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GRAMMYs

Elise Perry 

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Meet The D.C. Chapter's New President Elise Perry meet-recording-academy-dc-chapters-first-black-female-president-elise-perry

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. 

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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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Cultivating Creativity In Washington D.C. beyond-beltway-closer-look-washington-dcs-vibrant-music-community

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

 

Donnie Simpson

Donnie Simpson

Photo: Aaron Davidson/Getty Images

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Radio Legend Donnie Simpson On His Historic Career donnie-simpson-interview-radio-hall-fame

Radio And TV Legend Donnie Simpson On The Key To His Decades-Long Career: "I Don't Have To Be Great––I Just Have To Be Me"

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In honor of his recent induction into the Radio Hall Of Fame, GRAMMY.com highlights the broadcasting icon's celebrated career, his impact on media and culture, and his ongoing advocacy for Black representation in radio and TV
Eliza Berkon
GRAMMYs
Jan 6, 2021 - 3:43 pm

About five years ago, Washington, D.C., DJ Donnie Simpson emerged from retirement after a little coaxing from his wife, Pam.

"She framed it really [nicely]. She said, 'Donnie, everywhere you go, all you hear is how much people love you and they wish you'd do something else. And God has given you a gift that you should be sharing with people,'" Simpson tells GRAMMY.com over a Zoom interview. "That's what she said, but what I heard was, 'Get out.'"

The affable radio and television icon ultimately returned to the airwaves in 2015. Five years later, he received one of the highest accolades in the radio industry: Last October, he was inducted into the Radio Hall Of Fame, an honor recognizing his contributions to the radio medium over the last half-century. 

The honor is the culmination of the legend's celebrated, decades-long career in radio, which launched in the '70s when a teenaged Simpson got his start on the Detroit airwaves. At the time, he looked to a handful of local DJs as mentors, including the high-spirited Ernie Durham. 

"I did not adopt his on-air style, but I try very much to adopt his off-air style. He always carried it with class," Simpson said of Durham. "And that was the example to me: to always be kind to people, to look people in the eye, no matter who they were."

It wasn't until Simpson left Detroit, in 1977, and logged his first few years at WKYS 93.9 in D.C.––a station he would reformat and lead to No. 1 as program director––that he found his stride on air, he says. 

"It's something I always say, and it's so true: I don't have to be great––I just have to be me," Simpson says. "Being you always works because that's the spirit that connects us. That's the thing that makes you real to people; they feel you when you are you. When you're trying to be something else, they know that, too."

Simpson says he's long avoided listening to recordings of himself for fear that the inevitable analysis would disrupt the "magic" of what he'd helped create. That approach also extended to his TV career, which started—not counting a role he now laughs about on a short-lived dance show in Detroit—when he served as backup sports anchor for WRC-TV in the early '80s. Not long after, he began hosting a relatively new show on the then-burgeoning BET network. Simpson had concerns about whether the show was the right fit for him.

"BET, in its infancy, wasn't a very pretty baby. The quality wasn't there. I've always been protective of image, because that's all I have," Simpson says. "But after thinking about it for two days, I decided this: This is our first Black television network. If you have something to offer it, you have to do it."

The two-hour show, "Video Soul," which spotlighted Black artists at a time when MTV was almost exclusively focused on white musicians, became BET's highest-rated program at one point.

Jeriel Johnson, executive director of the Recording Academy's Washington, D.C., chapter, remembers watching "Video Soul" as a teen in his Cincinnati home. Simpson, he says, was a "steady presence of Black excellence."

"He was the face of BET," Johnson says. "He was just a staple, and he had such a calming voice and he was super smooth. I just looked up to him as a young, Black kid who loved music ... And I remember seeing him and being like, 'Wow, I could be on TV, too. If he can, I can.'"

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On the program, Simpson interviewed artists who were already riding the waves of success or were well on their way: Jodeci, SWV, New Edition, En Vogue, Mariah Carey, Take 6, Whitney Houston. Regardless of the star who graced the couch each night, Simpson took the same approach.

