A 66 year old in a young person's world!

#Composers and #songwriters come in all shapes, sizes and would you believe.....ages!

Some of the best writers I know are in the 50-70 age bracket and still doing very well indeed.

I started writing music when I was 14 and have been published by some of world's largest music publishers. I have co-written with known and not so well-known artists and writers including Suzi Quatro, Alice Offley, Rick Green, Tim Bragg, Freya Wolf and many others.

So, does it get more difficult as you get older, to be taken seriously within the 'biz', which is full of so many younger people who think it all starts and ends with hip-hop and modern chart music?

Well, not necessarily if you choose your marketplace well! Take for example sync opportunities in #film, #TV, #advertising and #corporate video. Here, you will find music supervisors seeking all kinds of music from modern to retro and vocal to instrumental. Watch films, listen to TV soundtracks and hear what they are currently placing - DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

Also, never rule out a modern artist who is looking for something different, or an A&R exec at a label looking for the next big trend. How many times have we seen older styles of #music making chart comebacks or new styles with a retro feel appearing on a modern top performer's albums?

I guess I am lucky in that I have my own small studio, play a few instruments and have some great software at my disposal to create some very good top-notch productions and being a former record producer helps no end!

So don't ever think that your #age stops you competing in an already challenging market, only your belief in what you create does that! Unlike the general workplace where #ageism remains rife, the songwriting community doesn't suffer from that problem because your face, body shape and age, is pretty much irrelevant!

So get out there, make connections, never be afraid to submit your music regardless of what others may think about it! Remember, The Beatles were once turned down by Decca Records!

Good luck! Happy new year.

Ross 'The Hammer' Hemsworth

Songwriter/Composer/Producer