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

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
 

Conversations In Advocacy #36

Photo: Mark Reinstein/Getty IMages

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Music Modernization Act Takes Huge Step Forward: What's Next?

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As the MMA passes the Senate, we look at the champions behind the historic bill, its promise for a better system and the work left to be done
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Sep 21, 2018 - 12:41 pm

"As the music community rejoices around the Senate passing of the MMA, the collective efforts of the bill's many devoted champions are making all the difference – but there is still some work to be done…” –Conversations In Advocacy #36

The Music Modernization Act's latest victory of being passed by the U.S. Senate was hard won. Music creators, industry professionals, music tech, and politicians from both sides of the party line have united in support of the bill. Some of the MMA's more high profile supporters include the likes of Adam Levine, Maren Morris, Booker T. Jones, and Little Big Town, but the music community at large at large can celebrate leaping over this major hurdle on the path toward comprehensive music licensing reform.

Now formally titled The Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization Act, the bill promises to have significant impact on the livelihood of the music creators by ensuring fairer and more accurate royalty rates for songwriters, copyright protection for producers and engineers, and proper compensation for artists.

The Recording Academy has been relentlessly instrumental in generating and sustaining a groundswell of support for the bill. Through constant advocacy efforts, its flagship GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards And Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. – which honored Little Big Town earlier this year – and the sprawling national grassroots District Advocate program, the Academy has engaged a mass of music creators to share their stories with lawmakers. The results are powerful. Harvey Mason Jr., GRAMMY-nominated songwriter/producer and Recording Academy National Advocacy Committee Co-Chair, called the MMA's passage by Senate, "a huge turning point."

But before the celebration can begin, the fight must continue. Now that the MMA has moved through the House of Representatives and the Senate, it will need to go back to the House one last time before it becomes law. This vote could come as early as next week.

As this historic copyright reform effort moves a giant step closer to the finish line, the music community must continue to rally, push and speak up on behalf of the MMA. While it is remarkable how far the bill has come, we cannot rest until we complete the job of enacting a better system for all.

Contact Your Representatives: Tell Them To Support Comprehensive Music Reform 

"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.