Before we get to the first ever Thriving Musician guest blog post, you need to understand who Cody Garrett is...

When I started Thriving Musician I couldn't imagine there could be another musician out in the world as interested in personal finance, financial literacy, etc. as myself. It turns out there is and he is only 240 miles away in Houston on practically the exact same path as me. After hearing about my financial endeavors a musical colleague who moved to Houston recommended I talk...

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Dr. Brian N. Perez is a saxophone and woodwind performer, educator, and composer.  Dr. Perez is Director of Jazz Studies and woodwinds at Texas Southern University where his duties include directing the jazz ensembles, teaching jazz curriculum courses, teaching the woodwind studio and coordinating the jazz area. Under Perez’s direction the TSU Jazz Ensembles have performed for the Jazz Education Network National...

Listen on: iTunes - Spotify - Stitcher - Soundcloud

Listen on: iTunes - Spotify - Stitcher - Soundcloud

Melissa Robinette was born into the circus and spent her early days traveling on the road. Immeidately after high school she left her small town in Northern San Diego with her first union card and sailed around the world performing on cruise ships. In 2002 MelRob came to New York city, booked her first audition and never looked back!

Currently Melissa lives on an organic farm in Astoria, Queens, New York with her husband, 2 recue...

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Toshi Clinch is a renowned Australian arranger, performer and educator currently located in Melbourne, Australia. His works have been performed globally in Europe, America, Asia and Australia by artists such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Big Band, Dick Oatts, Danilo Perez, James Morrison, various X Factor and Australian Idol finalists, West End vocalists, and many other ensembles. In 2016 Clinch graduated with a degree...

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Sean Hurwitz is a multi-talented musician, producer and song writer. Originally from Israel where he started as a session guitarist and sound engineer, he worked with all the top artists. This inspired him to reach for even greater heights in the international music scene.

Sean is passionate, energetic and generous of spirit as a guitarist, bassist, producer and writer. He is ever the consummate professional whose trademark...

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Cody Garrett developed a curiosity and love for music when he began piano lessons at the age of six, and from then on strived to become educated in music history, theory, composition/arranging, improvisation, production, and business. Cody continued his academic education at the University of Houston Moores School of Music, where he studied music theory, composition, and piano performance. Desiring a greater understanding of...

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Freelance Financial Planning founder Ben Henry-Moreland trained as an opera singer and performed professionally around the Midwest, New England, and Europe. He has worked in the financial services industry since 2012, serving with two Boston-based investment advisory firms before launching Freelance Financial Planning in 2017.

Ben earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and his certificate in financial planning from...

"I dedicated my life to my music...and I never got it to where I wanted it to be."

-Sonny Rollins

The idea of a retired musician might sound quite absurd, because who has actually witnessed one? Sonny Rollins is an example of forced retirement because of health issues, but there are plenty of musicians who physically lose the ability to play as they age. I, for one, don't want to retire from music, but life happens and planning for the future is important.

Retirement doesn't...