“I am xx years old, is it too late to learn music?”

If this question sounds familiar, it should not be a surprise. There are millions of similar questions and answers on the internet about this exact topic. For the record, the answer is: No, it is never too late.

But don’t hear it from me.

Singer and songwriter Rob Roth spent most of his life playing different sports. He never imagined a path in music until he was already a working professional with a full-time job in finance. So how did he find his passion for music?

During high school, Rob attended a UCLA summer program that taught him the basics of how to play the guitar. He enjoyed teaching himself music and learning new chords, but Rob ultimately set the guitar aside so he could focus on golf and basketball.

Throughout many years of playing sports, Rob had torn his meniscus in his knee, a ligament in his wrist, and both his ACLs, which required surgery. After his last surgery, Rob recognized he was in a bad place, both mentally and physically. “It was a really difficult period to stay present and really focus on myself because with whatever I was doing, there was always some kind of pain that was going on elsewhere.”

While Rob was looking for ways to heal, he found a place for music in his life again. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Rob calls it his “blessing in disguise” because he was given time to practice, take vocal lessons, and for the first time, dedicate time to music. It was during this period that Rob started writing his own lyrics and melodies, including those for his first single, “You’re Long Gone.”

“A lot of us had the idea of what we wanted to do in life…and then all of a sudden, March 2020 hit, and everybody forgot about that,” Rob says, referring to the COVID-19 outbreak that year. “For a long time we felt like we were stuck. A lot of [my] songs are about getting back in touch with [our dreams].”

I ask Rob if he has any advice for those who may be considering a similar transition from another career. Rob recommends not only trusting in yourself to create something great but also disciplining yourself to accomplish your goals. Sharing an advice from his vocal coach about musical trainings, Rob says: “Some people can go to these lessons and work with the best of the best, but it’s not a matter of what you do in those lessons. It’s a matter of putting it into practice and actually staying consistent with it.”

So the next time you come across the “Is it too late?” question, respond by asking them the real question: “Are you ready to commit?”

It looks like Rob has already found his answer.

Interview conducted and written by Louise Lau. Connect with her on social media @offstagetunes

The interview was from episode #6 of the Offstage Tunes Live – The Brunch Series.

Visit Rob Roth on Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram