S’PORE GRANNY SHOWS IT’S NEVER TOO OLD TO ROCK ‘N ROLL

SINGAPORE: An 81-year-old guitar-slinging Singaporean granny has shredded stereotypes to pursue her love of rock music, becoming a sought-after performer and unlikely internet sensation.

Mary Ho’s late-flourishing career will reach its zenith today when she performs in front of a huge crowd at Singapore’s National Day Parade, marking 52 years of the city-state’s independence.

Grandmother-of-seven Ho only started playing the guitar at 60, fulfilling a lifelong dream to learn the instrument.

She initially taught herself from a book with an acoustic, and was content strumming along and singing.

But when a friend introduced her to rock star Carlos Santana’s classic track Samba Pa Ti about a decade ago, she decided to seek professional tutoring to shift things up a few gears.

“It was too difficult to learn on my own, so I found a teacher.

“But the teacher looked at me and said ‘Oh I’ve never taught anyone your age before’.”

Despite not knowing how to read music, Ho was determined to learn her favourite song and practised up to three hours a day to get the hang of it.

Since then, she’s amassed a collection of more than 20 guitars, recorded her own album of Latin music and is often in decharity mand for gigs.

A video of Ho playing r classic has more than 1 m views on YouTub

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Ho is a poster c to remain acti elderly, and h tured in cam encouragin nior citizens stay active.

She admi to feeling a l tle anxiou ahead of towhich day’s performance before a crowd of 27,000 at the parade, feat tary tattoo before a festive show featuring local stars.

“Being my first time for such a large performance, I naturally feel very nervous.”

Asked if she was exhausted from her activities, Ho simply laughed.

“Maybe it’s just my nature. It’s the love of doing things, learning things... I don’t ever get tired.”