Ageless Icons

As a society we are fortunate to have a number of pop culture icons who remain ageless. They remind us that as long as we still have it, we should flaunt it. Look at Cher, look at Tina, look at Jack. Still doing their thing, and serving as inspiration that we should still be doing ours when we are their age.

Johanna Skilling, our head of Strategic Planning, had the chance to see one of our ageless icons this past weekend. And she still has the sparkle in her eye from it.

Hope this finds you well -- Jim.

Johanna:

What will you be doing when you’re 83?

If you’re Chuck Berry, you’re dressing in your blue sequined shirt and captain’s hat, picking up your favorite axe, and getting your groove on in front of folks who love you, just like you’ve always done.

I had the great good fortune to see Chuck in concert this past weekend. The man looks good. Actually, he looks great: tall and well built, with a fun-loving face that would suit a man 20 years younger.

I’ll grant you, the concert got off to a slow start, with an extended demonstration of on-stage tuning and a mild hissy fit by the star himself ("Get the manager out here! I want the manager out on stage!") but that’s one reason to go to live shows: to see a real person doing what they do, the way they do it.

And did I mention he’s 83? So while he was stopping the show and tuning up, he said, "I’m old enough to do things the way I want ‘em done." Love that – he was making sure his music came out right. And he didn’t ignore the fact there were paying customers in the room – in fact, he acknowledged us cheerfully, saying we hadn’t come to hear him play anything but his best.

And if his best is that of a man slightly past his prime? I don’t think anyone cared – quite the opposite, judging from all the hollering and cheering and clapping going on. It was real. It was vintage. And it was fun.

By the end of the set, when Chuck invited "4 or 5 young ladies to come right up here. Well, you don’t have to be young," and 20 or more women of all ages stormed onstage to dance, we were all in rock ‘n’ roll heaven. Chuck was playing Johnny B. Goode, by now with a broken string, and we were all singing along.

In a long (long) career – did I mention the man is 83? – it’s easy to guess that Chuck has had his ups and downs. But seeing him in action was a great reminder that life is all about seizing the moment – and not letting a few sour strings hold you back.

And that it’s ok to wear spangles after 80.

Go Johnny, go, go!

- Johanna Skilling, Director of Strategic Planning at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness