Dr. Hector Qirko's life dismantles a persistent myth in music: that if you don't make all your income from music, you're not a real musician. The same could be said for most any creative pursuit.

Qirko does not consider himself a musical hobbyist or an amateur. A professional musician since his arrival in the United States decades ago, he has earned the respect of many in the roots, blues, and Americana world. From touring with Lonnie Brooks in the 1970s, to recording with RB Morris, to forming the Hector Qirko Band, and most recently to his Darwin Diego projects, Qirko has maintained a thriving musical career. He also worked with Lionel on the early TNN television series I-40 Paradise and Pickin' At The Paradise, where they recorded over 1,500 songs live.

Not only has Dr. Qirko's role as anthropology professor at the College of Charleston not diluted his musical creativity, it's actually enriched it. In this countercultural episode, it becomes clear that whatever being a professional musician entails, it does not hang on deriving an income from it. Fame and money may be the most common metrics associated with measuring creative success, but they are only two of many.