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.

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.

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 perform at the 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards

Little Big Town and Rep. Steny Hoyer (center)

Photo: Paul Morigi/WireImage.com

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Little Big Town, Lawmakers Champion Music Modernization Act: 2018 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards

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The Recording Academy gala featured some epic performances while celebrating "America's greatest export" and the historic bill that stands to revolutionize the music industry
Marcus K. Dowling
Advocacy
Apr 19, 2018 - 2:06 pm

Buoyed by hope for an industry entirely in step with the modern age, the 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards gala convened a who's who of Capitol Hill heavyweights and music creators joining forces in a celebration of the power of advocacy, creativity and music.

Why GRAMMYs On The Hill Makes A Difference

Taking place at Washington, D.C.'s The Hamilton, the Recording Academy honored GRAMMY winners Little Big Town in recognition of their advocacy efforts on behalf of their fellow music creators. Additionally, this year's congressional honorees — 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 — were recognized for their longtime support of the creative community.

"The time is now," remarked Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow to a room that featured the likes of event host and GRAMMY-winning producer Peter Asher, Recording Academy Chief Industry, Government and Member Relations Officer Daryl P. Friedman, and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Also, impressive was the roster of GRAMMY winners and nominees in attendance, including Erika Ender, co-writer of "Despacito"; Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher from GRAMMY winners Mastodon; "Stay" singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb; Ben Tanner of blues-rock band Alabama Shakes, former "American Idol" contestant and Christian artist Danny Gokey; and producers Patrick "9th Wonder" Denard Douthit and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.

The "time" was a reference to the Music Modernization Act, a comprehensive package combining three previous bills that was unanimously passed by the United States House Judiciary Committee and is now awaiting consideration by the full House of Representatives.

Regarding the MMA, Pelosi noted, "It was through [the Recording Academy's] tireless advocacy that this has happened, and we look forward to the bill's speedy passage into legislation."

Speaking to the need to update outdated music policy and protect the future livelihood of the industry's numerous creatives, Collins said, "The creative spark inside of us is as important as anything that is made with hands, and is worth protecting, in this case, by updating. 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. [That creative output] is America's greatest export."

Nancy Pelosi and Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet at the 2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards
2018 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards Photos

"Congratulations on 20 years of working to advocate for the rights of music creators," said Chu, who also shared a sobering story with attendees. "I especially appreciate what you do because I get the opportunities to meet artists like Kevin Kadish, who told me the story of writing 'All About That Bass' with Meghan Trainor. Then he told me that, despite it being a megahit and being played over 37 million times online, he only received $964."

Notes like those underpinned an evening that closed with Little Big Town being surprised by songwriting trio behind their hit "Girl Crush." Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose — collectively known as the Love Junkies — performed a spirited acoustic take on the song that netted them the 2015 GRAMMY for Best Country Song and the Homewood, Ala.-based quartet Best Country Duo/Group Performance honors.

Ender's plaintive take on "Despacito" and GRAMMY winner Jerry Douglas' stirring dobro-aided rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" provided for additional music highlights.

Upon taking the stage to both receive their honor and play a live mini set, Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman related the story of how McKenna was a Boston-based mother of five and independent songwriter who spent many years honing her craft before becoming an award-winning writer. "[It's] hardworking people like these who make the songs that define our lives and need greater support," said Schlapman, offering a compelling exclamation point on the proceedings.

"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

Speaking of Little Big Town's set, the highlight was a true "only at the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards moment": a rousing run-through of "Boondocks" during which the group was joined onstage by a group of lawmakers. Pelosi, Chairmen Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Chu — who played mean maracas — were among the group who danced and sang along.

Fun aside, the awards gala served as a true reminder of how music and politics can blend to ensure and preserve a sustainable future for music creators.

"No industry survives generations of not changing," said Gokey. "America is an industry innovator, and ideas like the Music Modernization Act ensure that this will remain the case.” 

Pitch In! Tell The House To Pass The Music Modernization Act Today

(Marcus K. Dowling is a world-published journalist, broadcaster, and entrepreneur with 15 years of experience. Also, he was the concept development lead for Decades, a retro-themed 12,000-square-foot nightclub in downtown Washington, D.C.)

Conversations In Advocacy 7

PHOTO: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

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Producer Mike Clink Delivers Testimony On Crucial Music Issues

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The platinum-selling producer conveyed the dire need for the modernization of copyright policy to protect and reward studio professionals behind the scenes
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Feb 2, 2018 - 3:20 pm

"Did you watch the House Judiciary Committee hearing on music issues last week? It was so great that they had witnesses representing all music creators. It wasn't just the big names you see on stage, but people that work behind the scenes like producer Mike Clink." — Conversations in Advocacy #7

Indeed, on Jan. 26 in New York City at the full House Judiciary Committee field hearing titled "Music Policy Issues: A Perspective From Those Who Make It," Mike Clink weighed in on behalf of those who work behind the scenes in the music industry.

Clink has spent the nearly four decades producing, recording and mixing some of the world's biggest artists, including the likes of Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, and Heart. His unique perspective on the issues facing music creators started with articulating the critical role a producer plays in the creative process.

"Unlike recording artists, the role of the producer is less understood by the public — a sentiment reflected in copyright law, or lack thereof," said Clink. "Producers and other studio professionals, like sound engineers and mixers, work behind the scenes, but they are an integral part of the creative process for any sound recording. Their names might not be as well-known as the stars onstage, but it is safe to say there would be no stars without a producer behind them."

