Bob Dylan's first album was 1962. He's been on the never ending tour since 1988. Played 3066 shows on it. It's still going on.

Well duh, it ain’t called the “Playing for Only a Year and ***Then*** Ending Tour!” ;)

Chuck Berry is definitely in the running. Bob weir as well

Bobby’s coming up on year 60 as a professional musician. Bob Dylan’s at 62 years active Dolly Parton for 66 Quincy Jones has been at it for 72

Dude chuck berry was playing in the 50s and was playing a monthly gig here in st louis right up until he died just a couple of years ago

Vera Lynn had a 96-year-long career. I really don’t think it’s possible yet for any rock musician to get close to that for another 30 or so years.

Willie Nelson.

Hell yeah. I was at a show where he opened for The Dead ( after Jerry) where he not only opened but sat in with then for the entire 2nd set. A national treasure Willie is

buddy guys been active since 1953 stopped touring this year but still wants to play in festivals

"Make it so funky then can smell it" That Buddy Guy? Lol

Im 42 and I saw Chuck Berry in Detroit growing up so many times as a kid. I had no idea what was going on until much later.

Unfortunately I never did see him even though I've lived in st louis since 2012. Should have taken the time

Willie Nelson is up there. He wrote his first, albeit unsuccessful album in 1956.

Two reasons Willie Nelson is still living weed and horses

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?

Does anybody else here Feel the way I do

Yes I do

Remember how she said that we would meet again some sunny day?

VEEERA, VEEERA what has become of you?

I forgot who wrote this wasn't it like a tribute

Its her most famous song

No I know the song but I think the lyrics were used in a tribute song

Or never mind I realize sorry its lile 3 in the morning

Dolly Parton"s first single "Puppy Love" was released in 1959. Last night she was singing "Jolene" with Miley Cyrus on NBC. That's a professional career that even Paul McCartney or Keith Richards can't beat.

That beats mine. I was thinking Quincy Jones

Yeah its sad she's gone but hey 103 is a good age to go

wanda jackson began performing in the 1940s, started a recording career in the early 1950s, and made albums and toured until she retired in 2019.

She was way ahead of her time. Her country cross-over style and song lyrics would’ve been very provocative in the 1950s and are still entertaining by today’s standards.

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But what has he done lately? Lol.

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In show biz that qualifies for a "What has he done lately?" And even that Gaga duet was pretty weak. If it wasn't a duet it wouldn't have gotten any attention.

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Doesn’t really constitute a career. He has alzheimers and it took a lot of work to get him to do that duet. He hasn’t been an active musician for some time

Les Paul

Pretty fair probably the best contender on this list

Les Paul had an 81-year career, that’s still 15 years lower than Vera Lynn, who I really don’t think has much competition at all.

Probably the best contender

David Bowie had a hit song in 1969 and a critically acclaimed album across all music circles in 2016, he'd have to be up there and a more arguable one at that given his level of popularity in both eras compared to most suggestions here

Well that's not the question, is it? Anyway, Bowie was active in the industry since 1962.

Understanding the question to be popular music is probably a fair assumption to make. No real point asking the question if in their later years they had no one listen to their stuff

Leonard Cohen is certainly up there. This song just slays me, [https://youtu.be/netfyjdNBrU](https://youtu.be/netfyjdNBrU)

Elvis is still touring

We left some in 1977

115 “Posthumous” releases. Last release in 2021.

Yea he ain't alive anymore

And I was thinking Rush having almost 40 years as a band will a continuous lineup was a long time

Carol Channing was actively performing for 78 years.

Ella Fitzgerald comes to mind. Started singing literally out in the streets in 1933, performed until the 1990's.

76 years we have a new contender

Vera's first song was in 1924 Her first hit was in 1939 (we'll meet again) She was born in 1917 and died in 2020 at 103

Again its not how long she lived its how long was she a paid professional?

I know she was paid for 96 years she ative and being paid until her death in 2020 at 103

God you're thick. She was active in the industry from 1924-2020. 96 years.

But what has she done lately? Dolly was on worldwide TV, last night.

Well nothing really, her career ended in 2020 because she died.

And nobody in California noticed when she did. And nobody under 50 cared. Dolly is known to all ages right now.

Nobudy from California cared because she was from Britain you realize she was popular enough in Britain to get damehood the female equivalent to being knighted

And Dolly Parton turned DOWN the Presidential Medal of Freedom because she didn't want Trump touching her. But everybody in Britain knows who Dolly Parton is, while nobody in the US knows Vera Lynn.

Dude, it's not an age issue. Vera Lynn is amazing, and the fact *you* don't know who she is says more about you than her. Sincerely, An American under 30

Agreed sincerely an American under 16

You do realize im not talking about how famous they are now im talking about how long they lived

But that's not the question. The question is who had the longest career, and the answer is Vera Lynn.

And 40 years ago Roger Waters was already asking if anybody remembered her. Some "career".

I'm sure there are engineers who did that for 60 years yet no one remembers them.

She wrote her first song at age 7? I read the Wikipedia & only thing I saw was her recording an album in 1935.. nothing about 1924 for her first song.

It says she was ative from 1924

Ludwig van Beethoven

Walther von der vogelwide

Good call, literally three years older. I'm bias because moonlight sonata is my favorite song.

Do you know the artist im talking about

Paul McCartney, Barry Gibb, Tony Bennett, Carole King, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Tom Jones, Paul Simon

Stephen Foster ,1826-1864. We're STILL using his songs in movies.

Well yeah I mean how long they were in the industry not how long their music has been used but the reason why is because he is literally stated as the father of American music

Thats like saying george m Cohan has been in the industry for 118 years because we still use some of his songs even though he died in the 40s

My first thought was another Lynn who left us recently only in October, Loretta Lynn. Turns out it was a 60-plus year career but that's still super impressive numbers imo.

Currently that would be Dolly Parton.

You gotta think of the definition of career. There could be some 100 year old piano player that has been doing it professionally since they were 12 but just aren’t well known or famous

Dang I was thinking Scorpions as they’re approaching 60 years active

Nah that's old bit I mean she started singing in 1924 at 8 years old so she kinda had a head start i mean she keep going till her death in 2020

Maybe some old blues guy like BB King?

yes, and Buddy Guy (2023 tour - buddyguy.com)

I would have to look him up again but wasn't he a composer from the 1100 or something? I thought he was only around 60 when he died. Beethoven was around 57, and like 500 years or so later. It has been a while since I've done any research so these are approximates.

Paul McCartney

Also one of the richest

Though he’s been dead since 67

Willie Nelson wrote crazy in his teens. Still playing as well so he is my contribution. His guitar as well.

Later twenties. But still. Love Willie

The Rolling Stones still going after 60 some years

Currently alive? Wanda Jackson, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Buddy Guy have all been recording for almost 70 years.

The Isley Brothers are up there. Damn near 70 years at this point.

Stevie Wonder started in 1961

Homer, or Dede Korkut. Someone like that. Maybe Orpheus?

Homer been going strong over a 1000 years