I actually got into music full time many years ago because I couldn't find a job in my main line of work, driving a Wells Fargo stage coach.
Seriously, I used to have some pretty good "real jobs", but not for a long time. I was once Advertising and Public Relations Manager for Murphy Oil Corporation. After that I owned a newspaper and an insurance agency. I later owned my own night club for a number of years. Of course I did the music there six nights a week. One of my first jobs was writing speeches and doing photography for Oral Roberts in Tulsa. True story!
When he found out I was a musician he agreed to pay me to do a record. It was a huge flop because the hole in the center of the record kept healing over. Not a true story.
I only worked for OR about six months, but had some really eye-opening experiences. But that's a whole 'nuther story.