GRAMMYs

Michael McDonald

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Meet The Real Ironman: Michael McDonald To Race On Behalf Of MusiCares

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The music manager and MusiCares Chair Emeritus opens up about being two decades sober and racing the 2019 IRONMAN to benefit the organization he says saved his life
Nate Hertweck
MusiCares
Sep 19, 2019 - 9:49 am

In Fall of 1999, music manager Michael McDonald took the first step in his race toward a new life and, with the help of MusiCares, got sober. Two decades later, not only is he still sober, he's  chair emeritus of the organization and he's training to race in the 2019 Kona IRONMAN World Championships to raise money for the organization he credits with saving his life.

"I vividly remember watching the Kona IRONMAN World Championships on television and crying because I was too hungover to fathom the level of dedication, perseverance, and athleticism," he recalls.

But on Oct. 12, McDonald will fulfill his dream and run the exact same race he saw on TV 20 years ago. And thanks to a partnership with the IRONMAN Foundation, he's raising money for MusiCares in the process – a lot of money. The aspiring ironman's charity effort blew past his original donation goal of $150k and has since eclipsed the $200k mark. This money will go a long way toward helping MusiCares deliver the necessary financial and emotional support to anyone in the music community in need.

What makes a person open his heart with this level of generosity, motivation and drive? For McDonald, getting sober has illuminated a path to helping others. "What good is it for me to be sober and not have that benefit someone else?" he asks.

We caught up with McDonald as he prepares for the big race while  balancing  both support for the charity as well as his duties as founder of Mick Management, to talk about sobriety, training for the  triathlon, and what life is really all about: giving back.

Congrats on 20 years of sobriety. What has been the key to lasting sobriety?

The key to lasting sobriety for me has been gratitude for the life I have. I have to constantly remind myself that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my sobriety. The only reason I’m able to do what I do with the people I do is because I no longer drink or do drugs. I also rely heavily on my network of family and friends who have supported me all along. I also have a sponsor that keeps me honest and reminds me to go to more meetings!

Training for the Kona Ironman World Championships, another remarkable feat, must have involved a similar one-step-at-a-time dedication. What can you tell us about your training and preparation regimen leading up to Kona?

I’ve never thought of it like that, but it’s very accurate. I committed to the race about 18 months ago. Had I only focused on the final distances, I would have been overwhelmed. But I just did what I was told by someone who knows more than me. Week by week, I slowly started adding distance. I find when I break things down into smaller goals ("Just focus on the next 5 miles;then we’ll worry about the remaining 50"), I’m able to stay present and not get overwhelmed or dwell on the worst case scenario. Much like the 12 Steps, a lot of it is about mental strength and training. If I thought about the rest of my life being drug and alcohol free the day I decided to quit, I wouldn’t have made it. I took it 24 hours at a time.

You’ve credited MusiCares as the organization that saved your life. What does it mean to you to be able to give back to MusiCares so generously?

For me, this is what life is all about; sharing the gifts I’ve been given. What good is it for me to be sober and not have that benefit someone else? That’s a pretty selfish existence. I feel really fortunate to be a part of the music community. The fact that I’ve been surrounded by such incredible art and artists for the past 27 years is beyond my wildest dreams. MusiCares helped me sustain that. It’s my responsibility to help those who helped me. It’s really just that simple.

Lastly, what’s running through your mind as you prepare for October 12? Any hopes, butterflies or predictions?  

Butterflies is an understatement! All I can predict is that I’ll do everything in my power to finish the race. I want to prove to myself that I can have a dream and make it come true. The process has already been a success. Awareness of MusiCares and mental health, addiction & recovery can always use another voice, and this has helped. This will help improve the lives of others. The generosity people have shown with contributions is overwhelming. Truly. The support of the music community further proves that it truly cares about its creators. My friends and family have shown up in ways I never imagined. When I think about the race, I honestly only think about the finish line. 

Donate here to support Michael McDonald's race in the 2019 Kona IRONMAN World Championship on behalf of MusiCares.

READ MORE: Michael McDonald On His Amazing Journey From MusiCares Client To Chair

GRAMMYs

Michael McDonald

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Michael McDonald Crushes IRONMAN, MusiCares Fundraising Goal & 20 Years Of Sobriety

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"Somewhere deep inside, a seed was planted that finally came to bloom," McDonald said, reflecting on his inspiring journey to the IRONMAN
Ana Monroy Yglesias
MusiCares
Oct 15, 2019 - 1:15 pm

On Sat., Oct. 12, music management veteran Michael McDonald did something he would've never imagined possible in his earlier years as tour manager: complete the IRONMAN race on the 20th anniversary of his sobriety.

And the accomplishment was much bigger than McDonald himself; he raised over $394,000 for MusiCares, where he is Chair Emeritus, and the IRONMAN Foundation. His original fundraising goal was $150,000.

"I vividly remember watching the Kona IRONMAN World Championships on television and crying because I was too hungover to fathom the level of dedication, perseverance, and athleticism," McDonald explained.

"Somewhere deep inside, a seed was planted that finally came to bloom," he added in a press release.