"For every guest I ever had on 'Video Soul,' they would bring me a bio with all this information on the artist … I wouldn't even read it," Simpson remembers. "That's the point of the interview, for me to get to know you."

Elise Perry, a producer and the president of the Recording Academy's Washington, D.C., chapter, worked behind the scenes on "Video Soul" in the '90s, a pivotal decade for both R&B and hip-hop, she notes.

"All of these different subgenres of R&B really started to have an uptick in the '90s, and the fact that BET was present visually at that time, representing Black music in that way—it was a very special time," Perry says. "There were a lot of Black folk there, and it was just like a party. It was where I got my 'master's degree,' I call it. Everybody was family … It was just like a mecca."

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

Simpson treated the crew like family and has continued to provide unparalleled support for the D.C. community over the years, Perry, a D.C. native, says.

"He's our family. He's our brother. He's our uncle. He's that dude next door. He's our neighbor. He's our friend," she says.

"Family" is also how GRAMMY-nominated producer Chucky Thompson describes Simpson, who had a big impact on him when he was growing up in D.C.

"I've learned so much about people from him, just the way that he's been excited about their careers," he says of Simpson. "It transcends to you. It's like, 'Wait a minute, Donnie's excited? Now I'm excited.'"

For Thompson, who helped craft hits for Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige in the '90s, "Video Soul" was formative.

"It was almost like another version of what 'Soul Train' meant," Thompson says. "But [Simpson] got even more personal with you because he was able to talk to the artists and give you a little bit of insight on what their journeys were … He gave me a lot of information on how to make it in this business."

"Donnie Simpson is the standard," Joe Clair, comedian, radio personality, on-air veteran and host of "The Joe Clair Morning Show" on WPGC 95.5 FM in Washington, D.C., adds. "My mom and dad loved him, my siblings love him and people from a generation after me love him. That is a testament to who he is as a broadcaster and what he means to us as a voice for our community. I've worked with him throughout  the years, and he's given me valuable advice both for career moves and for negotiating my worth. He is a shining example for a life in radio and television on your own terms."

Yet becoming successful in the business, including achieving financial success, wasn't an easy journey for Simpson. The DJ has been vocal about the need for equitable pay for Black DJs. In recalling his own path to multimillion-dollar contracts, Simpson turns to a lyric from Elton John's "I've Seen That Movie Too": "It's a habit I have / I don't get pushed around."

"I've walked out [on deals], because you're not going to get me for half [the] price because I'm Black; those days are over," Simpson says, adding that in Detroit, he made one-fifth of what white DJs were making. "That was a very significant part of my career, to be able to be a part of changing that narrative, to letting them know you have to pay Black talent."

Simpson has also advocated for stations to put more of the DJ back into DJing. In the past few decades, he notes, many DJs have watched their curated playlists and airtime drift away due to technological advances and the consolidation of station ownership.

"So much of its personality has been stripped from it," Simpson says of the art of DJing. "I play whatever I want to play every day, but that's the magic of it to me … I don't want a computer programming music for me, because every day feels different. And I like to be tapped into that feeling."

In 1974, Simpson played Elton John's "Bennie And The Jets" on his show in Detroit, a decision he says he fretted about because "Black folks didn't know Elton John." He played the song twice that evening and got an overwhelming response from callers. John himself was soon on the phone with Simpson to discuss the record's success in Detroit; he handed Simpson a gold record for the single six months later.

"It's music that you wouldn't traditionally associate with Black radio; it's Elton. But that was a lesson to me," Simpson says. "It's all music to me; I don't care who made it. I just care what it sounds like [and] if it fits what I'm doing."

The fact that most DJs no longer have the latitude to craft their own playlists is a big loss for radio, Simpson says.

