How many people in the 1960s thought Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones would live to be 80 years old? Not me.
Well, Mick will turn 81 later this month, and Richards will be 81 in December.
Now, let's rephrase that question a bit. In the 1960s, how many people thought that Jagger and Richards would still be touring with their band in 2024? Not many, I'd wager.
Yet, here they both are, still strutting around stadiums in North America. Mick is still singing "Start Me Up" — which, coming from the mouth of an 80-year-old, sounds like a punchline.
But God bless the ticket buyers. If seeing The Rolling Stones is still a bucket list item for thousands of Americans and Canadians, then more power to them.
In recent days I've noticed that we are in a golden era of what I'll call "elder-tainment." While younger Americans seem to be hooked on their phones, older Americans are actually out spending money on entertainment experiences.
A case in point: Recently my wife and I went to one of three sold-out shows at Memorial Auditorium here featuring comedian Leanne Morgan, a 58-year-old grandmother from upper East Tennessee.
Hardly an oldster herself, Morgan still appeals to a more senior audience. On a Facebook post I called her the "Minnie Pearl of menopause" and the "Hee Haw Meemaw." On stage, Morgan talked about playing to small crowds at The Comedy Catch here for years, and now she is selling out Memorial Auditorium three times in one week. I've tried to think of another comedian in the world who could do that. Maybe nobody.
(READ MORE: Kennedy: I'd vote for Leanne Morgan for president)
The point is, Morgan has more or less created a new comedy niche — girls-night-out comedy for the over-50 crowd. Not only is she selling out shows, but she's just finished a comedy movie with Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, two Hollywood A-listers. She also has a sitcom deal and a new book scheduled to hit bookstores this fall. Morgan could be the poster child for the emerging elder-tainment segment. She was in her 50s before her career took off.
A couple of days after the Morgan show, I saw the first installment of Kevin Costner's new four-part movie series "Horizon." While the Western didn't do well nationally in its debut weekend (the film grossed only about $11 million in week one) my theater in Hixson was packed for a 3 p.m. showing. And it looked as if about 80% of the audience was over 60. Maybe it's a red-state thing.
Note to studios: Films aimed at older audiences should not be three hours long (with 30 minutes of previews.) It's a bladder matter. If you're going to make movies that long, bring back intermission — we old-heads remember seeing "Gone With the Wind" in theaters with a break in the middle.
Despite mixed reviews from critics, I enjoyed the "Horizon" movie, a Western set in the Civil War years. I will almost certainly buy a $12 ticket when the second installment comes out later this summer.
Next, I was walking to church on Sunday morning and a Sunday School friend told me what a blast he and his wife had at a Black Jacket Symphony concert in Middle Tennessee last weekend featuring the music of the late Jimmy Buffett. The Parrot Heads of the world — mostly Gen Xers and Boomers — are clearly going to be a cultural force for decades to come.
(READ MORE: Mind Coffee: You should check out Black Jacket Symphony)
Anyone who thinks producing content for seniors is a losing proposition isn't paying attention. We old people have the money, the time and the inclination to enjoy ourselves.
So pay attention, marketers. And build in potty breaks, please.
Family Life is published on Sundays. Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645.
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones performs during the Hackney Diamonds tour at Soldier Field on June 27, 2024, in Chicago. / Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP