own way which is far more important and priceless. Well done ❤❤❤❤
A great message! We had to wait until retirement before we could follow our lifelong dreams for making fun and music videos, but we kept our hand in on the creative front while we waited. Now we no longer need to care about income (which is a fortunate place to be) we are free to produce what we enjoy and if some lovely people join us for the ride then so much the better. It is never too late to start doing what you love. I didn't even know how to edit a video until I was 65 😂 and we continue to learn with each upload. Keep doing what you love 🙏👍
Thank you so much for creating this video. I similarly have experienced a moderate degree of success that has encouraged me to stay in the entertainment game for over a decade without fully "making it". I'm also 33 yo, about to be 34 in a fiscal quarter, and I have so much more agency & control over my life and identity than I did when I was in my early 20s. I've also realized how much fame might've destroyed me (my go-to mantra to bring me down to Earth is "Johnny Depp can't leave his house"). Without being a superstar, I've been able to create a decade-long catalog of work that I have chosen and am proud of. I got to grow up and hone my craft on screen (I'm an actor), but without the harsh scrutiny of millions of people. I have a small handful of viewers that have watched me for the entire decade, and I appreciate them more than 1 billion strangers that might include people on the street that know my face or a single role, without remembering my name, or knowing a majority of my story. I'm especially thankful for your example list of making it big "late", esp The Hold Steady, one of my favorite bands. I reconciled that I'm going to be an artist in one way or another for the rest of my life, and like you, I feel FREE, freedom one of the highest values of my existence.
@kevinasky771 I must respectfully disagree. Age brings perspective and hopefully wisdom that only life experience can provide. I believe it's how we let age affect us that is a determining factor in our outlook and attitude, just my opinion. 😊
Based strictly on the views and likes, this video response has helped and encouraged thousands of people, including myself. It’s only been about 8 hours since you posted it, so I’m sure it will impact thousands more. Thanks for your maturity in approaching this topic. Those sorts of comments weigh heavily on many artists for a long time, and I’ve felt and seen the damage that’s been done, first hand. Respect! 👍🏾✌🏾🤘🏾
As a 60 year old video creator and photographer I am doing my best work at this stage of my life. The past is all training (on every single job and task)... and my future as pure potential. 60? Yep! And glad to be here. I'll let you know how it's going in 15 years. Just staying on the game is a win -- for me. Now. Go get em Mary!
This is so good! I’ve noticed that many who “make it” have their moment in their 20s, but it also can cause them so much damage too. This was very encouraging for me in my mid 30s.
Good piece, Mary. As a 68-year-old, I can affirm that you're never too old for music. For podcasting, perhaps, but never for music. (Of course, it helps if you don't rely on Bubba's Bar and Grill to make a living, but there are other ways to make money and keep the dream alive. And it helps if you don't place a higher value on money than on living, as you obviously understand.) 🤘
Thank you so much for this video. I am an artist/ painter in my late 40's. This past 5 years I've been struck with illness. Im getting better and there is full recovery ahead of me soon. My health issues have been both a curse and a blessing, a punishment and a lesson. I am practising daily... the virtue of patience and gratitude... it certainly is a practise and I don't thing any human being ever masters those skills 100%. Despite not being a success at anything (in the conventional opinion of what constitutes a success), I am definitely far more content with my small wins than ever before. Contentment is what I strive for more than success these days.
Please don’t let anyone tell you when you’ve made it. Only you can set the bar for success. If success for you means playing nice shows, doing what you love, still have a good work-life balance and able to pay the bills, you’ve made it. Keep doing what you do, I love your videos! ❤
I don't know. The idea of huge mob of screaming female fans chasing me for blocks whenever I go out in public still has a certain appeal. I wonder if that's a service I could hire, just to check it off my bucket list.
Mary don’t fall into the trap of “I’m too old for…” you’re young, almost half my age, I’m still not grown up and I’ll probably never achieve my original dreams but the older I get the more I realise it’s the stuff you’re doing while you’re waiting for success that defines your life, enjoy it.
Wise words from one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Keep on keeping on, Mary. I've been at this since the 60's and only recently actually found a way into the industry. No time limit!
I'm 40 and love every moment of musical trial, tribulation, and triumph all while being completely by myself for hours and days on end. The intention to gain skill and musical understanding is always underpinned by the intention to share music, of course, and I will be able to do that through my 80s (most likely). There are so many paths towards becoming successful with music. These paths can be lifelong and without industry-wide acknowledgment. If I am working on an arpeggio on the piano or guitar, or perhaps singing a phrase over and over again to narrow in on a particular feeling, I experience joy through this work. To experience joy is a success, and I am doing it through music!
