Good topic!

I don't explore much new music because of (a) of lack of time, money and will, and (b) much of what I do hear I don't much care for. Even new people I come across and like are often of a similar vintage to me (Eliza Gilkyson, for example)!

Some of the people I love(d) did their best work decades ago (CSNY, Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Strawbs, Steve Miller) or are deceased and/or have disbanded.

Some seem to have lost their muse more recently (Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams).

So a lot of the music I explore now tends to be from the 50s, 60s and 70s as I discover "new" artists from that time. I have had huge pleasure in discovering music from that era which I overlooked at the time or have grown into.

Of the people I love, the ones whose best work might be ahead of them - and I hope that it is - include

Gillian Welch and Dave Rowlings
Derek Trucks
Susan Tedeschi
Bela Fleck and The Flecktones
moe.

and a host of young, relatively unknown British artists on the Blues and Roots scenes.

I'm a Neil nut and have been over half my life, but I have to say I think it's over (my hopes for another Neil classic). I thought 2003 was a turning point, the beginning of the end in some ways...I thought the time was right for another Zuma or something - Greendale (IMHO) had the sound of Zuma, but not the songs.

Sadly - Knopfler

He continues to write and put out new, original product every two years or so. However, it's getting less and less engaging to listen to. I still love the man, and will see any tour he wants to have. But this last tour - Tracker - was probably the worst set I've seen him perform.

Good thread - however tough to answer... one artist that jumped to mind, tho now dead, was Bert Jansch, he just got better and better over the years. Jerry Garcia did the same thing, kept exploring, always trying new stuff. Seems like altho artists' commercial work often might suffer with aging, quite often they just get better as they age, the ones who are really practicing a craft. The artists who were relying on glamour or fashion, or the energy of youth, usually drop off.

I'll talk about a few guitar players. I'll throw in a qualifier: we could talk about these guys' chops and inventiveness, and maybe leave to the side some thoughts about recording trends / production sounds or songwriting.

Ok, so I think Jeff Beck has stayed at the top of his game and is as nasty now as ever. Arguably he has even gotten better; for example, his utter mastery of the whammy bar now is not something he had in 1970, even though he was great then.

I'll admit I'm not always knocked out by the eclecticism of his approach, or the drum sounds he goes for. I loved the pure raunch of the original group with Rod, and then Blow by Blow & Wired. I like the analog sound and more organic feel of those instrumental albums more than the sound of his recent instrumentals, but I have a preference for 1970s sound. He is capable of playing just as well now as then, and on any album or in any concert that he puts on now, he does things that rival his 1970s best.

I think almost all of the above can be said for Santana, but Santana has put out more commercial dreck than Beck. Carlos live is still as good as ever, IMO. Can he put out a full new album as good as some of his first few albums? I don't know.

I guess there are two ways to look at this thread. By best work is that recording/writing or playing.

Using some of the names mentioned here for instance.

Jeff Beck - I agree with Jim that his playing has not faltered and in fact has improved. But in no way do his recording match his early career. The material is not there and hasn't been for a long time.

Mark Knopfler is the same for me. His playing is as good or even better than ever. The material is not.

Ritchie Blackmore is bashed for the minstrel sound of Blackmore's Night but his acoustic playing has turned him into a better player. More versatile and less just noise at times which Ritchie often went to live. Have seen him play some complex stuff that is far beyond his Deep Purple era playing. But again the songs will never match the appeal of DP material.

Warren Haynes (Love Him) has absolutely run dry in the writing dept for my tastes. Just too many mid/slow tempo tunes that all sound similar. I can bunch up songs from the last bunch of Mule records and they all sound similar and from the same sessions. I blame lack of production as Geordie is a friend and not a producer. Warren needs a person to say - that sounds like the last three songs and that solo has the same riffs/crutches that you have gone to many times.

I think it is time to accept that the vast majority of artists from the 60s and 70s will never come close to matching their peaks and haven't been doing so for a long time.

[Edited on 5/9/2016 by CanadianMule]

Let's admit that for the most part, we are setting the bar pretty high here by talking about a band or musician being at its PEAK, right? We're talking about being great live but also putting out essential New stuff. Who can maintain such heights for very long?

I think of Led Zepp' s real run as 1968-1977. Ten years. The Who from maybe 1967 - 1975. The Stones from 1965 - 1974. Deep Purple from 1970 - 1974. Genesis from 1971-1977. If you're Paul McCartney, could you ever top your Beatles years?

I love so much music from those bands after those dates, but those seem like peaks. It's almost unfair to judge what follows in comparison. I'm certainly grateful that all involved didn't just stop then.

Jason Isbell is in his prime. I do miss some of the grit of his earlier work but he could very well have his best stuff ahead of him.

I second David Rawlings.

Avett Brothers aren't far removed from their best stuff. I havne't listened to the new one.

Sturgill Simpson's first two albums were tremendous. I need to hear the new one (first track wasn't my cup of tea).

Lake Street Dive have their best stuff in front of them and are rolling.

Ben Harper may be past his best stuff but he still delivers; need to listen to the new Innocent Criminals albums.

Hozier is a new one I've started to dig.

Soo.....none of the above are Van Morrison, Zep, Aretha etc, but they are more in their prime and a great bands/performers

I saw Wilco in January and they began by playing their new album all the way through. It was excellent - it sold me on that album.

I saw Steve Hackett in the fall, and his new solo stuff is as good as any of his solo stuff. I prefer his Genesis work overall, but he is a better guitar player now by far. He is a must-see, a player at the height of his powers.

