Bob Wood from Tennessee is now 86 years old.
In 2014, when Bob entered the ninth decade of his life, a video of him playing electric guitar at a Nashville guitar shop went viral. People were thrilled to see that you’re never too old to rock and roll.
Our elderly have amazing stories to tell, we just have to listen.
Thanks to his awesome guitar playing skills, Bob got a chance to impress us all with the story of his interesting, turbulent and exciting life. Stay with us, because this old gentleman is taking us on an epic musical journey!
It all began when Wood had his first gig at 12 years old on a live radio show. Bob Wood has spent most of his life in Nashville, and he’s always been passionate about music. He’s an accomplished musician who’s been playing for nearly his entire life. Prepare yourself, because you’re about to catch up on this man’s fruitful career—and it’s more impressive than you could imagine.
Bob worked as a full-time salesman for various musical equipment companies—Ampeg, Altec, Sunn and Ovation Guitars.
That kept him from devoting his time to playing music, but he was good enough to sign a contract as a regular performer at Wheeling Jamboree from 1970-1984. Wood was some kind of VIP in those days, he even presented Ovation Guitar’s Bicentennial Guitar at the White House.
In 1968, Sam Philips invited Wood to be a session musician at Sun Records in Memphis.
However, amid the Vietnam War, Memphis didn’t seem like a safe place for Bob’s six young children. That’s why his family packed up and left the city, moving away from fame.
Life truly works in mysterious ways, and Bob seems to have been given a second chance to shine.
Wood’s music career spans decades, but his true comeback happened in 2014. To prove that age is just a number, Bob walked into the British Audio Service and Music studio on Charlotte Avenue in Nashville.
He plugged his 1968 Epiphone Riviera guitar in and impressed everyone with an outstanding jam.
“I guess my fingers are not supposed to work like that being 80 years old,” joked Bob back then, fully aware that no one expected such an excellent rendition of the 1940 hit song “Bésame Mucho.” Interestingly, it’s the most sung and recorded Mexican song in the world. Anyway, Bob took that guitar and his fingers started gliding across the fretboard effortlessly.
His fingerpicking is completely on point!
We were amazed, and we replayed the video over and over again. Bob has shared the stage with Carl Perkins, Lew DeWitt, Roy Clarke, James Brown, Johnny Cash and many other famous artists. After recording numerous albums over the years, three of them ended up in the national archives.
Just imagine that Bob played two shows with Les Paul.
Here’s how he described it: “For me, to follow Les Paul, was like following a bulldozer with a spoon.” In 1975, and then again in 1976, Wood was crowned Entertainer of the Year by Eastern States Country Music Inc. What a guy!
In 2007, Wood was inducted into the Southern Legends Country Music Hall of Fame.
Today, he’s a father of nine children, and he has returned to performing.
The video of him playing at the store quickly went viral, and it has been watched over nine million times on YouTube.
Upon receiving the online recognition, Bob has performed at various shows.
We wish this old man nothing but the best since he brings so much joy and optimism with his music.
Take care, Bob, we want to see more of you!
Watch his awesome performance in the link below:
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