"You have young people out here with great ears that will never get the chance to express themselves musically because it's all programmed for them," he says. "I used to love it when wheels would touch down in Atlanta or New Orleans [or] L.A.—wherever it was. I couldn't wait to pull out my little transistor radio and hear what they were doing in that city, because it was always different."

After Simpson learned he'd be inducted into the Radio Hall Of Fame this year, he took a look at its roster of honorees over the past three decades. When he didn't see New York DJ and “Chief Rocker" Frankie Crocker and other Black radio icons on the list, the announcement gave him pause.

"These are voices that you should know about, some great talents through the years ... legends that have gone largely ignored," he says. "But I also, in my acceptance speech, acknowledged that the [Radio Hall Of Fame] is trying to correct that. You look at the list of inductees this year, with Angie Martinez, The Breakfast Club, Sway Calloway and me––man, it's like #OscarsTooBlack. It's a lot of people of color that went in this year. So they have recognized that, and I applaud them for that."

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At a time when systemic racism and police brutality against Black people have come to the forefront of the national dialogue, Simpson says he feels compelled to speak out.

"If I were not on the radio, if I didn't have a microphone, I think I would still feel that responsibility to whatever people I encounter that I could talk to, to tell them how important this moment in history is for us," Simpson says. "I am so honored that I have had a platform for, now, 51 years to allow these voices to come on the radio or on TV and talk about these matters that make a difference to our community."

In 2010, Simpson retired from WPGC, where he'd hosted a morning show for nearly two decades, after contending with a "toxic" environment. But five years later, he was back at the other end of the dial on D.C.'s WMMJ Majic 102.3. Now, another retirement seems like the furthest thing from his mind.

"What's there not to love about it? I sit there kicking it with people I love. We have all the fun we can stand," Simpson says.

As praise continues to roll in from industry A-listers for his Radio Hall Of Fame induction, Simpson has advice for the many artists and listeners who now look to him for guidance as he once looked to his own mentors: "Be kind."

Each morning, Simpson takes a walk or run beside the Potomac River. While he says there's a health benefit to the ritual, he's got an additional reason to step out of his door.

"What I'm really doing is collecting smiles," Simpson says. "That's kind of my purpose: to bring warmth and joy."

Tune in for a special Up Close & Personal conversation discussing Donnie Simpson's career and life in broadcasting. Moderated by Jimmy Jam, the event premieres Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 4:30 p.m. PST/7:30 p.m. EST via the Recording Academy's official Facebook page.

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

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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

Bonnie McKee, Leroy Sanchez, Gallant and Whethan

Screenshot from New Year x New Music x New Normal summit

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New Year x New Music x New Normal: How Artists, Creatives And The Music Industry Learned To Pivot And Adapt During The Pandemic

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Presented by the Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter, this timely and introspective peer-to-peer discussion saw creatives and music industry professionals discussing the future of the music industry
Lily Moayeri
Membership
Dec 17, 2020 - 5:26 pm

To say 2020 has been the most unprecedented year for the music industry is redundant as well as an understatement. With all the upheavals that have come with the pandemic, not the least of which are the cessation of in-person live shows and lockdowns that have impeded studio sessions, have come many adjustments and changes in approaches to the creation of music. This has brought about a prolific time for the creators who have successfully pivoted, gaining knowledge and additional skills in the process, which they are taking with them into 2021. 

The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter summit, New Year x New Music x New Normal, which took place virtually Wednesday (Dec. 16), explored this topic through four panels that offered a range of perspectives from the various sides of the industry. Each of the 45-minute panels focused on a specific cross section of creatives, including artists, songwriters/producers/A&R, arranger/conductor/composer and music for visual media. Conducted in conversational style, the panel discussions saw professionals sharing experiences, trading ideas and finding common ground.

Hosted by the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chapter, Qiana Conley, the panels featured guests and speakers like: the Recording Academy's Interim President/CEO, Harvey Mason jr.; GRAMMY-winning producer/music director and L.A. Chapter governor Gregg Field; GRAMMY-winning songwriter/producer Philip Lawrence; GRAMMY-nominated producer and L.A. Chapter advisor Jeff Gitelman; GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and L.A. Chapter governor Marcus Lomax; GRAMMY-nominated composer/conductor/music director and L.A. Chapter governor Ryan Shore; GRAMMY-nominated artists Bonnie McKee and Gallant; A&R executives and L.A. Chapter governors Amanda Samii and Nicole Plantin; music supervisor and L.A. Chapter trustee Julia Michels; and artists Leroy Sanchez and Whethan. Also speaking were the Los Angeles Chapter's senior operations manager, Nicole Brown, and membership manager, Brittany Presley, plus musician/producer, founder and CEO of Jammcard, Elmo Lovano.

Watch the New Year x New Music x New Normal summit in full on Facebook.

Clockwise from top-left: Qiana Conley, Brittany Presley and Nicole Brown

Clockwise from top-left: Qiana Conley, Brittany Presley and Nicole Brown | Screenshot from New Year x New Music x New Normal summit

"We've all been impacted by the events of 2020 from the pandemic to social injustice to the continued advocacy efforts that we've been putting forward, fighting for music creator rights," Conley said in her opening remarks at the summit. "We take on these things together and music continues to unite us, both in our purpose and in the soundtrack of our passions. Our summit will allow creators to talk amongst themselves, to share and have conversations with each other about how they've been creating in this bubble, and to also sow what they expect from the New Year from the lessons that they've learned or the changes that they've made and how that will ultimately shape their creative process moving forward."

The A Conversation With Artists panel, moderated by McKee, began the summit with Gallant, Whethan and Sanchez. Some of the topics discussed included the creation of music remotely, schedule management, livestreamed shows, challenging parts of the pandemic, the effects the state of the world made on their sound and more. 

Read More: Behind The Record Returns To #GiveCredit To The Behind-The-Scenes Music Creators

"I need to keep making music," Sanchez said of staying connected to fans. "People are still listening to music. A lot of artists have realized that and we've already seen a lot of great music coming out. There's going to be a lot more creation that way. Since people can't do shows, there's a lot of audiovisual stuff. It's not a visual album, but it's some sort of movie or some sort of creative twist around the album that puts a spin on it and people can still consume it from their home and still get an experience that's not a show."

On keeping a schedule, Gallant commented, "I'm such a disorganized dude, the only way to get that clerical work done is if I really planned it out. I would think I wouldn't thrive without that structure, but when you have disorganization on top of world disorganization on top of mental disorganization, it's just a little too chaotic."

Clockwise from top-left: Jeff Gitelman, Amanda Samii, Nicole Plantin and Marcus Lomax

Clockwise from top-left: Jeff Gitelman, Amanda Samii, Nicole Plantin and Marcus Lomax | Screenshot from New Year x New Music x New Normal summit

The next panel, A Conversation With Songwriters/Producers/A&Rs, centered around the topics of creation during quarantine, breakthroughs with challenges and new practices and techniques. All panelists said they have been the busiest they have ever been during this time, with Zoom sessions and meetings allowing them to accomplish more, and more efficiently. 

"Our artists are writing from the comfort of their own home," Samii said. "Educating them on new writers, new producers that I think could be really interesting with them so that once we're out of this pandemic, we're not starting from zero. Zoom sessions are not the sexiest thing to do, but they work. I can get an artist in Australia or London in with people in L.A. today, and I can grab somebody from Nashville. There's an advantage to this time where I can grab people and put them in a room where I would have to wait until like the stars aligned, which might take a long time."

Gitelman juxtaposed not being able to be in the same room with an artist and not having a creative and intimate setting to connect with them against the convenience of being able to call someone, like Lomax, and have them quickly help in a session. 

"It's been revolutionary where certain writers have been able to give me two hours and then they'll do two hours somewhere in another Zoom session. A challenge, but something I believe we have to push ourselves to adjust to," Gitelman said.