Just saw Bob Mould last Friday, and his show was great as always..... and I can't get his new cd, Patch the Sky, out of my cd player. First 3 songs are awesome.... his last 3 albums, with Jason Narducy and Jon Wurster are as good as anything he has done - although some will argue Workbook is still his pinnacle....

Ok, so I think Jeff Beck has stayed at the top of his game and is as nasty now as ever. Arguably he has even gotten better; for example, his utter mastery of the whammy bar now is not something he had in 1970, even though he was great then.

I think this is a key point when taking on a topic like this one.....Can you, or will you continue to grow and re-invent yourself? I think a lot here would argue that Derek T. is currently doing this.... Another example might be Clapton's re-emergence and chart ascension because of his appearance on MTV's "Unplugged"...Using the acoustic exclusively was a welcome sound indeed.....

If not, you're just settling and you're probably OK with that because the fans still come out to sing along with tunes written 4 decades ago, That's cool, but if you're a fan of one of these guys/bands, then you gotta know their best work is behind them, way behind them.

Jeff Beck is a pretty good example, never know what is coming from him next.

I'm saddened that Geddy Lee isn't playing live in some capacity right now. The way that he has actually gotten phenomenally better as a bass player in his late 50s/early 60s is nothing short of amazing.

Yeah, yeah, his voice. Whatever. One of the best rock bassists that's ever lived and it's a shame he's not playing live, hell, an instrumental format would be awesome.

Been listening to the Pearl Jam station on Sirius lately and as a live band they seem to get better as they have gotten older.

Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Dave Rawlings Machine, Lake Street Dive, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, Brandi Carlile are all artists who recently have released albums that are fantastic. Hoping that they stay on top of there game.

The new Radiohead album was the best they have released since Hail to the Thief. Hopefully it is a great band returning to form.

David Crosby has been kicking out new and inventive work, shedding his old CSN skin and moving on. Saw him twice on his recent solo acoustic tour, and he sounded fantastic. Current, relevant, and experimenting with great new ideas. His last record a couple years back "Croz" was one of the finest offerings he has ever released.

[Edited on 5/12/2016 by BrerRabbit]

I grew up listening to phish, and seeing Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page, and Fishman.

I don't mind some of their new songs but their best playing was in the 80s-90s, and very early 00s.

I'm glad that's when I saw them mainly.

Ritchie Blackmore is bashed for the minstrel sound of Blackmore's Night but his acoustic playing has turned him into a better player. More versatile and less just noise at times which Ritchie often went to live. Have seen him play some complex stuff that is far beyond his Deep Purple era playing. But again the songs will never match the appeal of DP material.

Warren Haynes (Love Him) has absolutely run dry in the writing dept for my tastes. Just too many mid/slow tempo tunes that all sound similar. I can bunch up songs from the last bunch of Mule records and they all sound similar and from the same sessions. I blame lack of production as Geordie is a friend and not a producer. Warren needs a person to say - that sounds like the last three songs and that solo has the same riffs/crutches that you have gone to many times.

I think it is time to accept that the vast majority of artists from the 60s and 70s will never come close to matching their peaks and haven't been doing so for a long time.

[Edited on 5/9/2016 by CanadianMule]

It will be interesting to see how Ritchie treats the DP and Rainbow material since playing a different style for 20 yrs now. Might take a differnt approach?

I agree about Warren, actual I felt they always did to many slow to mid tempo tunes since the first release.

I think he needs to back off from the Mule and maybe get into a band where he is not the the focal point as a song writer. Maybe more of a collaborator and focus on the guitar playing.
I agree also about the producer. Bring it the likes of a John Paul Jones to produce or work in a band together. It might freshen him up.

I like what Plant has been doing over the last 10-12 yrs with new material and his reworking of Zep classics.

Chris Whitley had a good thing going, but passed to early in 2005.

I caught Mr. Robin Trower recently and adored his status. He still has that bite on his tone. It is a signature sound he has. He played a couple tunes off his new disc Where You Are Going To taking the mic on a couple. I bought a few discs at the merch stand and really dig his Roots And Branches CD. Most cover albums are lacking consistency and don't come off well (in my ears), but his cover disc is great! He hung for a little bit and signed 2 items per person afterwards. I picked up a tour poster and had him sign it. He opened with Too Rolling Stoned and hit a good amount of his classics including doing a back to back Day Of The Eagle/Bridge Of Sighs combo mid set. Out Friggin' Standing! He's one of the many reasons I am a guitar loving kook.

I caught Mr. Robin Trower recently and adored his status. He still has that bite on his tone. It is a signature sound he has. He played a couple tunes off his new disc Where You Are Going To taking the mic on a couple. I bought a few discs at the merch stand and really dig his Roots And Branches CD. Most cover albums are lacking consistency and don't come off well (in my ears), but his cover disc is great! He hung for a little bit and signed 2 items per person afterwards. I picked up a tour poster and had him sign it. He opened with Too Rolling Stoned and hit a good amount of his classics including doing a back to back Day Of The Eagle/Bridge Of Sighs combo mid set. Out Friggin' Standing! He's one of the many reasons I am a guitar loving kook.

I really never followed Trower or knew much about him as until of late. I have his last two studio releases and the stuff he did with Jack Bruce as of late. Great stuff. I am glad I have been turned on to him. It is top notch !!

Robin Trower is the man, I just went to one of his shows..Truly a great.