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Elise Perry 

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Meet The Recording Academy D.C. Chapter's First Black Female President, Elise Perry

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Learn more about the Washington D.C. producer and engineer as well as her vision for the chapter serving the nation's capital, Maryland and Virginia
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 18, 2020 - 4:55 pm

Elise Perry, the newly elected president of the Recording Academy's Washington D.C. Chapter, won't just be empowering and supporting artists, producers and other music professionals in the nation's capital, Maryland and Virginia—she'll be showing young Black women they can break boundaries as the chapter's first Black woman to hold the role. "If a young Black woman or any person even is motivated by me just doing what I do, I will have accomplished a lot," Perry says. 

The producer and engineer, who also creates programming on platforms like YouTube and Facebook Live and has been a broadcast specialist for NBC, BET, National Geographic, PBS, and more, says the fact that she is the first is "daunting but I’m ready to do my best and make people, especially Black people proud." 

Passionate about her hometown's music community and culture, she's ready to continue supporting and celebrating the music creators in the city that has shaped her in and out of her professional career after years of being active in the D.C. Chapter. Highlighting her community is a mission that she has felt strongly about since she was young. "I always felt D.C. deserved the focus and the shine," she says. 

The Recording Academy interviewed Perry about her journey to her new role, what she hopes to accomplish as new D.C. chapter president, the work she's been doing in the chapter to highlight women, the projects she's working on as a music and TV/Film creator, her state of mind during the pandemic as well as our current racial climate, and much more. 

Tell us about your road to the Recording Academy. Where did you grow up and what inspired you to work in the music industry?

A young producer heard I wrote some good music and suggested I join the "D.C. GRAMMY Chapter." Like many, I thought, at the time, I wasn’t accomplished enough to consider that. After some time, I was approached again. I received a proper nudge, which I needed, but at least now I quietly felt like "If I’m in the Recording Academy I could be a part of the changes I wanted to see." Eventually, there was a lot of [time in] committee membership, Board of Governors service, and [there were] years of co-chairing different committees. After a few tries at Vice Presidency, I have landed here as the President. It’s a tad surreal. 

I grew up in Washington D.C. I’m the third child of two musician parents. They were both educators and singers in public chorales and church choirs. On any given day in my home, especially a Saturday, I heard everything from orchestral and choral classics to The Modern Jazz Quartet and Ramsey Lewis, Roberta Flack to The Delfonics, Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic, etc... it was vast over the years. Those were my early musical influences before I played an actual instrument at 7 years old. 

I wanted to play music until I found out I wanted to write music. My instrument of choice leading to college however, wasn’t what I wanted to build my career on. I became a Mass Media Major, did well and set out to be in broadcast media. I played the bassoon in concert band and marched with tenor sax and planned to be done with playing after college at Hampton University. But a last-minute audio recording elective and meeting a guy with a sequencer after I got back home changed things. I then wanted to write music and run a record label in D.C. I always felt D.C. deserved the focus and the shine. So, one down with one to go.

What does it mean to you to be the first Black female president of the D.C. Chapter? What do you hope to accomplish in your role at the Recording Academy? 

It was really something I never thought about until it was brought to my attention… pretty much after I won. It’s truly an honor. I’m humbled. I have often been the only [Black woman]… but never the first. It’s daunting but I’m ready to do my best and make people, especially Black people proud and then, perhaps, excited to be in this Chapter. I do understand I'm an image that needs to be seen. We have a lot to be proud of. If a young Black woman or any person even is motivated by me just doing what I do, I will have accomplished a lot. It’s scary but as the saying goes, "To whom much is given, much is required." So here I go.

What do I hope to accomplish? Well, from us as a chapter, expect more! Expect more engagement between members and the musical community in general. Expect that every area that the Academy celebrates will be unearthed and uplifted with fresh dynamic programming virtual or otherwise hopefully. Beyond that, we will continue our active consistent federal and local advocacy and support of music creators' rights and strengthening of music education.

Rare Essence brings go-go music to NPR 

What is one thing about the D.C. or the DMV music community you love?

I love my city. It’s a creative diversity haven. My home was filled with all genres of music. I went to D.C. public schools when music programs were still rich. Even the (D.C. Metropolitan) Police Band played assemblies and they were hot! They still are! I learned music history and played clarinet and bassoon in the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program from 6-12th grade. With them, I traveled abroad. I, as well as many other kids who played in marching and concert bands in high school, competed at a high level for scholarships. Every neighborhood in D.C. cranked go-go or had a go-go band. When I decided to become a writer/producer/composer, I folded all of these flavors and more into whatever I did while having similar experiences with my peers that had similar as well as different musical backgrounds, be it church, youth chorales, dance crews, rap groups, performance groups, neighborhood go-go bands, sidewalk, singers, drummers, and brass ensembles. EVERYONE had unparalleled talent. That’s not even mentioning those that have settled in D.C. from other parts of the country or the world. All of this talent is active in one city. Every nook and cranny has a soundtrack! There is brilliant musicianship in D.C. on the corner and in the concert hall.

We are living unprecedented times as a pandemic and protests around justice and racism have simultaneously taken place. What is the role of the music industry now? What does support look like to you?

Music is a healing balm. When there is no hand to hold, there is the warmth of the word and the comfort of the chords. When the truth of our hearts is revealed in song, that’s the kind of love that we hope touches someone where they need the connection. 

The music business must shift and pivot to serving the creators so they may continue to create and be paid. We need spaces and perhaps now a new business model that considers all involved. I don’t have all of the answers to business but you go down the right path when you consider the needs of those that consume your products…our art. People want to pray, cry, dance, shout, scream, preach through music, it’s their truth. The industry has to see itself as a service provider like essential personnel and work it out. It’s happening. We are all shifting.

Have you seen the landscape around women working in music production change? If so, how? What work is left to be done?

It’s changing. What's interesting to me is that women have always been actively working in music production. What I always noticed is that some women that are in production are just doing what they do. When we are done, they go on about their lives. We take the good with the bad and make it happen because this is who we are. …And we are exceptional because you can’t be one stitch less. It's not necessarily celebrated and many don't need the celebration. But there came a time where respect needed to be more outwardly present. Respect was needed for talent and skills, credits and fair compensation. That's what’s needed always. We should be seen, heard and properly acknowledged in those spaces. Women have a special approach to creativity. We just have to do our thing and turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to anything that stops the forward motion. We have poignant stories and soundtracks to create. Our chapter has put the spotlight on women creators for a long while, especially producers and engineers. We continue to do that. Before the pandemic, we were in the midst of a series spotlighting women creators. Women Crushing Washington (WCW) We were to showcase women in the forefront of the Music industry every Wednesday in March, Womens History Month. We had to shut it down after week two. 

How have you been dealing with everything going on? How are you taking care of your mental health?

I’m fine. I’m quiet. I’m more intentional. I have faith. I'm eating clean. I keep my body moving and strong. I talk to my family and friends. I garden. I cook, I listen to music. I study new technology. Monitoring my mental health is important in times like these. I have a lot of hope but there are days where creating or just doing anything is the last thing on my mind. Those are days to just listen to other people's music or just chill all the way out and let nature be your music. Self care works.

When the pandemic began, I worked on a meditation project. I'm so glad I was part of it because the way I prepared to compose the pieces was downright spiritual. I made space to create something pure. It gave me an emotional blueprint for staying peaceful during this pandemic and then the civil unrest that followed. There is a lot that one can/could have gathered from the pause that the pandemic has given us. I have more focus. Moreover, I hope that the cries of Black Lives Matter and the exhaustion and anger and demands for justice don’t time out or fall on deaf ears.

What are some current projects you're working on?

I have two careers. I am obviously a music producer/engineer. I also am a TV/Film Director/ Content Creator. I am producing music projects for a few artists. I hope to release an Elise Perry project later this year. I am directing a few web-based performance shows currently. I’m developing music-based visual content for various platforms while developing my own. Wish me luck and good fortune!

J. Ivy Talks Making Music For Social Change, Leading With Love & The Importance Of Supporting Black Artists

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Tracy Hamlin and Elise Perry

Tracy Hamlin and Elise Perry

Photo: Shannon Finney/Getty Images

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Beyond The Beltway: A Closer Look At Washington D.C.'s Vibrant Music Community

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Members of the Washington D.C. Chapter Executive Board weigh in on what makes the city's scene sizzle and how they are helping create more opportunities for local musicians
Sarah Godfrey
GRAMMYs
Jan 7, 2019 - 12:47 pm

With a rich history and a bright future, the Washington D.C. music scene is truly alive. In fact, new music venues, both traditional rooms and more eclectic spaces, have been flooding the Washington D.C. area of late. Want to hear a band play inside of a pie shop? No problem. Require a sommelier as part of your concertgoing experience? Sure thing. Want to see a show from the inside of a geodesic dome turned giant snow globe in the middle of summer? No sweat.

An exact count is difficult to come by, but earlier this year, The Washington Post estimated roughly 24 new music venues have opened in the region, which includes part of Virginia and Maryland, since 2013. That’s in addition to existing venues—a mix of stadiums, arenas, concert halls, opera houses, amphitheaters, clubs, warehouses, at least one converted Baptist church, and a slew of coffeehouses, wineries, and breweries that also serve up live music. 

The region’s penchant for creating a music venue out of pretty much any interesting standing structure is one of the things that makes the scene in D.C. stand out, says Carl “Kokayi” Walker, artist, producer, educator, and current board trustee of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy.

“We’re not all about policy and politics—we’re about creativity,” Walker says. “From intimate spaces like Songbyrd… to the Anthem when you want to see bands get crazy, to alt spaces, I think those are the things that make a difference in the music community here… This is the place where punk rock originated, the place where our own indigenous music, go-go, comes from, and a place we strive to make sure other musicians live up to their musicianship.”

Carl "Kokayi" Walker

Carl "Kokayi" Walker

One of the goals, and challenges, facing the leadership of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy is making sure D.C.-based musicians have the resources they need to benefit from changes in the area’s music scene and ensure that homegrown artists always have a platform.

While growth and diversity of performances in the area is a boon for listeners, the impact on area musicians is trickier to parse. The opening of new venues doesn’t always translate into more performance opportunities for locally-based artists. And, amid all the grand openings have been a slew of closing parties for beloved local musical institutions that once served not only as show locations, but places for artists to gather. How does a scene that spans dozens of genres, covers three states, and now plays out at a dizzying number of venues stay strong and connected?

“My goal for the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy is really to create a situation of engagement among the professionals here,” says Elise Perry, producer, composer, arranger, film/television director, and vice president of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy. “Whether it’s an entire art and music symposium or just some form of showcasing artistic talent and performance specifically, the more things we do to engage people, the more it helps the community and the more we can be seen as an engaged, connected community.” 

Elise Perry 

Elise Perry 

Perry, who grew up in D.C., says that a childhood spent performing with the DC Youth Orchestra and playing “desk drums,” to recreate the beat of popular go-go groups, meant “musical experience was absolutely part of what D.C. had to offer me.” As a result, she works to “insist that there’s recognition of the music community here and that there are spaces for our artists, so we can continue to make sure people are being seen and heard.”

Singer, songwriter, music educator, record label owner, and Recording Academy trustee Tracy Hamlin says she sees her role in the D.C. Chapter as working with her fellow board members to “engage, connect, support, and educate” members of the D.C. music community.

“When I first joined the chapter, I was an inactive member,” says Hamlin, who has been on the D.C. board for seven years. “But I said to myself, ‘You need to come closer. You only get out of it what you put into it.’ I encourage [everyone] to come closer.” 

Tracy Hamlin

Tracy Hamlin

At a time when the region and its music scene are growing and shifting, Hamlin is pulling people in and building community among artists by creating unique opportunities for performance and connection. In October, she held her inaugural Sweet Jazz and Wine Festival, an event with a charitable component—it raised funds to give two artists from low-income families a year of private instruction in their desired instrument. In a region where rents and the cost of living continue to rise, it’s a much-needed model that brings together D.C. musicians together in support of their fellow artists. Hamlin says the event is typical of the generosity of the area’s music community.

“There are a lot of folks here connecting with people from different genres, people building rapport and friendships and collaborating,” Hamlin says.

Von Vargas, hip-hop artist and producer, and the current D.C. Chapter president, enjoys the challenge of serving the different “pockets” of artists in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and notes that artists seeking community and fellowship should look to service.

Von Vargas

Von Vargas

“Being in the entertainment industry, our careers can sometimes be more self-driven,” he says. “Sometimes it’s good to put that aside and try to make a way for others. I think serving others, taking time out to do that is important. Being [an Academy member] is one way – serving in the Academy is a selfless effort.”

Priscilla Clarke, president and CEO of the entertainment public relations firm Clarke & Associates, says that although the Washington area is more than just political ties, artists in the area should take advantage of Washington’s position as a seat of political power to advocate for themselves and others.

Priscilla Clarke

Priscilla Clarke

“Know what opportunities and resources exist,” says Clarke, who has been involved in the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy for 16 years, and is its current secretary, “Learn more about the chapter…and get involved in other groups with other music markers to learn what’s going on in your city. It’s important to know that you do have a voice and you can utilize it to make a change.”

Walker says that no matter how many new venues crop up, or how much the music scene in D.C. changes, a tight-knit network of dedicated artists will always be a strong, consistent presence.  

“We’re a specific, special community that watches out for our own,” says Walker. “For our creators and creatives, and people who are involved with music, and have a love of music and the business of music.”

Washington D.C. Chapter Presents: Vocal Health Tips From Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton & More

 

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New York City

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: East Region

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The Recording Academy's Illinois, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. chapters are committed to sharing resources for music creators and professionals affected by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic
GRAMMYs
Mar 19, 2020 - 2:25 pm

In the current coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, music creators and many of the professionals who support them have been greatly affected. The Recording Academy’s Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. chapters are committed to creating, amplifying, and sharing resources that will provide some form of comfort.

While The Academy’s MusiCares has set up a COVID-19 Relief Fund available as a safety net for music creators in need, below you will find resources available to those in the music community who live within states that make up the Academy’s East Region. Please visit regularly for updates.

INDIANA

Arts Council of Indianapolis COVID-19 Impact Survey for Individual Artists
The Arts Council is collecting data about the known and anticipated impacts of COVID-19 on arts organizations and individual artists. The data provided will be used to help inform future emergency relief efforts including funding, services, and support.

Indy Service Worker VENMO Listing
Donate directly to Indianapolis area servers, bartenders, bar backs, front of house restaurant workers, cooks, dishwashers, delivery personnel, and security guards who have been impacted by COVID-19 related closures of music venues, bars and restaurants. 

ILLINOIS

Arts for Illinois Relief Fund
The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund provides financial relief to workers and organizations in the creative industries impacted by COVID-19. This includes all artists and artisans, including stage and production members and part-time cultural workers, and large to small arts organizations in all disciplines. Donations to the fund will go directly to artists and arts organizations throughout Illinois. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Individuals are encouraged to apply for one-time grants of $1,500, which are awarded expediently and based on a lottery system. Arts organizations grants are likewise based on a combination of need and lost revenue from the crisis.

Chicago Service Relief
A directory of fundraisers for Chicago bars, venues and restaurants that can use our help to support their staff during the state-mandated shutdown.

Chicago Artists Relief Fund
This fund was created by Chicago-area artists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their aim is to support persons in the greater Chicago arts community who are experiencing financial repercussions due to pandemic-related cancellations. Priority will be given to BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] artists, transgender & non-binary and queer artists, and disabled artists. However, the fund aims to help as many Chicago-area artists in need as possible.

Pay the Musicians
Chicago Blues Revival has created this website that houses links to live performances by some of Chicago’s great blues musicians. The goal is that fans listen and enjoy, then, take the money that they would spend on going out to see that concert, and give it directly to the musicians. Paypal IDs for the lead musicians and supporting musicians are listed.