Don’t ever take notice of you tube trolls. They get their jollies upsetting people. They haven’t got the talent to do anything real. What are their achievements, zero! You have more talent in your little finger than they have in their whole existence. Your music will touch people and that is something they will never do or experience. You are real and a joy to see and listen to. You are an amazing human being!
Dear Mary, you’re a very talented musician and singer, a very cool personality and a genuine artist : that is why I follow your channel and enjoy your creativity :) As a label manager in a record company, I can tell you very few artists have your lucidity and wisdom to witness the music industry rather than getting lost into it. Your today’s video is remarkable in that sens and I thank you very much for this life changing reminder : happiness is not the more $ the better, but when your income covers your needs in quality of life ! As humans we don’t want to be rich, we want to be happy :) Merci de Paris, wise Mary 😊
Oi Mary, estava com saudade. Toda vez que você aparece, meu coração se alegra demais. Não entendo nada do que você fala, mas, (but..kkkk) só te ver e ouvir já é o bastante para mim. Que Deus te abençoe sempre.
I’m so glad this popped up in my YT homepage. I’ve been trying to make a living from my creativity for 3 years. I’m slowly making progress, but this gave me a much needed dose of inspiration
%100 agree just hit 30, been singing, performing, creating writing for years, but creating quality music takes a hell of a lot of time, resources and strong plan brand ect... Only just getting started doing what I want to do now. :)
Hi Mary, with 706,000 subscribers on YT … I think you have “made it”. I think a problem for many, musicians, artists, composers, writers, photographers etc. is that the environment is Absolutely flooded with material, there is just so much of it around; some good, some bad and some totally dreadful. I think the real deal is to create something of very high quality and not care too much about the public reception, sing, write and play from the heart because this is where real humanity resides, not in a number on a bank account statement. Cheers.
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People have started their acting careers at age 68, never too old. I started auto racing at age 36 (even shifter Karts against 16 year olds), won plenty of races and many podiums, stopped racing around age 50 (2015) because I wanted to move onto other aspects of life.
Others who made it big after 30: Debbie Harry. Bonnie Raitt. Sheryl Crow. Kim Gordon. Christine McVie. Emmylou Harris. I hope we'll see that Troll's gold records soon.
If you can possibly separate your art from making a living, you've succeeded as long as you are able to continue creating your art. The saddest thing is when you have to sacrifice art for staying alive.
Thanks for this video Mary, things are exactly the way you reported them. The only age limit to creativity is when we exhale our last breath. And with internet today we don't need labels and majors anymore.
You got it sussed. There is no destination only the journey as you say, only the here and now. When creatives think about the destination creativity goes out the window.
33 is so fucking young man. 40 is young! Just enjoy the success, be grateful for what you’ve achieved and the talents you’ve been gifted. Fuck the haters (including, unfortunately, people in your close circle) and people who try to tear you down, their words are nothing. Keep rockin’ 🤟🏼🎸❤️
I totally agree. Your age only makes you better: more experienced, more mature, smarter, so why would you be less likely to succeed? I'm 33 now and only switched from being a developer in the IT industry to content creation/streaming around 3 months ago and I love it. Could I have started it 10 years earlier? Maybe but not likely, I didn't know what I wanted from life, I wasn't mature enough to handle publicity and I didn't have the resources to survive without constant income. Besides, for me, "making it" means being able to do what you love every day. So, if you do what you love and at the same time, you're not struggling financially - that's all I could wish for. Expensive cars, mansions, and yachts will not make me any happier, I have no use for that kind of stuff.
I’m 36 and more in touch with myself musically than ever, creativity grows as you do if you continue putting in the work, just take care of your health so you can always continue to chase your music love. Success is subjective, loving doing It is all that matters.
204K Views, Congratulations Mary,,,You made it. Here in Nashville the streets are lined with uber talented musicians who may not ever get a chance to make it. Love your channel.
Are you paying your bills doing what you love? If so, you've made it.
Exactamundo
So true. A recent survey of 6000 working musicians in the UK found that half earn less than 14k a year from their craft. Google Musicians Union for more info.
yeah, right - i can pay my bills and have a bit of spending money doing something i kind of like. believe me i'd feel more accomplished if i didn't have a bit of spending money but were doing something a love.
Exactly! I would add: are you rich and have a mansion and a plane and you are miserable inside? You didn't make it!
Exactly! I was going to post the same comment.
Ignore social media trolls. Trust me Mary, you've already made it more than most ever will.
She said even her own circle of family and friends in person have told her the same. But the point she makes is that sometimes it takes some people a very long time unlike others who make it big very early in life.
