Aging Rock Stars (How old are they?)[Updates]

(This article is updated with ages as of January 10th, 2024, as well as ongoing updates.  The birthdates are included for all the artists, so you can keep up with their current ages.)

Recent losses of classic artists include…David Crosby 81, Christine McVie 79, Jeff Beck 78, Randy Meisner 77, Robbie Robertson 80, Jimmy Buffett 76, Gary Wright 80, Gordon Lightfoot 84, Denny Laine 79, Dickey Betts 80, Mike Pinder 82, John David Souther 78, Kris Kristofferson 88, and Phil Lesh 84.  We’re reminded that the music is running out for many of our favorite artists of the Classic Rock era.  Some of us can certainly identify with their situation.

Here are the current ages (as of January 10th, 2024) of the rest of CSN&Y…Stephen Stills 79 (1/3/45), Graham Nash 81 (2/2/42), and Neil Young 78 (12/12/45).

David Crosby’s band from his younger days, The Byrds…Chris Hillman is 79 (12/4/44)  and Roger McGuinn is 81 (7/13/42)

Christine McVie’s Fleetwood Mac mates are…Mick Fleetwood 76 (6/24/47), Stevie Nicks 75 (5/26/48), John McVie 78 (11/26/45), and Lindsey Buckingham 74 (10/3/49).

The remaining Beatles are both in their 80’s…Ringo Starr 83 (7/7/40), and Paul McCartney 81 (6/18/42).  Both have been very active, including touring.  John Lennon was murdered in 1980 at age 40, and George Harrison died of cancer in 2001 at the age of 58.

Eagles singer-songwriter Glenn Frey died in 2016 at the age of 67 and bassist Randy Meisner at the age of 77 in 2023.  The remaining Eagles are all 76…Timothy B. Schmit (10/30/47), Don Henley (7/22/47), and Joe Walsh (11/20/47).

(JT & JB…photos I took at their concerts in 2014 & 2015.)

Two of our best solo artists really are ‘70s singer-songwriters.  James Taylor and Jackson Browne are both 75, and turn 76 in 2024.  James Taylor (3/12/48) and Jackson Browne (10/9/48).

Tom Petty died just 18 days before his 67th birthday in 2017.  Heartbreakers’ keyboardist Benmont Tench (left) is 70 (9/7/53), and guitarist Mike Campbell is 73 (2/1/50).

Two of our greatest country songwriters and performers are at the upper range of ages.  (Update: Kris Kristofferson passed away 9/28/24 at the age of 88.) Willie Nelson is 90 (4/29/33).

Here’s a selection of some of our classic artists listed according to their current ages (as of Jan 10th, 2024).  Each one includes their birth date, so you can track their ages as we move into the future.

82:  Bob Dylan (8/14/41), Paul Simon (10/13/41), Art Garfunkel (11/5/41)

81:  Carole King (2/9/42), Brian Wilson (6/20/42)

80:  Mick Jagger (7/26/43), Roger Waters (9/6/43), Steve Miller (10/5/43), Joni Mitchell (11/7/43), Keith Richards (12/18/43), Jimmy Page (1/9/44)

79:  Roger Daltry (3/1/44), John Sebastian (3/17/44), Ray Davies (6/21/44), Peter Asher (6/22/44), Rod Stewart (1/10/45)

78:  Eric Clapton (3/30/45), Bob Seger (5/6/45), Pete Townshend (5/19/45), John Fogerty (5/28/45), Debbie Harry (7/1/45), Van Morrison (8/31/45)

77:  David Gilmour (3/6/46), Linda Ronstadt (7/16/46), Justin Hayward (10/14/46)

76:  Elton John (3/25/47), Carlos Santana (7/20/47), Jeff Lynne (12/30/47)

75:  Steven Tyler (3/26/48), Cat Stevens (7/21/48), Robert Plant (8/20/48)

74:  Billy Joel (5/9/49), Mark Knopfler (8/12/49), Bruce Springsteen (9/23/49), Bonnie Raitt (11/8/49)

We’ve enjoyed an abundance of fantastic music from this generation of musicians, but as Jackson Browne sang…“All good things gotta come to an end.”

Here are some lyrics from a Cat Stevens song that can be applied to the situation.  “And though you want them to last forever, you know they never will.  You know they never will.  And the goodbye makes the journey harder still.”

Hopefully, a good portion of our classic artists’ songs will be enjoyed for many decades to come.