GRAMMYs On The Hill 2016

(l-r) The Academy's Daryl Friedman and Neil Portnow, Rep. Judy Chu, and Anna Nalick at GRAMMYs on the Hill 2016, Photo: Cheriss May/Nurphoto/Getty Images

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Music, Politics To Unite At 2018 GRAMMYs On The Hill

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Celebrating its 20th year of Advocacy, the Recording Academy will once again bring music and politics together on Capitol Hill on behalf of creators' rights
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Mar 28, 2018 - 3:14 pm

Each spring, the Recording Academy's groundswell of advocacy efforts on behalf of music creators and copyright holders culminates in its flagship event, GRAMMYs on the Hill. With a lineup of crucial legislation on the table aimed to modernize copyright law, an incredible cast of honorees from music and politics, and the creative and political communities united like never before, this year's celebration of 20 years of Advocacy in Washington, D.C., promises to be pivotal.

Jan 27, 2018 – 2:27 pm

Little Big Town: Meet The Nominees | 60th GRAMMYs

The private event kicks off in the nation's capital at the Hamilton Live on April 18 with the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards. This year, the ceremony will honor three-time GRAMMY-winning group Little Big Town for their support and advocacy for key causes aligned with closely the Recording Academy, including advocating for music education and supporting MusiCares.

GRAMMYs on the Hill will also recognize two outstanding legislators who have made significant efforts to improve the environment for music creators' rights: Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.). Chu has long been an fervent supporter of creators' rights, and serves as a co-chair of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus with Collins, who authored the songwriter-focused Music Modernization Act.

GRAMMYs On The Hill 2014

(l-r) Gary Burr, Rep. Doug Collins (R.-Ga.), Victoia Shaw Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

"We're honored to stand alongside the Academy and Reps. Chu and Collins in speaking out and protecting an industry that has done so much for us," said Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet.

"Music is healing and powerful, and music education gives our children an outlet for expression that is absolutely necessary for their overall growth and well-being," continued Sweet's bandmate, Karen Fairchild. "We will continue to do our part to protect music education, songwriters, recordings, and the artists who bring them to life."

The event will celebrate the contributions of each of these honorees and feature a special performance by Little Big Town, along with another special musical surprise.

The following day, April 19, music creators will take to Capitol Hill to participate in GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, where they will meet face to face with members of Congress to discuss how current music legislation affects their livelihoods on a daily basis. These personal meetings will provide some of the music industry's finest with the chance to convey the real-world importance of copyright reform and dire need for comprehensive music legislation that benefits all creators, including performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers. Some of these key pieces of legislation include the aforementioned Music Modernization Act, as well as the AMP Act, the CLASSICs Act and Fair Play Fair Pay Act.

For music creators who depend on their work to earn a living, GRAMMYs on the Hill offers the opportunity for their voices to be heard as songwriters and artists speak directly with the members of Congress who wield the power to enact much-needed copyright reform and preserve the National Endowment of the Arts in a social, entertaining environment, bringing attention to the joy of music and the necessity of supporting those who create it.

Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook Messenger

Little Big Town

Little Big Town

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GRAMMYs On The Hill 2018 To Honor Little Big Town, Reps. Chu & Collins

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The Recording Academy will celebrate 20 years of advocacy on Capitol Hill by honoring some of its biggest champions in music and politics
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Mar 28, 2018 - 11:44 am

The Recording Academy will celebrate 20 years of advocacy at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., on April 18 by honoring Little Big Town at the 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards. The GRAMMY-winning group, who will perform as part of a lineup of unique live performances and musical surprises, joins a distinguished group of past honorees, including Alicia Keys, John Mayer and last year's honoree, Keith Urban.

May 15, 2017 – 1:50 am

Urban, arts supporters honored on Capitol Hill

Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook — have made several contributions to the music industry that align with some of the Academy's key advocacy and organizational causes, including advocating for music education and supporting MusiCares, which provides a safety net of support for the music community.

Uniting the worlds of music and politics, GRAMMYs on the Hill also recognizes legislators who have improved the environment for music by advocating for music creators' rights. The 2018 congressional honorees include Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus, and Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), author of the Music Modernization Act and vice chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet.

“Little Big Town's advocacy efforts, coupled with the legislative momentum on Capitol Hill to protect creators, further the Academy's vision of a brighter future for music — something the Recording Academy has been championing since its inception, and made an even greater commitment to when it established its D.C. offices in 1998," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "We also are privileged to recognize the significant contributions of Reps. Chu and Collins, who have long supported the creative community's right to be fairly compensated and to have meaningful copyright protections, advocating for the current comprehensive legislation, and supporting our continuing campaign for a terrestrial performance right."