Or continue responding to the trolls with insightful and educational videos like this. 😉
true. but her message is valuable and not heard a lot. and hey, that troll comment got us a good video. 😉
I love your profile picture! It feels very evocative
agreed. As TS said in that great track - Haters Gonna Hate. BTW if you can find the "making of's, outtakes" of Shake It Off ? You'll smile for a week.
Cheers from NZ
My mother published her first book at age 90 and spent the final year of her life promoting it. I just released my first book at age 65 and had it reviewed in Shindig! magazine. My wife, 58, launched her own UA-cam storytelling channel. Sometimes you have to wait until families are raised and your time truly becomes your own. Weirdness is a virtue and a hedge against age. It's not over until they close the lid.
Great Post
hi, what's the youtube channel for storytelling?
This is an amazing comment, thank you so much for sharing that!
Thanks for your interest! It's called NEOMA FINN: OPEN TO DOUBT.@@videofandude99
@@CugnoBrasso Thanks so much for taking it to heart.
If you are making a living on your own terms, and are happy with what you do, then you've made it! Keep on being an inspiration, Mary!
Well said...
It's so strange how many people don't think this way.
"At 33 years if it hasn't happened, it never will. Sorry" - me who has never had a girlfriend.
64-year-old weighing in here. I’m in the EARLY stage of my music career - does it bother me? Nope. I am having fun, I am getting better, and I get my share of positive feedback from fans and other musicians. As they say, “Age is just a number.” You, Mary, are an inspiration for those of us who want to make music OUR way. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Cheers. I'm 47 and am on the best run of my life. My bands are doing well and so on. It's never too late.
You made sure you did not peak too early!
71 here, same deal. Luv ya work.
i'm 50...and i wont give up on music coz i love it
cheers mate!
As a 75 yo painter, who has been at it for 50 years, I can relate to this advice. The grass always looks greener... Appreciating what you have is so important. I do have fans, students, and patrons but it doesn't add up to much money. If you want to do it you will. Thanks, Mary!
"Appreciate what you have", AKA "Count your blessings" is a major philosophy of mine. I never became famous but at least I have instruments to play and ways to record
Totally agree Mary. I realised in my 20s that "fame and fortune" were not going to happen for me. Music is and will be my means of artistic expression. I spent 3 years playing in bands in Europe. Wrote a song that was released as a single in Germany. It didn't sell, oh well. I played in bands over many genres, went to the Conservatorium and got a degree at 40 and now am happily "retired" from gigging. I write and record my own albums at home and am very happy and fulfilled. I made a bit of money, travelled and met many wonderful fellow musicians along the way. The older I get (65 now) the more satisfied I am with my life in music. No regrets at all with not "making it". Regards Danny, Tasmania, Australia
you think you didn't make it cause you weren't good enough or talented enough? it's not ever gonna happen for many of us, but we can do music as a hobby like so many musicians are doing on You tube. it's fun to pretend we are rock stars
Mary kind of touched on this, but fame really does distort some people especially when fame happens to someone in their youth. Michael Jackson is a well known example. Child actors, especially those who don't get consistent acting work as adults, very often become incredibly warped and can't adjust to adult life well.
All this news coverage because that actor from the American sitcom Friends passed away, and the photographers and "news" people are hounding every actor that they can find from the main stars on down. They even tracked down a woman in London who had a bit part in the show, they found her walking her dog and asked for her reaction. She probably hasn't even seen anyone from that show in 20 years as she didn't have a main part and was only in a few episodes, but she had a microphone in her face and had to say something that sounded gracious.
I grew up in California, and I've had friends and acquaintances who work as electricians or carpenters in set construction. The entertainment industry is largely populated by sordid characters, and no one who knows of it is surprised by stuff like came out about Harvey Weinstein. It was virtually an open secret how he was.
And the ultra-popular musicians often wind up on a path to very destructive behaviors. A 16 or 18 year old making it in any other business doesn't have the short path to millions that sometimes happens when a band catches lightning in a bottle or a movie breaks box office records, and that sort of thing can go to someone's head when that young.
@Anon54387 yeah, I believe the sordid characters bit and the Weinstein observation. You be surprised how many people would be willing to be a hand for the devil as long as they recieve his benefits. You can see this kind of stuff play out in retail even.
@@Anon54387 Really well said. I have read so many biographies of politicians, authors, scientists, and musicians.....Fame and celebrity status sounds like a horrendous noose.
Furthermore, young, talented, top, top-level art-producing people tend to be flawed characters from the outset, insecurities, emotionally challenged and/or addiction tending people.
Like many comments here, I play and make music at home and enjoy it. Chasing, having and then trying to retain that fame and glory seems like a dreadful lifestyle to me....
