I’ll bet I’m the oldest member on BanjoBen’s site. I check in a 71.
Always wanted to play guitar, but just never committed to doing it until January 2019. And I’ve been true to my commitment, having picked my guitar up everyday since for at least 15 min… Still not very good, but much better than I was a Year and a half ago. And I’m having fun. Just being able to strum out a simple song, or use a bass run, o even fingerpicking a little. What a treat to tell someone when they see my guitar and they ask…” Can you play”, and I say, with a smile, “A little bit”. Hahahahha
Old as dirt...!
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And I’ll bet I’m the youngest, at 14. I started playing guitar about 2 years ago, but didn’t really learn anything beyond the G and D chords(I didn’t even know C!) About ten months ago, I started learning for real, and it’s really fun just to play and sing or play with my friends (guitar and mandolin).
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I am 72, didn’t take up the banjo till I was 61. So I guess you qualify as the oldest newbie
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Well, there’s one other forum member who might be younger, but I’m not sure. I was fifteen when I joined I think, and I started playing around twelve or thirteen
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See there @Lefty70,
@Archie has ya… and God Bless you both for being inspirations to us youngun’ 50-somethings. Oh… and I am a 3 year newbie on Banjo and 1 year on Mando.
Keep playin’ and postin’ and leading the way…
Come to think of it… and I mean this sincerely… There is something about Blues… where esteemed respect and proper recognition embraces “mature” players. I also feel that this is true in Bluegrass and (perhaps just a slightly lesser extent, New) Country… as compared to pop, rock, classical (principally singers) and other forms of music where there feels like there can be age-discrimination versus recognition and appreciation for seasoned professional performers.
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Looks like we might make good age bookends for BanjoBen’s site…lol
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Well heck, looks like I’ve already lost my title. But good to know there’s some other gizzerrs out there…lol
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They may not be on the forum, but I hear from a lot of students in their 80’s!
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So i have still got time left to master this banjo.
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Seems I’m not as much of a nomoly as I thought… lol
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Hey, no problem with time… If they have singing in Heaven, and I believe we will, I can’t imagine not having a guitar, banjo, and mandolin not playing in the background. So lessons will have to be provided for those of us that didn’t quiet master it down here. And the good thing is we won’t get as frustrated practicing…hahahahaha
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Sure they do. But I think our songs will have no meaning in there, meaning out of place, like “I’ll fly away” with question on fly where to etc. So guess everyone needs to get trained in Hallelujah song. Maybe next lesson item for Ben! 
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I’ve played piano since I was 8 and guitar for 2 1/2 years now.
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I’ve “played” guitar for about four years now, but only seriously for about three
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Lee it up, I’m close behind you approaching 70. Picked up the banjo and have gotten pretty darn good. Practice and having fun is the key 
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I guess us old dogs are just learning new tricks…
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So who wants to admit to holding the Prestigeous Honor of being the OLDEST BEGINNER GOLD PICK MEMBER ??? Maybe we could persuade Ben to create a special forum category for Golden Age Pickers ??
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This is an old thread revived. I am 76 next week and I am still learning.
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Here’s to YOU Archie …
And Yeh I DO have a Retirement Plan …
I PLAN ON PLAYING THE BANJO !!!
(tho not too sure if what I do would be considered "PLAYIN’ " !!!
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