"We’re honored to stand alongside the Academy and Reps. Chu and Collins in speaking out and protecting an industry that has done so much for us," said Sweet.

"Music is healing and powerful, and music education gives our children an outlet for expression that is absolutely necessary for their overall growth and well-being," continued Fairchild. "We will continue to do our part to protect music education, songwriters, recordings, and the artists who bring them to life."

Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook Messenger

Little Big Town

Little Big Town

Photo: Paul Morigi/WireImage

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Quincy Jones, Linda Perry & More: 61st GRAMMY Nominees Who Put Music Advocacy In Action

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Take a look at the many policy advocates whose music received nominations this year
Philip Merrill
Advocacy
Feb 6, 2019 - 1:47 pm
Members of the music community appreciate the impact policy has on their livelihoods, and these 61st GRAMMY Awards nominees made a difference with their activism.

Activism on behalf of music creators is the mission of the Recording Academy's ongoing Advocacy efforts, enlisting the support of our membership who best understand and appreciate how policy affects their livelihoods. Here are 20 artists, producers and professionals who have joined the cause and are also recognized this Sunday with nominations at the 61st GRAMMY Awards.

Apr 19, 2018 – 3:56 pm

Why GRAMMYs On The Hill Makes A Difference

The 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards honored country quartet Little Big Town. Previous winners of three GRAMMYs, this year their song "When Someone Stops Loving You" is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna of the Love Junkies performed at the event and were two of the song's co-writers, earning them a nomination this year for Best Country Song. Also at GRAMMYs on the Hill 2018 were Fantastic Negrito, whose Please Don't Be Dead is up for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and classical producer David Frost, who is nominated for Producer Of The Year, Classical and Best Opera Recording for his work on Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier.

The 2017 GRAMMYs on the Hill honoree was Keith Urban and this year his song "Parallel Line" is up for Best Country Solo Performance. Lauren Daigle also participated, and her Look Up Child is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album and its song "You Say" is up for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

The 2007 GRAMMYs on the Hill honoree Quincy Jones is nominated this year under Best Music Film for Quincy, a documentary recounting his legendary life in music. The winner of last year's Best Comedy Album award, Dave Chappelle is nominated in the same category again this year for Equanimity & The Bird Revelation — Chappelle participated in the very first GRAMMYs on the Hill event.

Year round the Academy's National Advocacy Committee helps to guide and lead our policy activism and this year, two of its members received nominations. Co-chair Harvey Mason Jr. is up for Best Musical Theater Album for his production and mixing on Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert. Committee member Lalah Hathaway has three R&B nominations including Best R&B Album for Honestly.

District Advocate Day is an exceptional opportunity for our members to make their voices heard and in 2018, more than 1,500 raised their voices together, meeting with lawmakers and candidates. Hawaiian artist Kalani Pe'a has been a stalwart advocate and his No 'Ane'i is up for Best Regional Roots Music Album this year. Another leader in music activism who participated is Memphis Chapter Board Member Sean Ardoin, whose Kreole Rock And Soul is up for Best Regional Roots Music Album as well. The album's lead track "Kick Rocks" is also up for Best American Roots Performance. Dom Flemons was active at District Advocate Day last year and his Black Cowboys is nominated this year for Best Folk Album.

Nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, Linda Perry gets special kudos for encouraging voter turn-out with her #GetUpandVote campaign.

Sara Bareilles played a special role in last year's GRAMMY Week briefing of Congressional Lawmakers. She's nominated alongside Mason Jr. for Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert. The 2017 briefing enjoyed the participation of Kelsea Ballerini, nominated this year for Unapologetically under Best Country Album.

Sting and Shaggy are nominated together under Best Reggae Album for their collaboration 44/876. They participated in a GRAMMY Museum Up Close & Personal event on Oct. 7, 2018 where they spoke extensively on the theme of music advocacy.

PJ Morton is heading into the 61st GRAMMY Awards with four nominations, including Best R&B Album for Gumbo Unplugged (Live). His advocacy was instrumental on May 16, 2017, during the Louisiana Music Industry Day.

We thank all of our members and nominees for sharing their talents and using their voices to advocate for music creators at both a national and state level. Their activism helps to positively shape the futures and livelihoods for music creators today and for generations to come. As our Advocacy efforts continue and we celebrate this year's recognition at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, we are a team making a difference and looking forward to continuing our work in 2019.

Hosted by Alicia Keys — herself a 2015 GRAMMYs on the Hill honoree — the  61st Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Conversations In Advocacy #43

An Academy member meets with Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.) in his district office.
Photo: Moses R.