I have played the guitar since I was 9, I’m 36, never tried to “make it”. I am a musician, will always be a musician. I’m constantly learning more and more. Being a musician is so valuable to me and my health.
and you most probably don't give a shit to "music industry" but just enjoy the process. Industries are for greedy businessmen not musicians and artists (those are the exploited ones to be precise)
I'm 36, and have played the guitar since I was 35. I'm not a musician, and probably never will be. But I'm also constantly learning ...
I'm turning 48 this December and can honestly say I'm a late bloomer. I'm truly grateful for the lessons I've learned over that time and for the opportunities I have today. Never give up on life. It's simply too precious ❤
67 years old, still loving music, writing songs, and gigging regularly. Now learning Ableton and making beats. I may not be rich but I'm surrounded by creative people and having a ball.
welcome welcome! to the Ableton family.
“Good on ya” Ralph as we say here downunder. 63 YO here and feeling the same🤘
Never give up your freedom for a 360 deal, no matter how temptingly safe it may seem.
Well spoken Mary. ❤
I'm a retired 65 year old trucker. I watch for entertainment and a learning connection. You my dear are very interesting and entertaining. It's so satisfying to hear that you understand your position in life and are also happy to be just as you are. Thank you.
As a musician of 25 + years , the trauma of those early years still stay with me .. people will criticise , they will demean and humiliate , but they will never get past the first obstacle in music .. showing up .
Part of being an entertainer, surely?
When I was 18, my stepdad told me that since I hadn't "made it yet," I never was going to. He worked in a hotel, so not sure what he knew about it, but it hurt. Still, I pressed on. He and my mom gave me shit for the next ten years, and minimum support (they let me use the shed they weren't using as rehearsal space for occasional rent money or electricity payments). During that time, I wrote a gazillion songs, recorded on a crappy cassette recorder, played on people's demos, sat in where I could, tried to help a producer friend build a studio, lost a bunch of money and a friend or two along the way, all along working full time jobs and paying rent in California (yikes). I had a good reputation, everybody told me all the time what a talent I was (even my asshat parents), but there was very little actual help, a lot of competition, and in the nineties there was no UA-cam and no streaming, and an artist needed a profound amount of luck to be successful, at least in a mainstream sense. I also found myself in a situation where many of the people who had once encouraged me, turned completely around and started acting like my parents had. At the end of the nineties, with rent prices out of control and beaten down by all the negativity, I sort of floated away from music and did what everybody else wanted me to do and became "normal." At 28, things just sort of ended. I still bought some equipment and pretended I was going to do something with it, but connections faded out, venues dried up, I had no place to play or rehearse or record.
Now, that's a sob story, and take it or leave the details. But the thing that really screwed up my mind happened many years later. I had just started playing guitar again after fifteen years of not even touching it, when randomly I looked up the song "Closing Time," which had been a huge hit for Semisonic, ironically around the time things were winding down for me. I found out the songwriter, Dan Wilson, was 37 when that song hit. The dude had been in bands that kinda "made it,", made records that flopped, wrote songs only a few people heard, and never really charted or had significant success until he was 37. The revelation wrecked me. I mean... what did "made it" even mean? He had successes. He had losses. He kept going.
Anybody who has bothered to read this far... don't let them wreck you. They're all full of shit. What do they know? Really? Do they even know how to measure success? Anybody tells you you're too old, you tell them to fuck right off.
Well said Mary. I learned long ago not to let someone elses opinion become my reality. Another true saying is 'Love many, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe' He's to us paddling into the future 😎😎
I too was washed up at 33. I am now 60, and taking names and kicking ass. I'm with Team Mary on setting realistic expectations that do not involve entitlement 😁
So good! 😭😭😭 I’m a mom of 7 and sometimes feel like I haven’t “made it” in music. But then when I write songs with my teens and perform with them I know I HAVE made an impact that will last generations. And that is my definition of true success. ♥️
Love this!
Fortunately my father and music people around me has always been very supportive of any endeavor I put myself into. One thing a teacher of mine once told me was: "If you pay some of your bills with something you love to do, you've made... the purpose of life is not to be rich or famous, is to be loved and to love what you do"
You inspire me very much, thank you
Bonnie Raitt deserved a Grammy for her album "Taking my Time" (1973 when she was 24). She did not achieve huge commercial success until 1989 (when she was 40). You have the right attitude. I am hoping you achieve whatever you want.
You probably haven’t seen any of my previous comments. Short version: you are VERY valuable as a musician and all-around decent human being. Don’t stop.
I'm over 50 and I restated playing guitar 5 years ago, it's never to late to chase your dreams and inspiration has no age ❤
Dear Mary, your wisdom words are so true.
I'm nearly there myself. Just gotta get over my social media/youtube addiction first. I used to write music religiously in my early 20s. Then came kids/family, and then internet also started getting more and more addictive over the years. Now the kids are grown and I think often about going back to my old passion, wondering if there's any creativity buried down there somewhere
You’re at your MF’ing prime, Mary! The time is now!
You inspire so many people. Isn’t that a whole achievement on itself? We love you!
I have been rockin' on the bass since I was 19, now I am 65, still love to play, if you don't love it you will be full of bitterness, it's been a great journey and not over yet.
As a 58 yr old producer and musician I loved this video. Thanks for sharing. I think if you’re proud of your work and it touches others either small or large then you’ve made it. You’ve made it Mary and I hope one day I can say the same thing. If ever you feel like a holiday come stay with my wife and I and our lovely villa music studio on our paradise island of Koh Samui.
You just keep doing you. That is why we all came here in the first place 🙂
I don't know, if some guy in southwest North Dakota, USA can turn to his left and say "Alexa play music by Mary Spender" and your songs start playing, than in my mind, you've made it. Kudos to you! Plus, your music makes my mom smile. She has late stage Alzheimer's disease, so that is an amazing thing to me. Thank you so much for that.
❤ Great comment. I'm sure you make your Mom smile, too.
The rule of age in music is, there is no age in music. I'm 63, I'll never "make it," do I care? Not at all. I'll never stop learning something new.. It's not always the destination that satisfies, for me, it's the journey, loving every step. Learning something new, that's success. And btw, thanks, Mary, for being an inspirational part of that.
When you exploit looks to get ahead in the arts, there's a used-by date. Live by the sword, die by it.
You're making your living through your music. To me that means you made it.
Facts
Just received the cd of your album last week. It’s excellent! Just thought I would drop a comment to say it’s great.
Heartfelt advice from a 65-year-old therapist/counselor who has weathered several major crises himself and guides others through their crises every working day: NEVER give up on your passion, Mary, because it will keep uplifting your spirit when all else fails. You've already made 'it'. Carry on making more of 'it' (what you love making most). You've successfully transitioned from the intro to the first verse. The best parts of your song are still to come, and all who admire your work are dying to hear them.
I'm 81 and love your channel and music. Keep up your good music. Pat Benatar was a waitress in a Friendly Ice Cream Shop in my home town of Worcester, Massachusetts when her first husband was in the military nearby.
Scorpions were formed in 1965. Rudolf Schenker was 17 at the time. They didn't become famous until Lovedrive or Animal Magnetism - so 1980. Schenker was 31-32. And they've reached their pick around 10 years later. They still make new music, and it's actually pretty good. Their last album - Rock Believer - was released in 2022. Schenker was 73.
You've made it without a shadow of a doubt and are a true inspiration for your wonderful voice , musicianship and the insightfullness you share on your YT channel.
You and Leo Moracchioli and other YT musos are the future of music , not the top 40 crap.
Bottom line here Mary...You LOVE what you do and side stepping the frustrating points, Your Career LOVES you back....and especially Your Fans too!!! That rabbit hole in the comment section has a way of ensnaring us ALL into it's verbally typed web. We all have been "captured" in that hole but we find a way to get free....until that next trap is triggered! 🤣 Very much appreciate you sharing what's on your heart with your Spender Pals and just know we got your back! Cheers From Across The Pond In COW-lumbus, Ohio MOO 👋
Don’t stop what you’re doing Mary! Stay real & genuine!
Thank you for talking about this. 🙏🏻
There is NOTHING left to say!!!!!! 1.000.000% AGREE!!!! 👏❤
Another priceless contribution here, Mary. Thanks for posting this incredibly well-produced content.
Thank you for addressing this topic. I had singer/songwriter dreams once when I was in my late teens and early 20s, but I soon realized that my temperament did not suit the reality of what I’d need to do to promote my work. Then another avenue for my talents presented itself: music therapy. My “audiences” became individuals and small groups with diverse needs, I wrote hundreds of songs over the years to meet those needs, I worked daytime hours, have been showered with gratitude and appreciation, and obtained all the trappings of a secure middle class lifestyle. At 61, I could choose to retire, but like other musicians who love their jobs, I think I’ll keep doing this gig for a few years yet.
All this to say, success in the music industry can take a multitude of forms.
Mary, you have no idea how much I needed to hear your message today. As I've been approaching 30, I've been feeling really down about where I am in my own music career. It really is never "too late" to find your success and "make it" in your own way. Thank you for your inspirational message, looking forward to hearing more music from you soon!
I'm 71 and still hold out some hope that my music might be discovered in this vast desert known as UA-cam. It lives in you and never leaves... You are an inspiration for many Mary. Keep on keeping on...Paul Bradford
She ain’t say Tupac, she said “teewwwpach” like hermione granger
Absolutely no age limit. Sometimes one needs life experience to call upon to write. Your music is personal to you and hits me hard. You go girl, you’re fabulous as you are!
