The Music and Planet Project

Knee pain. Hearing loss. Blood pressure monitoring. Carpal tunnel. Okay you get it – we’re talking about getting old. But we’re also talking about some of the lyrics in Steve Schmitt’s romp “Getting Old Is Killing Me”, a humorous 12 bar blues boogie with a theme that is relatable for, well, literally everyone. We all get old, and we all could benefit from turning our worries about it into some light-hearted blues music. Steve Schmitt has done just that for us all in the title track of his 2022 LP “Getting Old Is Killing Me”.

We don’t often post about straight blues on here, but in the music of Steve Schmitt, we have found an excuse to do so. Free from the bells and whistles of your typical song in 2025, Schmitt’s songs sound more like something you’d find while flipping through the archives of a vintage record store than something you’d find on a Spotify playlist. Steve has all the components of the blues that you’d have to be crabby to dislike: a 12 bar progression, walking bass, swanky piano and guitar solos, and a downtrodden theme. He’s not going out on any limbs here with artistic experimentation, but he is doing a darn good job with the time-tested sounds that laid the grounding for much of the musical experimentation of today.

For listeners whose typical soundtrack might consist of indie rock or hip hop or anything more typical of the modern day, I recommend taking a few minutes at some point to listen to some down and dirty blues to ground yourself in the origins of much of today’s music. Listen to Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and any of the other giants of the genre. But take a few minutes to listen to Steve Schmitt while you’re at it, and you’ll find yourself equally pleased with the artistry, attitude, and swagger that he brings to this time-honored genre. 

Stream Getting Old Is Killing Me here and follow Steve on Facebook to stay up to date on his latest.