3Arts Emergency Resources
Digital index of COVID-19 relief resources for Chicago area artists

COVID-19 Resources for Theatre Artists in Chicago
The Chicago Artist Guide has created a list of funds, online mental/health and wellness outlets, volunteer opportunities and locations offering free food available to those negatively impacted by COVID-19.

The Dancers’ Fund
Chicago Dancers United’s dancers’ fund provides short-term financial assistance to Chicago dance professionals in times of critical health need.

League of Chicago Theatres – Chicago Theatre Workers Relief Fund
The League of Chicago Theatres has developed a Chicago Theatre Workers Relief Fund. This Fund is available to Chicago area theatre professionals who have had to stop work and are not getting paid---including those who were on contract, part-time employees and those working on a stipend that was not paid--- due to COVID-19. Grants of up to $500 are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund
Led by NJ’s First Lady Tammy Murphy, the state has established the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund to collect donations and distribute funds. One hundred percent of donations received online by NJPRF will be used to fight the medical, social, and economic impact of COVID-19 on New Jersey’s most vulnerable, supporting organizations that provide essential services and aiding those on the front line of the pandemic. Popular New Jerseyans Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny DeVito, Carli Lloyd, and Charlie Puth are actively endorsing the fund and soliciting donations.

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Artist Relief Fund
In partnership with the Boston Center for the Arts, the City of Boston has established an artist relief fund that will award grants of $500 and $1,000 to individual artists living in Boston whose “creative practices and incomes” are being negatively affected by the pandemic. Priority will be given to lower-income artists as well as those who have not received funds from city-led grants during the current fiscal year.

Boston Music Maker Relief Fund
The Record Co. has established a fund to provide financial relief to music makers living in Boston who have lost revenue due to gig cancellations over the coronavirus. Grants of up to $200 will be made available to applicants who meet the criteria.

Boston Singers’ Resource COVID-19 Emergency Relief
The career services nonprofit is offering one-time grants of up to $500 for New England-based classical singers who have lost income due to coronavirus-related cancellations. The deadline for the first round of grants is April 1.

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MINNESOTA

Twin Cities Music Community Trust Entertainment Industry Relief Fund
The widespread cancellation of group events has a disproportionate impact on the music and event industry workforce and local musicians—individuals who rely on gigs to pay their bills. All funds donated will directly impact someone who has lost a gig due to COVID-19 and its effect on the industry. This includes night staff, door staff, bartenders, security, stage crews, tour managers, merchandise sellers, photographers, local musicians and more.

Springboard for the Arts Personal Emergency Relief Fund
Nonprofit Springboard for the Arts has committed an additional $10,000 to its emergency fund and expanded guidelines to include lost income due to coronavirus-related gig cancellations. Artists based in Minnesota can request up to $500 to compensate for canceled work that was scheduled and lost.

MICHIGAN

The Detroit I Love Artist Fund
The Detroit I Love was created as a platform to promote the music and arts community in Detroit. In an effort to offer financial assistance to the local DJs and musicians, this fund will pay out $100 per artist on a first come basis.

City of Detroit Resources for Artists
The Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship has compiled a list of resources for artists and entertainers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Michigan Music Relief Fund
Established by the Michigan Music Alliance, this fund will plan to disperse funds raised to members of the Michigan music community.

NEW YORK

Musicians’ Assistance Program (MAP)
The Musicians’ Assistance Program (MAP) provides support so that Local 802 members can perform with the highest artistry and productivity while minimizing any interruption to their work. This service is provided by Local 802 for its members and their families and is administered and professionally staffed by The Actors Fund. All of MAP’s services are strictly confidential and are free of charge.

Local 802 Musicians’ Emergency Relief Fund
ERF is a non-profit charitable organization that provides financial assistance and support services to musicians in need and is run through the Local 802 Musicians Assistance Program administered by the Actor’s Fund. ERF assistance is provided in the form of a direct grant to the musician’s service provider. For example, the funds are sent directly to physicians, landlords, and counselors.

Max’s Kansas City Project
Max’s Kansas City Project provides emergency funding and resources to professionals in the creative arts. Individuals who have made their living through their art form either professionally or personally and demonstrate a financial need for medical aid, legal aid or housing can apply for assistance.

Musicians’ Foundation Aid
Musicians Foundation is formed to foster the interests and advance the condition and social welfare of professional musicians and to provide voluntary aid and assistance to professional musicians and their families in case of need.

NYC Covid-19 Musician Resources and Support
This Facebook community group is a hub for sharing ideas, financial tips and resources for New York City area music creators

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants Program
New York Foundation for The Arts has partnered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to administer a new emergency grant program that will provide one-time grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies. The grants are available to visual and media artists and choreographers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.

Dramatist Guild Foundation
It is vital to support writers in times of need so that they can get back to doing what they do best. DGF provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and book writers in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.

Lost My Gig NYC
This site keeps a running list of NYC freelancers working in the events industry who are in need of financial assistance due to the crisis, allowing people to donate directly to those individuals through their Venmo, CashApp and Paypal accounts. Apply to have your name added.

NYC Low-Income Artist/Freelancer Relief Fund
as of March 18, this fund has raised more than $36,000 for NYC-based low-income, BIPOC, Trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary and queer artists and freelancers whose livelihoods are being effected by the pandemic. Update: In order to meet demand, the fund has temporarily paused applications for funding. Those who have already applied will be informed about fund distribution by March 20.

New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
The MOME website offers information and services including a survey for nightlife workers, freelancers and businesses impacted by COVID-19; and a link to Small Business Services, which is offering assistance and guidance for local businesses.