As a 31 year old this means so much for me to hear. Thank you so much for everything you're doing \m/
If you're making a living from music full time, then you've made it. Dont need a hit song or be famous to enjoy a wonderfully satisfying life of playing music. Keep it up Mary, you've already made it! we love you.❤
I started playing violin for the last 5 years and I will be 46 next month. As long as you enjoy what you are doing and continuing towards your goals I won't matter at the end of what people think. The saddest words of tongue and pen are of these words it might have been
Right on Mary! Well said! Alan Rickman came to acting later on - something that has stayed with me whenever people say, ‘it’s too late’ or ‘you’ve missed the opportunity’. No, it’s there for those who dare. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your videos. Love the CD!!!
lol 69 and about to start a completely new life 🙃
You have lots of time Mary - it's also not just about becoming huge - it's about loving what you do and being exceptionally good at it.. and you demonstrate that with every video. Good on you girl...
Mary, so glad to see the connection with you and Rick Beato. I am a musician, but also a retired teacher. You and Rick are both great teachers and obviously enjoy helping others. Like the last comment, you are already successful. Keep it up, Mary!
Mary is always grounded and always offers sage, mature advice. No artist should ever quit based on someone else's perception of success. Part of being a creative soul is the thrill of the journey, the experience of the creative process. Countless people have had success, whatever that means to them personally, well into the upper years. Even at 80, you can suddenly be "Seen", or better yet, heard. You don't have to buckle to ageism and hurl your guitar into the bin. As long as you are loving the process, just keep producing. Because you like it.
Wow! I love what you’re saying here. When I was 33 someone said the same to me. I’m now 69 and feel my next album will be my best thus far.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Looks to me like you've already "made it". I've been making music on and off since my teens. I'm in my 40's now and though most people have never heard me play a single note, it still brings me great joy to write a new song. I have no one to impress and no one to disappoint. I have been hesitant to release any of my material online and don't know that I ever will.
I am guessing it really good. I am older and still learning because, why not?
With today's sponsor DistroKid, you can easily release your original music online!
"If you can be content to make a living, and not a fortune, from your art..." - Exactly Mary! Far too many who've made it super big have spoken about how their fame has become their prison. I've been following you for awhile now. Your skill as a musician has improved greatly, and it's really cool seeing you develop your interviewing skills on trips like your recent one with Rick Beato. 🙂
Working full time on your music, putting out content, recording, and having a HUGE amount of people here on You tube who appreciate you enough to spend time in your world, must be seriously satisfying. Great achievement. From a part time musician (34 years now) who always has a day job.
“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's. That's a difficult statement to live up to, but then I've always believed that the way you affect your audience is more important than how many of them are there.” - Tom Waits
I made a comment a couple of videos back, “How is this Woman not a Huge Star”. So many reply’s on that comment. You are whatever you want to be. Love your content.
33 and 1/3 is when you really get up to speed! ;)
Now THAT"S smart. Nicely said.
Great video!
As a mid 30s musician who’s just started my own UA-cam journey, messages like this one act as a kind reminder to not let the pressure and expectations of age be a cause of lingering anxiety. Thanks for making this one :)
I love your common sense take on the world. It’s very refreshing to watch videos like this one where you give your opinion in a clear and respectful way. And I LOVE your singing voice and style. You have over 700,000 fans here on UA-cam. I’d say you’ve made it and you have done it your own way which is far more important and priceless. Well done ❤❤❤❤
A great message! We had to wait until retirement before we could follow our lifelong dreams for making fun and music videos, but we kept our hand in on the creative front while we waited. Now we no longer need to care about income (which is a fortunate place to be) we are free to produce what we enjoy and if some lovely people join us for the ride then so much the better. It is never too late to start doing what you love. I didn't even know how to edit a video until I was 65 😂 and we continue to learn with each upload. Keep doing what you love 🙏👍
Thank you so much for creating this video. I similarly have experienced a moderate degree of success that has encouraged me to stay in the entertainment game for over a decade without fully "making it". I'm also 33 yo, about to be 34 in a fiscal quarter, and I have so much more agency & control over my life and identity than I did when I was in my early 20s. I've also realized how much fame might've destroyed me (my go-to mantra to bring me down to Earth is "Johnny Depp can't leave his house"). Without being a superstar, I've been able to create a decade-long catalog of work that I have chosen and am proud of. I got to grow up and hone my craft on screen (I'm an actor), but without the harsh scrutiny of millions of people. I have a small handful of viewers that have watched me for the entire decade, and I appreciate them more than 1 billion strangers that might include people on the street that know my face or a single role, without remembering my name, or knowing a majority of my story. I'm especially thankful for your example list of making it big "late", esp The Hold Steady, one of my favorite bands. I reconciled that I'm going to be an artist in one way or another for the rest of my life, and like you, I feel FREE, freedom one of the highest values of my existence.