Producer Mike Clink at work in the recording studio

Producer Mike Clink at work in the recording studio
Photo: Matt Hayward/Getty Images

Clink pointed out that producers bring sound recordings to life across all genres, and that while a select few such studio professionals have become well-known names, such as George Martin, Quincy Jones and Pharrell Williams, the vast majority do not receive fame or fortune despite being so integral to the process.

"Despite their indispensable role in the creation of sound recordings, music producers have never been mentioned in federal copyright law," said Clink. "In fact, they are the only individuals directly involved in the creation of music to lack copyright protections. The omission of copyright protections diminishes their role as music makers and hinders their ability to directly collect royalties."

In a display of unity among the various key players in the music industry, Clink testified alongside a diverse lineup of music creators, including singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc, country songwriter Tom Douglas, three-time GRAMMY winner Booker T. Jones, Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, and five-time GRAMMY winner Dionne Warwick.

Mike Clink and Dionne Warwick testify at the House Judiciary Committee Field Hearing

Clink and Dionne Warwick testify at the House Judiciary Committee Field Hearing on Jan. 26, 2018, in New York City
Photo: Sean Zanni/Getty Images

However, Clink's unique perspective as a record producer made him the most suitable to address issues such as the implications of the omission of producers in the Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act, the promising yet inefficient system of collecting digital royalties through SoundExchange, and the dire need for the Allocations For Music Producers Act.

"The AMP Act was reintroduced at the start of the 115th Congress, and would extend rights to producers, codifying into law their right to collect the royalties they are due. The bill now has the bipartisan support of 50 House members," said Clink, adding that the AMP Act is supported by major music organizations, including the Recording Academy.

But the AMP Act, while crucial, is one component of the effort to modernize copyright law. Clink closed his testimony with a compelling argument for a comprehensive approach to reform.

"Fair Play Fair Pay … would immediately benefit thousands of American performers, musicians, recording artists and studio professionals … while also ushering in much needed reforms that close outdated loopholes and level unlevel playing fields," said Clink. "Likewise, the CLASSICS Act… would address sound recordings released before 1972 and help clarify that they too would have federal copyright protections. Similarly, the Music Modernization Act… would address antiquated laws affecting songwriters."

Together, these bills have been endorsed by more than 20 music organizations, and offer Congress the "opportunity to solve multiple decades-long problems and inherent inequities in the law by ushering in solutions that are more reflective of the digital era," according to Clink, not only to "ensure a better present for today’s music makers, but to safeguard that the music makers of tomorrow can still enter this industry with the confidence and comfort to know that their work will be valued and protected."

Guns N' Roses' Slash Lobbies Congress For Fair Pay For Musicians

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

Conversations In Advocacy #5

Photo: iStock/Getty Images

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Rep. Darrell Issa's Retirement Brings New Urgency To CLASSICS Act

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As a champion of artists in Congress moves on, the fight for the critical bill he introduced to modernize copyright continues
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Jan 12, 2018 - 1:32 pm

"Retiring Congressman Issa is spot-on when it comes to legacy artists. It 'makes little sense' that pre-1972 sound recordings aren't protected under federal copyright protections, and it's about time Congress acts to fix this nonsensical loophole." — Conversations in Advocacy #5 

Music creators and fans alike are continually incredulous to learn that recordings created prior to 1972 are not given the same copyright protection as modern recordings due to inconsistent and unworkable state laws. Last year, the CLASSICS Act was introduced, representing a bill that would fix the problem and close this decades-old loophole.

Now, as one of Congress' leading advocates for artists' rights, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), has announced his retirement, the music community is reminded of the critical need to pass the CLASSICS Act and level the playing field for copyright holders.

Issa championed the cause of bringing pre-1972 copyrights out of the dark ages, an effort he articulated in an op-ed for Variety last summer. Issa has also been a proponent of granting artists and producers a terrestrial radio performance right, earning him a well-deserved honor at the 2010 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards.

Rep. Darrell Issa and Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow

Rep. Darrell Issa and Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow
Photo: Paul Morigi/WireImage.com

"Rep. Issa has been a great champion of fair compensation for artists," said Daryl Freidman, Chief Industry, Government & Member Relations Officer for the Recording Academy. "We will miss his friendship, leadership and humor. But before he retires, we look forward to finishing together the work we started to support music and to ensure that the current and next generation of creators are respected and compensated fairly for their work."

In July 2017, Issa introduced the CLASSICS Act — which stands for Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service and Important Contributions to Society — to Congress on a bipartisan basis to empower artists to collect royalties for the past three years directly through SoundExchange and finally treat their pre-1972 recordings like their newer peers.  He has also been a consistent cosponsor of the Fair Play Fair Pay Act that will grant a radio performance right for artists and producers.

Adding additional context to the severity of the issue, Four Tops founding member Duke Fakir derided the copyright loophole with a real-world take on the dire necessity of the CLASSICS Act.

"This digital rip-off has been a disaster for many older artists, diverting the fruits of their labors — funds that should be their lifeline — to the balance sheets of some of the wealthiest companies in the world," said Fakir, who with the Four Tops earned a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. "Digital radio earns millions every year from the exploitation of pre-'72 music, from big band to Motown to the British Invasion. Yet artists who recorded those classics — many of whom are no longer able to tour — struggle for basic food, shelter and medical care.

"It's ridiculous, it's unfair, and it's about time we make it illegal."

Fakir's plea, and the action proposed with the CLASSICS Act, is that digital radio treat all music the same, regardless of when it was recorded, ensuring that the same royalties are paid for vintage songs as for new material. 

Issa's retirement announcement reminds us how meaningful and impactful his work has been on behalf of the music community and how crucial it is to see his efforts through by supporting the CLASSICS Act. 

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

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