OHIO

Columbus Artists Relief Fund
The Columbus Artists Relief Fund is raising money to help offset the financial impact felt by Columbus artists through lost work. This is open to individual artists in central Ohio. Priority will be given to artists who are black, indigenous or people of color, transgender or non-binary or disabled, but the goal is to try to help as many artists with need in the greater Columbus-area as possible.

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PENNSYLVANIA

City of Philadelphia Mental & Physical Health Updates
Text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive updates to your phone. Call our helpline 24/7 to speak with a health care professional: 1-800-722-7112.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Map of all locations offering food resources to adult aged persons in the city of Philadelphia

Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund
If you are a musician who has lost income due to a canceled gig as a result of the Coronavirus / Covid-19 outbreak, you are eligible for funds. Disbursements will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

PENNSYLVANIA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) is a statewide nonprofit organization of over 4,500 members, dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. To support local music educators who might be in need, the association is extending resources.

#HomeMadeMusic Online Concert Program
The Morning Call’s GO Guide is introducing a new Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania music spotlight. As Coronavirus control measures have forced entertainment venues to cancel countless regional shows, musicians and audience members have been unfortunately cut off from each other. This program is hoping to change that. If you’re a Lehigh Valley musicians/singer-songwriters, play and record a song to post on Twitter with the tags #HomeMadeMusic and @GOGuideLV.

Philadelphia Performing Artists' Emergency Fund Application
The Philadelphia Performing Artists' Emergency Fund was created amid the COVID-19 outbreak to assist performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, and/or low turnout during this pandemic. We are coming together as a community to lift each other up, and ensure we all make it through this together. Emergency Funds can be requested by any Cabaret, Drag, Burlesque, Theater, or performance artists facing a financial hardship caused by COVID-19.

30Amp Circuit COVID-19 Relief Fund
This fund will help local Philadelphia artists and musicians with $1000 cost of living grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
If you are out of work without pay, you are eligible to receive food sourced from the state and federal government from a food bank or food pantry in Pennsylvania. This includes service workers who are unable to get shifts or hourly wage employees of non-essential businesses that have voluntarily closed due to COVID-19 mitigation.

PGH Artists Emergency Fund
This fundraiser is hosted by a group of artists and community organizers based in Pittsburgh responding to the urgent need of our friends and community who have been put in compromised positions due to the cancellation of entire tours, all of their gigs, and jobs in the nightlife and events industry. The fund provides payments of up to $250 per artist, to help abet the costs due to canceled gigs and jobs. This can go towards helping people pay their rent, pay their bills, purchase food and other essentials.

PHL COVID-19 FUND
The PHL COVID-19 Fund will provide grants to Greater Philadelphia organizations with a successful track record of serving at-risk populations such as the seniors, people with disabilities, and those who are experiencing homeless or are economically disadvantaged, in order to continue community safety nets such as food pantries and health services, and help with preparedness and protection such as hygiene supplies, access to accurate current information, and available services.

Pittsburgh Arts Council Emergency Fund for Artists
The Emergency Fund for Artists will now provide up to $500 in assistance to artists in the Greater Pittsburgh area experiencing loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Emergency Fund also remains available for other unforeseen emergencies that may impact your ability to work, such as flood, theft, or fire.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Washington, D.C.’s DC Act 23-247
Recently passed by the D.C. council, this legislation provides that nonprofits and self-employed individuals not eligible for unemployment compensation could apply to the Mayor for a grant if they suffer “financial distress caused by a reduction in business revenue due to the circumstances giving rise to or resulting from the public health emergency.” Grant money could be used to continue employee wages and benefits, pay operating costs (including taxes and debt service) or repay loans obtained through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals could use the grants to continue to pay themselves for revenue lost as a result of theatre shutdowns due to the coronavirus."

United Way of the National Capital Area
If you or someone you know needs emergency assistance, contact 2-1-1. 2-1-1 is a non-emergency telephone number. This free service helps individuals and families access emergency services in their local community. Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Jose Andres Community Kitchens
In response to the increased risk of the COVID-19 coronavirus and to help encourage social distancing to stop its spread, all Jose Andres owned restaurants in the Washington, D.C., and New York City areas are temporarily closed. However, the company has repurposed most of them as “community kitchens” with affordable plates of the day available for takeout purchase.

Free Meals for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia Kids
Several meal sites have been announced in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, where students who rely on school lunches can receive food while schools are closed during the coronavirus crisis.

Maryland Extension of Business Tax Filing Deadlines
The Comptroller of Maryland has extended business tax filing deadlines to June 1 for some businesses with March, April and May due dates.

Mutual Aid Project
The D.C.-based arts platform and network is assisting black and non-white Trans and gender-expansive artists by offering a “voluntary exchange of services and resources.” With musicians and other artists continuing to lose gigs during the pandemic, the organization is building an artist directory to showcase the work of those affected. Once the directory is complete, the organization will extend a "call to action" to the larger community for support.

GENERAL RESOURCES:

Crew Nation
Live Nation has committed $10 million to Crew Nation – contributing an initial $5 million to the fund, then matching the next $5 million given by artists, fans and employees dollar for dollar. Crew Nation is powered by Music Forward Foundation, a charitable 501c3 organization that will be administering the fund.

NEW MUSIC SOLIDARITY FUND
The New Music Solidarity Fund is designed to help new/creative/improvised music freelancers whose livelihood has been threatened as a result of performances which have been canceled during the COVID-19 crisis.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Disaster Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration notes small business owners in the following designated states are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.