Jesus was 33 when he made his biggest impact.
Keep it going, Mary!
He was also tortured and crucified.
@@JonFrumTheFirst Yes! But think of all those followers that came in the wake.
He did have a comeback gig though
Well, he did go on an 18 year vacation at age 12😐
@@educationalthoughts6152 guessing you've not been 33 yet then? 😆
Age is simply a number, nothing more. Great content, Mary! Very inspiring!
It's only a number, that almost perfectly (negatively) correlates with how much time you have before going into the forever box six feet under.
@kevinasky771
I must respectfully disagree.
Age brings perspective and hopefully wisdom that only life experience can provide. I believe it's how we let age affect us that is a determining factor in our outlook and attitude, just my opinion. 😊
@@kevinnasky771 *_Debbie Downer, you old rascal you!_*
@@kevinnasky771 How do you know how much time you have left ?
At 50, with the progress of the medicine, you might be just at the middle of your life 🤭
@@donaldbutcher1260 Yes, it’s that too. But it also correlates with how long you have left before you die.
Based strictly on the views and likes, this video response has helped and encouraged thousands of people, including myself. It’s only been about 8 hours since you posted it, so I’m sure it will impact thousands more.
Thanks for your maturity in approaching this topic. Those sorts of comments weigh heavily on many artists for a long time, and I’ve felt and seen the damage that’s been done, first hand.
Respect! 👍🏾✌🏾🤘🏾
You are a VERY wise 33 year old. Thank you so much for being caring enough to share.
As a 60 year old video creator and photographer I am doing my best work at this stage of my life. The past is all training (on every single job and task)... and my future as pure potential. 60? Yep! And glad to be here. I'll let you know how it's going in 15 years. Just staying on the game is a win -- for me.
Now. Go get em Mary!
This is so good! I’ve noticed that many who “make it” have their moment in their 20s, but it also can cause them so much damage too. This was very encouraging for me in my mid 30s.
Good piece, Mary. As a 68-year-old, I can affirm that you're never too old for music. For podcasting, perhaps, but never for music. (Of course, it helps if you don't rely on Bubba's Bar and Grill to make a living, but there are other ways to make money and keep the dream alive. And it helps if you don't place a higher value on money than on living, as you obviously understand.) 🤘
At 68 myself, I can certainly relate to this.
Why would one be too old for podcasting?
Too old to podcast…? 🤔 Podcasting is the perfect medium for many age.
Thank you so much for this video. I am an artist/ painter in my late 40's. This past 5 years I've been struck with illness. Im getting better and there is full recovery ahead of me soon. My health issues have been both a curse and a blessing, a punishment and a lesson. I am practising daily... the virtue of patience and gratitude... it certainly is a practise and I don't thing any human being ever masters those skills 100%. Despite not being a success at anything (in the conventional opinion of what constitutes a success), I am definitely far more content with my small wins than ever before. Contentment is what I strive for more than success these days.
Please don’t let anyone tell you when you’ve made it. Only you can set the bar for success. If success for you means playing nice shows, doing what you love, still have a good work-life balance and able to pay the bills, you’ve made it.
Keep doing what you do, I love your videos! ❤
I don't know. The idea of huge mob of screaming female fans chasing me for blocks whenever I go out in public still has a certain appeal. I wonder if that's a service I could hire, just to check it off my bucket list.
Mary don’t fall into the trap of “I’m too old for…” you’re young, almost half my age, I’m still not grown up and I’ll probably never achieve my original dreams but the older I get the more I realise it’s the stuff you’re doing while you’re waiting for success that defines your life, enjoy it.
💯! Well said.
It's the wisdom that you share in your videos that keep me coming back to your body of work. More power to you Mary!
Wise words from one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Keep on keeping on, Mary. I've been at this since the 60's and only recently actually found a way into the industry. No time limit!
I'm 40 and love every moment of musical trial, tribulation, and triumph all while being completely by myself for hours and days on end. The intention to gain skill and musical understanding is always underpinned by the intention to share music, of course, and I will be able to do that through my 80s (most likely). There are so many paths towards becoming successful with music. These paths can be lifelong and without industry-wide acknowledgment. If I am working on an arpeggio on the piano or guitar, or perhaps singing a phrase over and over again to narrow in on a particular feeling, I experience joy through this work. To experience joy is a success, and I am doing it through music!
