I started banjo at age 56, but I have been  musician since i was a teenager, primarily on wind instruments.

The implication of "late in life" is one I will avoid. I started at age 50 after a brief start at age 21 lasted 1 yr. Im happy to say I stuck with it and play in a weekend warrior band.

Wally

In looking at all the reponses I am taken back as to how many of us started later in life. Many responded that they have become avid pickers and love the banjo!! This is great! When I started this thread I did not expect this input this fast! Bluegrass/Banjo has played a large part of my life these last 3 years. I am encouraged that I am not alone in later pickin'. So many of you have had simular reasons for picking up the 5 and sticking to it. I would guess that most who try give it up in a short time. You and I have succeeded to follow our dreams no matter the age because bluegrass/banjo and apple pie are now part of our fabric. Will  I ever become just 1/2 as good as Earl, I doubt it,but it will be fun to believe I can. And oh what a time we will all have, to be the best we can be!!

Edited by - Hankon5 on 05/07/2012 17:19:04

I started piano when I was 8 and guitar when I was 11. I also started learning accordion and mandolin. Later, when I was 30, I started trying to learn fiddle. I always wanted to learn every instrument I could, especially string instruments. I was over 50 when I started banjo, and I was over 55 when I got serious about it. I guess about 4 years ago I decided bluegrass banjo would be the first instrument I make a real effort to learn, and I have been.

I doubt anyone believed someone my age could learn such a hard instrument, but I have been working so hard at this. I made real progress in less than four years, which isn't really all that long. I am just getting to the point where I feel I almost have the basics learned, somewhat. When I record myself it no longer sounds like random noise. 

I love to jam and that has been a really great motivator. You practice more when you're trying to get a song learned to play at a jam session. And I hear a lot of great songs at jam sessions I never knew about. 

Most of the people at the jam sessions I go to are around my age (50s, 60s) Some of them have been playing all their lives, others started recently.

This is something you can start late in life, if the goal is to have fun. It is a lot of work though.

I'm 60 now and this July I'll celebrate my 2nd anniversary of playing (or, rather, learning to play) the banjo. I've played other instruments (mostly electric bass guitar as an adult...), but I'm totally in love with the banjo!

--Donna

I was almost 50!  Just came in from the front porch where I was playing a few tunes before a late dinner.  I only wish I had more time to play!

Started at 47.  When apprised of my new hobby, 73-year-old father intoned, "Mid-life crisis."  Nolo contendre.

Like alot of others here, started at 52. Had one in the closet for 25 years before that, with a do it yourself book. Tried to figure it out once a year or so, then put it back in the closet. Didn't really have time to put in anyway. Always wanted to but needed a teacher to get me rolling.

Retired, I saw a guy play in Flat Ridge VA with a local group and that flipped the switch. Made up my mind right there I was going whole hog into it and been going like hell ever since. If I had known how hard it was going to be, I might have passed. Glad no one told me!

No big goals, just to be the best I can be and have a ball doing it. And wishing I had started as a kid with all the greats around in NC and VA to have learned from.

I started this past January at 50 years old. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be, but more fun than I thought too. My doctor says it helped lower my blood pressure so that was good too.

I started guitar at 14 and banjo at 16 - in 1967. It felt like a ripe old age at the time.

Started at 49 last year, some days are good, some are just practice. It drives my kids crazy so I love it.

Wow! So glad I'm not alone here. :) I just turned 51 and started the banjo just 7 days ago and couldn't be happier. It's hard to put it down!

Hi All-

Stated a year ago at 60. Looks like I am in good company!

No desire to jam, just love the music.

jack

I am the only picker in my family mainly the mandolin and a little guitar . At age 60 my sister gave her husband's five string . It has been a couple of months and not progressing very well . Next weekend is local bluegrass jam will take it with me and seek some much needed help.

