Ryan lucked out.

He went to the University of New Orleans to study jazz music. He joined a band that recorded additional albums.

UNO closed in his senior year due to a flood. . His room was on the second floor of the dorm; so he didn't actually lose anything.

He came back to Utah all bummed out about school and the fact that the band broke up.

When I met him after the flood he was talking about jumping a freighter and touring the world for a few years and maybe going back to school when UNO re-opened.

My response was: "Are you nuts! Every school in the nation was interested in taking in students from UNO. The mere fact that you were at UNO during the flood meant instant admission and free tuition at the school of your choice."

Sure enough, he went to the local University. He got instant admission and free tuition. He got in every class he wanted (even those with waiting lists). Professors competed to get him in their class. The fact that he missed the first weeks of the quarter didn't matter. The professors fawned over their displaced jazz musician from New Orleans. It was amazing.

It is strange. The people who lived in New Orleans were devastated by the disaster. People with a loose connection to the university benefited.

As you said, it takes drive to start a successful music career. We all have a few floods that we have to overcome. The luck was only part of it.

I've known so many hardworking artists with failed careers, that I am delighted to know at least one who succeeded.