Assessment
The Power of a Second Act
After decades spent climbing the corporate ladder, musician Joe Caruso is letting his own dreams take center stage
Courtesy of Abby Greenawalt
Joe Caruso, 60, still has one of his notebooks from high school. For decades, he used it as a music journal, scribbling down melodies and song titles. Inside are 75 original song ideas. Caruso always kept the notebook close by, but its contents stayed hidden away for nearly 50 years.
That all changed in 2025, when he released his debut album, “Tales From Two Cities,” which combines elements of classic rock and singer-songwriter pop. For Caruso, the second half of life proved to be the perfect time to pursue an unrealized dream. And he’s probably reaping brain health benefits while going for it.
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An accomplished guitarist, Caruso played in bands before he was old enough to drive. He dreamed of being a professional musician but ultimately set those ambitions aside to pursue a successful business career and raise a family. Music became a fun diversion: Caruso played in cover bands at bars or noodled around on his guitar at home when he could.
Then COVID hit, and Caruso’s company downsized. Suddenly, he didn’t have a two-hour commute and 10-hour workday to contend with. So he spent quality time with his wife and son. He hit the gym every day for a workout. And he turned again to music — this time, his own. He set up a home studio and downloaded professional-grade recording software, despite never having used it.
“I just committed to learning it,” he says. It was a challenge, but after several months of experimenting, “I was able to record 30 demos by myself, playing all the different instruments.”
“This is a great stage of life to be pushing yourself.”
This was a big shift in how he filled his days, and Caruso noticed that he was less stressed and sleeping better. In the past, he says he’d “wake up regularly worrying about things.” He began to question whether he should pursue another full-time corporate role.
“I was like, is this really what I want to do? Work for someone else and make them successful? And be the one who can be cut at any time?” he recalls. “And I said no. I want to control my own destiny.” So he took the leap and transitioned to part-time consulting work to devote afternoons to music.
Always learning
Recording and promoting an album required Caruso to learn — or relearn — many skills. He’s now sending songs to online playlist curators and building a presence on social media.
“My son makes fun of me because I basically friended all his friends on TikTok and Instagram so I could get some followers,” he laughs. Caruso even hired a singing coach to improve his vocal technique, which he says felt like “a rewiring of my brain.”
“I had to relearn everything, and it took a while,” he says. “It’s really hard to get over bad habits.” He’ll put that training to the test when he plays his album in front of live audiences this year.
In spite of the challenges, Caruso knows he’s found his sense of purpose. When he was toiling away in the business world, he says, “I overanalyzed things and was overly concerned with what people thought about me.” But with music, it’s different.
“I can't pursue this career path and not put myself out there, because that’s the definition of what I’m doing,” he says. “It’s great for personal development, because it forces me to do things that my younger self never would have done.”
He’s embracing the challenge.
“To stop taking risks is the fastest path to old age that I can think of,” he says. “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. He says he’s a better singer, guitar player and songwriter than ever. “This is a great stage of life to be pushing yourself.”
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