Lomax said what helped him break through this challenge is continuing to work with the same people he has for the last few years. "The core same people that pretty much I've been doing music with, I've been very familiar with for the last few years so that was an easy way to get into it for me," he said. "Once I got into it, these sessions aren't going as long. I can be available to more people more frequently and maybe be more effective and more efficient in a different way."

"It's allowed us to use our time differently than we would have used it in the past and that's not a bad thing," Plantin added. "We've been able to pour a little bit more into ourselves, dig into ourselves a little more and do things that we may not have had the time to do before."

On the topic of inspiration, Gitelman said, "It's an important time in history right now. Are you going to be on this side of it? Or are you going to be on this side? All of us need to evolve and push ourselves a little more. If you need to learn a DAW, Pro Tools or Logic, if your career depended on it, wouldn't you be able to do that? I'm a fighter. We're going to get through it. We're going to make it happen. I encourage other people to embrace the evolution."

"It's been a testing year, but it's been a great year for music, and I think we're going to see some great music come from this. A lot of people have a lot to say and I'm looking forward to hearing that," Samii concluded.

Ryan Shore (L) and Gregg Field (R)

Ryan Shore (L) and Gregg Field (R) | Screenshot from New Year x New Music x New Normal summit

The A Conversation With Arrangers/Conductors/Composers panel was a one-on-one between Shore and Field who have a unique perspective from the composing side. Shifting relatively easily into the post-pandemic way of studio recording, Field spoke on one of the major changes he experienced. "If I've got a vocalist, I want to be in the live room with them, one-on-one. The worst thing for me is to leave an artist alone in a room when they've got no energy to come back and forth, so the emotional opportunities for the singer to feel something are missed."

The Los Angeles Chapter leaders came in with some remarks, noting the many ways creatives could engage around advocacy as a member. Conley, who frequently hears members asking about how they could get involved, suggested to "contact Congress."

Read More: VP Of Member & Industry Relations Kelley Purcell On How Recording Academy Members Can Make A Difference

"We are still in the fight, on your behalf, for getting the correct relief that we need for music creators that have been impacted by COVID by encouraging your Congress people to support the HITS Act or the SOS Bill or the Restart Act," Conley said.

Clockwise from top-left: Julia Michels, Philip Lawrence and Harvey Mason jr.

Clockwise from top-left: Julia Michels, Philip Lawrence and Harvey Mason jr. | Screenshot from New Year x New Music x New Normal summit

The final panel of the summit was A Conversation With One Project, Three Voices: Music For Visual Media. This panel revolved around the Netflix smash holiday musical, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. The three voices of Mason, Lawrence and Michels, who moderated the panel, are responsible for creating the unforgettable music of David E. Talbert's Jingle Jangle, mainly during the pandemic. 

Michels asked Lawrence about the speed in which he wrote the songs to which he replied, "I fell in love with the story. I was moved by the script. And I fell in love with David and his energy. He's this infectious personality that you just want to be around. Understanding the story and narrative and wanting to do justice to these characters was the catalyst for me to be as spontaneous and in the moment as possible. I've built a career on freestyling. I try not to overthink."

In contrast to the spontaneous and in-person interaction of Lawrence with Talbert, Mason's experience recording for Jingle Jangle was wholly dictated by the pandemic's fluctuating restrictions.

"At certain points we could gather 10 people, so we would rush and get as many people in the room as we could," Mason said. "Then they said now you can only have two people, so we would put people in different booths. At one point we tried to record a choir. Fortunately, in my studio we have five isolation booths, which gave us 10. We stacked it so we ended up with 40 or 50 voices by the time it was done. It was laborious for sure, to say the least. It was not convenient. But it was a challenge, and like the rest of this movie, it was big fun."

Much like the Songwriters/Producers/A&R panelists, Michaels also found that, "I have more access to musicians because, unfortunately, people aren't touring. People are willing to write, and I'm getting a lot of 'yeses' where I think I would have gotten 'nos' on some other projects."

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