Don’t ever take notice of you tube trolls. They get their jollies upsetting people. They haven’t got the talent to do anything real. What are their achievements, zero!
You have more talent in your little finger than they have in their whole existence. Your music will touch people and that is something they will never do or experience. You are real and a joy to see and listen to. You are an amazing human being!
Thanks for this, Mary. You're an incredible artist/creator and this is exactly what so many of us need to hear and remind ourselves of.
Dear Mary, you’re a very talented musician and singer, a very
cool personality and a genuine artist : that is why I follow your channel and enjoy your creativity :)
As a label manager in a record company, I can tell you very few artists have your lucidity and wisdom to witness the music industry rather than getting lost into it. Your today’s video is remarkable in that sens and I thank you very much for this life changing reminder : happiness is not the more $ the better, but when your income covers your needs in quality of life ! As humans we don’t want to be rich, we want to be happy :)
Merci de Paris, wise Mary 😊
Oi Mary, estava com saudade. Toda vez que você aparece, meu coração se alegra demais. Não entendo nada do que você fala, mas, (but..kkkk) só te ver e ouvir já é o bastante para mim. Que Deus te abençoe sempre.
I’m so glad this popped up in my YT homepage. I’ve been trying to make a living from my creativity for 3 years. I’m slowly making progress, but this gave me a much needed dose of inspiration
%100 agree just hit 30, been singing, performing, creating writing for years, but creating quality music takes a hell of a lot of time, resources and strong plan brand ect... Only just getting started doing what I want to do now. :)
Hi Mary, with 706,000 subscribers on YT … I think you have “made it”. I think a problem for many, musicians, artists, composers, writers, photographers etc. is that the environment is Absolutely flooded with material, there is just so much of it around; some good, some bad and some totally dreadful. I think the real deal is to create something of very high quality and not care too much about the public reception, sing, write and play from the heart because this is where real humanity resides, not in a number on a bank account statement. Cheers.
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U give a lot of great advice.
You keep going and do not give up ever. You are too good
People have started their acting careers at age 68, never too old. I started auto racing at age 36 (even shifter Karts against 16 year olds), won plenty of races and many podiums, stopped racing around age 50 (2015) because I wanted to move onto other aspects of life.
Making it, is autotune, music actually written somebody else and souless cookie cutter songs...
Your awesome Mary, f*ck em
Others who made it big after 30: Debbie Harry. Bonnie Raitt. Sheryl Crow. Kim Gordon. Christine McVie. Emmylou Harris. I hope we'll see that Troll's gold records soon.
Just don't sell your soul to a music label. Keep making music and do what makes you happy.
Keep being you. Im 64, been at it since 12...I'm just getting started! There is no generic measure of success, it's whatever we want it to be.
If you can possibly separate your art from making a living, you've succeeded as long as you are able to continue creating your art. The saddest thing is when you have to sacrifice art for staying alive.
I think if you need to release music and you do release music, then you've made it.
Thanks for this video Mary, things are exactly the way you reported them.
The only age limit to creativity is when we exhale our last breath.
And with internet today we don't need labels and majors anymore.
You got it sussed. There is no destination only the journey as you say, only the here and now. When creatives think about the destination creativity goes out the window.
33 is so fucking young man. 40 is young! Just enjoy the success, be grateful for what you’ve achieved and the talents you’ve been gifted. Fuck the haters (including, unfortunately, people in your close circle) and people who try to tear you down, their words are nothing. Keep rockin’ 🤟🏼🎸❤️
I just feel so identify with what you said in 2:34 you get better with time!!! What an awesome video!!
You are doing what you love and inspiring others. That is what is truely important.
Hi,I am an old man,and I fully understand the values that you put on life.Unfortunately a lot of younger people will not see it you way.cheers Roly🇬🇧.
I totally agree. Your age only makes you better: more experienced, more mature, smarter, so why would you be less likely to succeed? I'm 33 now and only switched from being a developer in the IT industry to content creation/streaming around 3 months ago and I love it. Could I have started it 10 years earlier? Maybe but not likely, I didn't know what I wanted from life, I wasn't mature enough to handle publicity and I didn't have the resources to survive without constant income.
Besides, for me, "making it" means being able to do what you love every day. So, if you do what you love and at the same time, you're not struggling financially - that's all I could wish for. Expensive cars, mansions, and yachts will not make me any happier, I have no use for that kind of stuff.
I’m 36 and more in touch with myself musically than ever, creativity grows as you do if you continue putting in the work, just take care of your health so you can always continue to chase your music love. Success is subjective, loving doing It is all that matters.
204K Views, Congratulations Mary,,,You made it. Here in Nashville the streets are lined with uber talented musicians who may not ever get a chance to make it. Love your channel.