It's great to hear that so many of the well-known folks got out, but in the overall New Orleans music scene they're just the tip of the iceberg. For every Tommy Malone or Doctor John there are hundreds of other people, of all ages and playing all styles of music, who made their livings playing at clubs in and near New orleans.

One of the reasons New Orleans has been such a magnet for musicians is that the wealth of local venues has made it a place where a person could earn a living without having to spend so much time on the road. Those are the folks who've been hurt by Katrina, even if they made it out of town with all their instruments intact. Beausoleil and The Subdudes won't have any problem getting gigs, but it's gonna be tough for the members of that four-piece combo that was the house band at that little club on Magazine Street.