Gee wizz, I thought I was all alone, I started only a few months ago at the ripe old age of 67. I can't find a banjo instructor anyplace near by but have been working out of a book by Dennis Caplinger. So far I have gotten up to Cripple Creek but seem to be at a lull in my progress. I can't think of anything I get more enjoyment out of unless it would be my beagle Trixie

I teach chess to kids and play tournament chess and its pretty well established in the chess world that if someone has not at least reached the expert level by the age of 12, they will never make master. Almost all grandmasters (top 1k in the world or so) were already seasoned players by their 10th birthday. I've never met a chess master that picked the game up later than their early teens.

While the banjo and chess are certainly apples to oranges, I'm fairly surprised (and encouraged) by this thread. I'm 40 and I just started with fairly low expectations due to what I perceived as my advanced age. You guys have given me renewed hope. Perhaps this old dog CAN learn a new trick.

65, started 5 months ago but picked Guitar for most of my life, fairly easy transition since I finger picked the Guitar, one less string to worry about.  I would like to find the guy that invented the 1 1/4" nut, must have been the girly type.

I started December 30th 2011. I am 64 and it has been a trip to say the least. I have learned 4 songs that I can play and they sound good and others like it when I play them, they just have to be in another room where I cannot see them and then I can play. I have an extreme case of nerves in front of people. I have accepted this challenge of playing with my Church Choir later this month. After reading all the comments on this topic I do not feel as old because there are those here who have started later in life than I. However, I am troubled by the one post that read you need 5 years and 5,000 hours before you are stage ready. Gosh, I hope they meant stage ready as in "to perform as a solo artist for cash" because later this month will only be almost 5 months of playing. I have added up the hours of practice and it comes to 122 hours of practice. I am a little short on the 5,000 hours.

You will be fine Larry.  Just remember, none of the people watching had the gumprion to do what you are doing.  I remember the first time I played in front of others.  I had sweat dripping off of the end of my nose, and got real lightheaded.  Oh yea, I gotta remember to breathe.

So, just remember to breathe.

Ed e

I started playing at the age off 54 -

"It's never too late to become what you could have been". Don't know who originally quoted that, but I like it.

Butch B.

I began banjo at 60 but I've been playing pedal-steel and Dobro since the mid 70s (with some time off due to work and associated lifestyle constraints).

Dobro naturally leads to banjo because of the similarities in the Open-G tuning on the Dobro, especially with Bluegrass players. I use the same tuning for country playing, and actually played Bluegrass Dobro for a while in the 70s. I'm wondering why I took so long to add the 5-string to the "menagerie". Dobro and banjo complement each other well; I even use the same picks for each (although my finger-picks for pedal-steel are shaped differently).

Another reason for taking up the banjo is one of the bands I work with needs to have a different and distinctive sound so it stands out amongst the rest of the bands doing the rounds in my local area. Steel, Dobro and banjo are essentially backup instruments to me, although an intro, tasteful ending or a lead-break is handy and tends to relieve some of the burden from the guitar-players...if you can prise the musical opportunities away from them, that is!

I intend my banjo-playing to add to the sound of the band without taking away anything from the vocalist or the other musicians. It doesn't need much, just the right licks played at the right place with the right timing. If I do it properly the effect will be out of all proportion to how little I actually played.

I started in 1980 and took lessons for a couple years. Put it away and ended up selling the banjo. Had a Vega. I was 33 in 1980. Now I am 64 and going to try it again. Got in touch with my teacher from the first time. Hadn't talked to him since late 80's. How cool is that. Doug Covington. Hope he don't mind. He is good. I get my banjo tomorrow.

quote:

---

Originally posted by krt

I started in 1980 and took lessons for a couple years. Put it away and ended up selling the banjo. Had a Vega. I was 33 in 1980. Now I am 64 and going to try it again. Got in touch with my teacher from the first time. Hadn't talked to him since late 80's. How cool is that. Doug Covington. Hope he don't mind. He is good. I get my banjo tomorrow.

---

 Congrats my friend!  Same instructor--wow!!!!!!

50...last August.  My wife calls my banjo "The Mistress".  

I have played wind instruments since the age of 10. Started my love affair with the banjo about 4 months ago at the age of 51 and having the time of my life.