Creative Capital’s List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Creative Capital has created a list of resources for artists working in all disciplines, as well as arts philanthropists, and arts professionals.

Foundation for the Contemporary Arts Emergency Fund
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts has created a temporary fund to meet the needs of artists who have been impacted by the economic fallout from postponed or canceled performances and exhibitions. For as long as the foundation’s Board of Directors determines it is necessary and prudent to do so, the Foundation will disburse $1,000 grants to artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed because of the COVID-19 virus.

Jazz Foundation of America
The Jazz Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund provides housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief and direct financial support in times of crisis.

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants Program
New York Foundation for The Arts has partnered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to administer a new emergency grant program that will provide one-time grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies. The grants are available to visual and media artists and choreographers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation COVID-19 DISASTER FUND
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation and the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund (MPPWF) have created the COVID-19 Disaster Fund that is now available to eligible SAG-AFTRA members who have been impacted by this pandemic.

Sound Girls
Sound Girls, an organization that supports women working in professional audio and music production, is compiling a list of resources to utilize during this forced downtime and unemployment. From best business practices, career development, continuing education, and side hustles to get you through this trying time.

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.

Resources for Writers in the Time of Coronavirus
As writers, teachers, publishers, and booksellers in local, national, and international communities “grapple with how to proceed in their creative, financial, professional, and personal lives during this time of uncertainty,” POETS & WRITERS has compiled a list of resources.

Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund
Started by Luther Hughes, founder of Shade Literary Arts, this relief fund seeks to “help at least 100 queer writers of color who have been financially impacted by the current COVID-19. Priority will be given to queer Trans women, and queer disabled writers of color. The minimum disbursement is $100, and the maximum is $500.

The New Music Solidarity Fund 
This fund is an artist-led initiative that aims to grant emergency funding to musicians impacted by COVID-19. The Fund has raised over $130,000, primarily from fellow musicians, composers, and music professionals. At least two hundred and sixty, $500 emergency assistance grants will be made available to applicants who meet the criteria.

American Guild of Musical Artists Relief Fund
Any AGMA member in good standing is invited to apply for financial assistance under the AGMA Relief Fund, which has temporarily doubled the amount of assistance available to those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

AudioAssemble.com Online Resources For Musicians The website has compiled a list of online remote opportunities that are available for U.S.-based musicians during the COVID-19 outbreak. Their financial resources page has short-term and long-term job opportunities, as well as governmental resources to help musicians generate revenue. 

Coronavirus: Resources for Property Owners
National Association of Realtors has compiled an online hub of resources for property owners impacted by the global pandemic

The Creator Fund
The fund covers up to $500 per creator to help cover medical, childcare, housing or grocery needs.

Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Mortgage Help for Homeowners Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) and the Federal Home Loan Banks are taking steps to help people who have been impacted by the coronavirus.   If your ability to pay your mortgage is impacted, and your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to delay making your monthly mortgage payments for a temporary period

Feeding America
The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States and leads the nation to engage in the fight against hunger.

HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust)
The Blues foundation’s fund helps underinsured or uninsured blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a range of health concerns.

THE INNER LIGHT CHALLENGE
The Material World Foundation, created by George Harrison in 1973, is today donating $500,000 to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, Save the Children, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) charities, which are providing much-needed aid and care during this COVID-19 pandemic. For every person that shares their own “Inner Light” moment on social media using the hashtag #innerlight2020, the MWF will give another $1 to help those affected by COVID-19 (up to $100k.)

Harpo Foundation Visual Arts Grant
This grant provides direct support to under-recognized artists 21 years or older. Amount awarded can be up to $10,000. Application deadline is May 1, 2020

MORE RESOURCES:

Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: West Region
Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: South Region
Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

GRAMMYs

2020 New Member Class Roundtable

 
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Recording Academy Invites & Celebrates Its 2020 New Member Class

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Academy President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. says, "We'll continue to fight to achieve inclusive representation across gender, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and beyond within our community"
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jul 9, 2020 - 6:30 am

Today the Recording Academy invited more than 2,300 music professionals the join as its 2020 new member class. The invitees come from wide-ranging backgrounds, genres and disciplines. They have made important contributions to music and posess the potential to influence progressive changes within the music industry.

By the numbers, the 2020 class of invitees is 48 percent female, 21 percent African American/African descent, 8 percent Hispanic, and 3 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander. The representation of this class also spans ages, genre and region. The Recording Academy's current membership is 26 percent female and 25 percent from traditionally underrepresented communities.

"We are proud of the strides we've made toward ensuring our membership is diverse and inclusive, which is reflected within this new pool of invitees,” said Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "While this progress signifies meaningful impact, there's still more work to be done. We'll continue to fight to achieve inclusive representation across gender, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and beyond within our community. Furthermore, we’re excited to see how the contributions of the incoming new member class will help inspire meaningful change within the music industry."

Ensuring that the Recording Academy's membership is fully representative of the music community has been a longstanding goal of Recording Academy Trustees. In December 2019, the Recording Academy pledged to implement 17 of 18 reforms set forth by the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, including increasing outreach to diverse communities and doubling the number of women voters by 2025. Specifically, this means 2,500 new women voters by the year 2025. 

To celebrate the incoming new member class, GRAMMY.com Editor-In-Chief Justin Joseph hosted a roundtable discussion on June 24 titled "Your Academy: Welcoming the 2020 New Member Class." Featuring new invitees and existing members, the conversation showcased an authentic look into what it means to be a member of the Academy, the important initiatives worked on year-round, progress members hope to see within the Academy, and diversity and inclusion in the music industry at large.

“As part of the Membership Committee for the last year for the LA Chapter… this is what I tell everyone when we’re talking about Membership in the Recording Academy," GRAMMY winner John Legend explained. "As much as we all complain about who won the GRAMMY this year for this or that, and how we’re not being represented in the right way, we literally can change it by being there—by showing up, by telling or collaborators to show up and be there…We can literally be the change that we want to see in the Academy.”

Coming from the opposite coast, GRAMMY-winning mastering engineer Emily Lazar also weighed in on the importance of the duty and value of being an active Recording Academy member during the roundtable.

“I became a governor in my local Chapter in New York, and the second I engaged on that level, everything really changed for me as far as understanding what the Academy had for me and what I could bring to the Academy," she said. "That give-and-take was very important to me, personally.”

This message of service resonated with the new members, such as Ozuna, the Latin trap/pop hitmaker who has been hailed as the "New King of Reggaeton."

“I’m entering the Recording Academy as a new member—even though I thankfully have had success early on and throughout my career—but I am still new to experiences in the music industry," Ozuna said. "On this zoom call, I’ve learned that I can influence in the music industry by doing more than just producing and making songs.”

 “At first I had the idea that the Academy was more of over 40, non-black men who would base all action on popularity and stats," admitted versatile singer/songwriter Victoria Monet during the roundtable. "Now learning more about what is actually happening, I think that’s important to communicate to my peers, because I think they also have no idea—they just want the GRAMMY—if they don’t get it, they complain and have no idea about the process.”

With this diverse new class enriching the landscape of the Academy, showcasing more talents from more areas of the music community than ever before, the view for many incoming members feels more like home, somewhere anyone can see themselves making a meaningful difference.

 “I had a realization one day," said rising artist Kiana Ledé. "Why can’t I be the girl that represents all the other girls that feel like me? I think that coincides with how I felt about the GRAMMYs and the Recording Academy. I have definitely been the person to sit back and complain, and cry, and be upset when I haven’t seen myself being represented. And then I realized I have so much power within myself—to put myself in that position—to represent people like me. I can be that person to step out and do that.”

Seconding Lede's empowering words, GRAMMY-winning gospel legend and ardent advocate for music creators' rights Yolanda Adams talked about the education and opportunities Academy membership can help unlock.

 “It is up to us as artists to educate ourselves," Adams said. "We need to get ourselves informed, and the great place to do that is start with the Recording Academy’s websites, their webinars, all of those things are there just for you to make sure that your transition from non-member to member is worth it, because there’s so many things that are afforded to you through the Academy.”

Ultimately, the power is in the hands of the members, which underscores the importance of this year's class becoming involved in the process.

“As much change as you want to see, you can be the voice that makes it happen," said Legend. "If you want to get involved, if you want to make difference, you really have the ability to do so right away. You don’t have to wait until you have more seniority... You can come into these meetings right away, have your voice heard, and folks really want to be responsive to what you have to say.”

Tammy Hurt, Vice Chair of the Academy's Board of Trustees, backed up Legend's powerful words with some insight on what's keeps her passionately involved in the process. "One of my favorite things about the Academy is that everything we do is 100 percent peer-driven," she shared. "The process is driven specifically by the Members who serve the Academy. If there’s something that you love, that you want to get involved with, you’re passionate about, by all means. If there’s something you want to change, by all means. It’s rolling up your sleeves, showing up, engaging and being part of the process.”

In fact, the more than 2,300 new invitations extended today represent the continuation of the Academy's community-driven and peer-reviewed membership model, which was implemented in 2018 in an ongoing effort to be more representative and relevant.

"Building out our membership body is a process that encourages inclusivity from start to finish, and it's a privilege to extend invitations to the 2020 class of invitees that represent the wide-ranging backgrounds and crafts that makes the music industry so unique," said Kelley Purcell, Senior Director of Member Outreach at the Recording Academy. "These individuals will become the driving force behind the Recording Academy, and it's encouraging to see how our membership continues to evolve each year as we take steps toward building a more inclusive and vibrant community."

For more information on the Recording Academy's membership process and requirements, visit here. For full information and details surrounding the new class visit here.

The Recording Academy & Color Of Change Team Up To Promote Positive Change In The Music Industry

Grammys Newsletter

GRAMMYs

(L-R) Jeriel Johnson, Alexys Feaster, Elsa M, 9th Wonder, Stephanie Scarpulla, Pusha T and Von Vargas at The Recording Academy Washington D.C. Chapter's Intersection of Music & Sports event at the Kennedy Center on March 02, 2020.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

News

Intersection Of Sports & Music With Pusha T, 9th Wonder & NBA, MLB & NHL Reps

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The Recording Academy Washington, DC Chapter gathered an elite group to explore how the two industries and cultures can work together and uplift each other
Marcus K. Dowling
GRAMMYs
Apr 24, 2020 - 1:03 pm

Sports and music have been kindred creative spirits for a long time. But we live in a world today where, "basketball players think they can rap, and rappers want to be ballplayers," as GRAMMY-nominated producer and Washington, DC chapter board member 9th Wonder and GRAMMY-nominated rapper Pusha T agree. No doubt, something about the creative and performance elements of both disciplines seems intrinsically connected.

To explore this synergy between the two industries, the Recording Academy Washington, DC Chapter hosted an in-depth conversation on the "Intersection of Sports & Music" at the Kennedy Center's new programming pavilion, The REACH, on March 2, 2020. Panelists for the evening included Pusha T, 9th Wonder, Stephanie Scarpulla, Director for Music and Media Clearances for both the MLB Network and NHL Network and the NBA's Senior Director of Player Development Alexys Feaster as well as broadcaster Elsa M, who served as moderator.

The Intersection Of Sports & Music

Jeriel Johnson, Executive Director of the Washington D.C. Chapter, opened the proceedings by invoking the legacy of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who tragically died on the same day as this year's 62nd GRAMMY Awards. Johnson acknowledged how their tragic passing impacted all in attendance and made the panel "timely and relevant."

He also noted Alicia Keys honored Bryant by playing Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" during the NBA star's memorial service. Bryant himself had learned the piece to impress his wife, Vanessa. 

In this spirit, Feaster discussed Kobe's deep ties to music as a catharsis from his significant on-court achievements. "The way athletes connect to music is authentic and often healing," Feaster said. "More than anything, athletes understand just how much discipline and support is required to master one's craft," which, to her, breeds the mutual respect between the two great industries.

Recently, as a part of his brand partnership with Adidas, Pusha T extended that connectivity and respect to another level. Pusha saw a golden opportunity to make a special moment when he was called on to aid the sneaker titan with the launch of Portland Trail Blazers star player Damian Lillard's "Dame 6" edition shoe during the 2020 All-Star Weekend. Inspired by his love for the game, Pusha went to work doing what he does best.

"Allen Iverson is my favorite athlete of all time," he started, citing a commercial AI did with rapper Jadakiss in 2001 where Production tandem The Trackmasters created a beat with basketball-style feel, which inspired Pusha for the "Dame 6" commercial with Lillard. "Pharrell made the beat for my ad, though," he added.

The ad, which was aired during the Recording Academy event, created a triumphant viral music-meets-sports moment for Adidas during All-Star Weekend.

This kind of sports-meets-music collision is happening more than ever. The MLB Network, for instance, often licenses up to 300 unique pieces of musical content per day, according to the MLB's Stephanie Scarpulla.

For her part, sync-licensing specialist Scarpulla related to just how many special moments in sports require musical soundtracking. She outlined the intensity of her music-moment-making schedule balancing both the MLB and NHL Networks, starting with the opening day of Major League Baseball's season, which roughly coincides with the close of the National Hockey League's year. From there, MLB's All-Star Game falls a scant ten weeks or so later. Plus, the NHL's offseason is when the network will roll out an entirely new slate of documentary programming. 

Scarpulla, who has been in her job for 12 years after seven years working as a music licensing executive in the music industry, says she, "Listens to anything and everything, from everywhere" to inspire the choices for the networks, which air almost 20,000 hours a year. Initially, her choices leaned in the direction of "bro rock," which she felt matched went well with baseball and hockey. Now, the genre search has expanded to include hip-hop and up-and-surging Korean pop music, too.

Both 9th Wonder and Feaster spoke to the unique and enduring relationship that the National Basketball Association has with hip-hop music and culture. Of all the relationships between sports and music highlighted, basketball and rap seem to be the most consistently intertwined, and the sports world has started to recognize its athletes' musical interests and abilities.

Featster's favorite recent anecdote related to this crossover is how rising Sacramento Kings star Marvin Bagley III - who is also a gifted emcee - has access to a full recording studio in the Golden 1 Center, the team's home arena. This is one of the many ways both industries are seeing growth together in each other's home courts.

"My job is to help artists and musicians become their best versions of themselves," Feaster added.

In fact, Bagley's passion for hip-hop was likely inspired by Feaster's fellow panelist, 9th Wonder. The Jamla Records head and veteran hip-hop producer is also a professor of African and African-American Studies at Duke University, where Bagley attended school (and 9th Wonder's classes) for two years until 2018.

In his opening remarks, Wonder tied the sustaining connection between hip-hop and music to the genre's mid-1970s roots, and how hip-hop started in the Bronx at the same time that the legendary Rucker street basketball tournament started in Harlem. From there, he noted that Nike's 1984 creation of the Air Jordan sneaker (and rappers cosigning both Jordan and his signature footwear) allowed for hip-hop to infiltrate the NBA ever since.

"The genre has taken over the culture," 9th Wonder says, admitting that even as the league grows more international in its appeal, it's still hip-hop that reigns supreme as an influence.

With hip-hop now five decades old, Wonder is impressed at the depth and scope of influence players find in not just modern rap, but of the appeal of the classics, too.

"When [Bagley's Sacramento Kings teammate] Jabari Parker attended Duke, we bonded over how much he loved A Tribe Called Quest, who were popular when I was his age." He continues. "And when I had Zion Williamson in my classes, we often spoke of how much he loved and was inspired by Jay-Z." 

Through her work with the NBA and with Athletes For Obama, Feaster said she frequently discusses with players how difficult it is to feel like they "have the world's issues on their shoulders," an issue that uses both sports and music as its outlet.

By creating the best paths to sustain the development of mentally enriched and uniquely creative people, no matter which outlet they choose, we build a future where music and sports inspire people to be their best selves, and, ultimately, the culture and industry behind both worlds will also flourish.

Grammys Newsletter

Go-Go Given The Royal Treatment At Inaugural D.C. Block Party