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Welcoming Music Champions Returning To Congress In 2019

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It's no coincidence that music's bipartisan friends in Congress are all returning for another session of service
Philip Merrill
Advocacy
Nov 9, 2018 - 2:51 pm

"If we ever get to the point in our society where we take away the creative spark, we have failed the soul and heartbeat of music, of books, of our creative output as Americans."— Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Conversations In Advocacy #43

The 115th Congress is still in session for a few more weeks but with the midterm elections behind us, we look forward to the start of the 116th Congress in January. While the make-up of the next Congress will be decidedly different looking, it will bring back many familiar faces who supported music and its makers this past Congress, and proved instrumental in last month’s historic signing of the Music Modernization Act.

Notably, every member of the Recording Arts and Sciences Congressional Caucus who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot won re-election to the House of Representatives and will have the opportunity to continue to support music creators in Washington. In addition, many music champions will move into elevated roles come January. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), author of this week's quote while being honored at the 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill earlier this year, is in line to become Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, where past GRAMMYs on the Hill honoree Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) is expected to assume the duties of chairman as the Democrats gained the majority.

While the Judiciary Committee is expected to take on a number of high profile agenda items, Nadler and Collins have proven time and time that they will prioritize copyright and creators’ rights. Their work side by side this year on the MMA bodes well for the Committee’s ability to continue working in a bipartisan fashion to protect our society's "creative spark" when the next Congressional session begins.

And even with the enactment of the Music Modernization Act, work will continue within the Judiciary Committee to advance creators’ rights. On Oct. 24, at our 2018 District Advocate Day, the Recording Academy’s members pushed forward a legislative agenda inclusive of a number of issues that could cross the committee’s purview. More than 1,500 Recording Academy members met with both lawmakers and candidates to discuss Judiciary issues like terrestrial radio royalty payments, copyright office modernization and the establishment of a copyright small claims system.

Beyond the Judiciary Committee, other prominent music champions will also be in position to affect change for music makers.  Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), co-chairs of the Recording Arts and Sciences Congressional Caucus, have both declared their intentions to run for their respective party's leader races. Other allies like Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are in consideration for Speaker of the House, Majority Whip and Democratic Caucus Chair, respectively. While it's too soon to be sure who will occupy leadership roles in the 116th Congress, once again music stands out as an area where leaders can work together as colleagues on issues of shared concern.

And that’s important because the fight will continue to protect funding for the National Endowment of the Arts and music education programs in the federal budget, and negotiations on trade deals will merit increased attention. All of these issues were discussed last month during District Advocate Day, and will be at the forefront of the Recording Academy’s agenda entering into the 116th Congress.

Congratulations are in order for lawmakers returning and new as the 116th Congress continues to take shape.

Celebrating District Advocate Day Engagement & Looking Ahead

"Conversations in Advocacy" is your weekend digital tip sheet on music advocacy and the policies that affect music makers and their craft. New installments post every Friday.

Photo: Chris Pietsch/Getty Images

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Music Education Funding Scores A Key Victory With Passage Of New Package

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What the passage of the Labor-HHS-Education spending package means for the state of music in schools over the coming year
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Oct 3, 2018 - 4:45 pm

Good news from Washington for music education and beyond: the president has signed the Labor-HHS-Education and Defense spending package for fiscal year 2019. This piece of legislation maintains funding for key music education programs and prevents a government shutdown.

The important role music education plays in our culture has been top-of-mind recently across the music community. Everyone from GRAMMY-nominated artists such as Ledisi, who defended the necessity of music education in a recent op-ed for The Sacramento Bee, to on-the-ground music educators like music teacher Melissa Salguero, who says her music education "sparked a passion for helping other people." Segura was named 2018 Music Educator Award GRAMMY Museum and the Recording Academy.

The latest bill will ensure inspired students, like the young Ledisi, and devoted music educators, like Salguero, continue to have funding for the programs that change their – and so many others' – lives.

The Senate packaged the education and defense spending bills together in order to streamline the process and meet the Oct. 1 fiscal deadline. The package was passed by the Senate last month by a landslide vote of 93-7, and then by the House Of Representatives by a 361-61 tally before landing on President Trump's desk with a lot riding on it's success.

In addition to the support it promises for music education, the new package also extends temporary funding of the National Endowment For The Arts. While the $29 Million dollars allocated to Arts In Education remains equal to the prior year amount, the U.S. Department of Education will receive a $581 Million increase in 2019.

The package also scores a bump in funding for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant, which marks providing students access to a well-rounded education – including music and the arts – as its primary area of support.

With so many hot-button issues facing lawmakers, it is important we stay active in communicated our perspectives as well as celebrate their successes, such as the passage of Labor-HHS-Education or the Music Modernization Act. Together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of music people of every age.

Thank Your Lawmakers For Supporting the Music Modernization Act