Meet The Swamp Boogie Band
I interviewed The Swamp Boogie Band, another
senior citizen rock band during the band’s break. The
band members live in Lorain and Cuyahoga County.
I asked them if age compromises their ability to
perform. All: NO! (An emphatic “No”, at that.)
Marcia: “You gain a level of maturity. You are more
comfortable with who you are and with the audience.
You can look at people and sing. We are reliable. We
don’t start late. This is important to club owners and
we owe it to the people who come to hear us.”
The group agrees that with older age you have “gotten
your act together”. I asked them, if they think they are
better at being a musician today, compared to when
they were in their 30’s, they all agreed that they do a
better job playing/performing today.
Marcia: “It’s a good time of life… It really is! You’re
not worried about what is he thinking/what is she
thinking… These artists (referring to all of the Swamp
Boogie Band members) can just take the stage and
enjoy their work”.
Doug: “The mistake a lot of musicians made is that
they are still playing what they knew from the 60’s.
And that’s as far as they got. We are always trying to
learn new stuff. If we don’t know how to do
it, we LEARN how to do it.”
www.servingourseniors.org
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In 1963 Doug formed the band “The Majestics”, and
played the keyboard. They were renamed the Dantes,
then the Tulu Babies, then fnally the Baskerville
Hounds. The Baskerville Hounds opened for The
Rolling Stones and were in a Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
Exhibit with the Rolling Stones. (Check it out at http://
rockhall.baskervillehounds.com/rhp006.html)
They credit their rock n’ roll band for causing them
to develop new skills. They enjoy the intellectual
challenge of having to learn new material and staying
fresh. They are ready to perform when they have an
opportunity for a paying gig. When they are done
performing they are hyped up and they feel good. “It’s
a high – especially when people take the foor and
dance”, says Marcia. They usually go out for breakfast
after they play. Most of them said they get up the next
day around 8:00 a.m..
Being in the band has countered the negative
consequences that can occur with older age. They
have an expansive social network -- lot’s of friends
and acquaintances. Plus, performing has also given
them self-confdence as they age.
In terms of self-confdence, Doug uses a quote of
Henry Ford. “If you think you can or you think you can’t
– you’re right”. Doug said, “That’s when I realized, why
is it OK for these guys to do something/play something
and I can’t? Then I fnd out that I can”.
The members of the Swamp Boogie Band say
whatever it is, it’s never too late and you should get
out and do it!
Marcia says, “Time is going to keep going, regardless.
This is your life! It’s not a dress rehearsal”. Her advice
to retirees who go to bed by 9 pm or 10 pm -
“If you
want to
… At least sing Karaoke; or go to see a band
and get up there and play a cow-bell or something.
It really does something to people who get up
there. Don’t stop following your dream because you
are older.”
You can see and hear the Swamp Boogie Band by
going to facebook.com/ServingOurSeniorsErieCounty,
visiting our website, or going to swampboogieband.com.
Tim King, 64, bass guitar; Marcia “Swamp”
Sindelar, 63, lead vocals; Doug McCutcheon,
66, keyboards; Gerry Parisi, 62, drummer.
(Not pictured Jeff Hurd, under age 60, guitar)