Rock of aged

Seasoned performers keep packing in the fans at area concert venues

By David Lindquist
david.lindquist@indystar.com


Cincinnati Reds outfielder George Foster won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1977, the same year Jimmy Buffett reached the Top 10 with his hit "Margaritaville."

The passage of time has made it impossible for 58-year-old Foster to play baseball in front of thousands of paying customers in 2007, but 60-year-old Buffett continues to perform tropical-themed tunes for sellout crowds in the nation's largest concert venues.

Forging an emotional bond with listeners and creating a festive atmosphere in concert are two tickets to career longevity, according to music-industry experts and fans.

Buffett, specifically, is known for playing concerts where his loyalists -- commonly termed "Parrotheads" -- wear grass skirts, floral shirts and inflatable sharks as accessories.

"These (shows) have become more than a night out," says Dave Clark, vice president of marketing for concert promoter Live Nation.


Read the entire story in the Indy Star