In his training for the big race, McDonald clocked in an impressive feat of athleticism, biking over 3,000 miles, running over 800 and swimming 69. This year not only marks McDonald's impressive first IRONMAN and 20 years of sobriety, but also his 50th birthday, as well as the 30th anniversary of MusiCares, whose addiction services helped him get clean.

"Crossing the finish line in Kona was one of the greatest honors of my life. I am overflowing with gratitude towards all my donors and the IRONMAN Foundation for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity," he recently said.

Read More: Meet The Real Ironman: Michael McDonald To Race On Behalf Of MusiCares

Donations came from Mick Management, the Brooklyn-based music management company McDonald founded, VEGA, ROKA, Brooks Running, Cervélo Cycles, Live Nation, Music That Moves and other orgs and individuals. GRAMMY-winning musician Leon Bridges, who is represented by Mick Management, also generously donated $75,000.

In his fundraising efforts, McDonald joined TEAM IMF, IRONMAN Foundation's fundraising team. The remaining funds are donated to the Foundation, which works with change-making organizations in race communities, including the Kailua-Kona region, where the World Championship is held.

To learn more and support about the work MusiCares does to assist and empower the music community in-need, please visit grammy.com/musicares.

Aerosmith To Be Honored As 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year

GRAMMYs

Neil Lasher

Photo by Maury Phillips/WireImage

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Neil Lasher, Music Industry Executive & Longtime MusiCares Supporter, Dies Of Coronavirus

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The veteran record label and music publishing exec helped establish MusiCares' Safe Harbor Rooms and was honored by the organization in 2012
Nate Hertweck
MusiCares
Apr 6, 2020 - 5:57 pm

Music industry executive Neil Lasher died on Sunday, April 5, from complications due to coronavirus. Lasher worked in many areas of the business and touched many lives and careers during his. He was 73 years old.

In addition to his triumphs in music business, Lasher, a longtime supporter of MusiCares, also become a certified alcoholism and substance abuse counselor. He consulted with MusiCares and helped establish their Safe Harbor Rooms, a sober space backstage at events, at the GRAMMY Awards since 1997.

"Neil's greatest legacy is how many people he helped through intervention," Carole King wrote in a tweet. "Rest in peace and the power of your accomplishments."

Lasher began his music career as a disc jockey and radio promotion executive before moving into the record label world and, ultimatlely, music publishing. He rose the ranks to VP of promotion, marketing and arstist relations for EMI Music Publishing, where he worked for 21 years.

In 2012, at the eighth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert. Lasher was honored Lasher alongside Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have two rewarding careers — one in the music industry and one in the field of addiction recovery,” Lasher said at the time of the event. “I’ve made countless friends in both, and have wonderful memories spanning many years. And because I’ve seen the ravages of addiction take their toll on artists, crew members, myself, and others who work in the music business, I’ve been a supporter of the MusiCares MAP Fund from the very beginning.”

In recent years,  Lasher served as a consultant, working to support the likes of Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

“His passionate work as a music executive led him to his true purpose, helping others," Jon Platt, chairman-CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, said in a statement. "We are forever grateful for Neil and his legacy.”

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

 

Frank Iero

Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance

Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

News

MusiCares COVID-19 Fund: MCR's Frank Iero, Rita Wilson & Naughty By Nature, Ellie & Drew Holcomb & More Support With Livestreams & Beyond

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Linda Perry with We Are Hear, Brett Young via Levi Strauss' "5:01 Live" series and CMT, with their upcoming star-studded Kenny Rogers tribute special, have also joined the cause
Ana Monroy Yglesias
MusiCares
Apr 6, 2020 - 12:58 pm

Many more artists and companies have come together during this difficult time to support the many music people out-of-work and in-need due to coronavirus, with more fun fundraisers and generous donations to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Today, actor/singer Rita Wilson teamed up with hip-hop legends Naughty By Nature to release a special remix of their classic track "Hip Hop Hooray," featuring none other than Wilson herself throwing down bars. All proceeds from the song will be donated to the Fund. It was released on YouTube today (listen below) and will be available across streaming/digital platforms this Friday. Wilson and her husband, Tom Hanks, contracted COVID-19 while filming in New Zealand; after posting a video rapping "Hip Hop Hooray" on Instagram, the group reached out to her about collaborating on the new version for a good cause.

For the last two weeks, Nashville powerhouse singer/songwriters and power couple Ellie and Drew Holcomb having been performing fun covers ranging from U2 to Kacey Musgraves to John Mayer on their daily Kitchen Covers series, raising money for MusiCares and their out-of-work touring band and crew.

Linda Perry and Kerry Brown's We Are Hear multifaceted music org have launched the On The Air series, in partnership with Roland, featuring music industry talks, performances and more on YouTube. With the platform's donation functionality, they are raising money for the Fund. Halestorm's Lzzy Hale offered some empowering words and music in one of the latest episodes. 

Read More: Troye Sivan, Yoshiki, Father John Misty, Selena Gomez & More Donate To MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

On Wednesday, April 8, CMT will be airing a special star-studded tribute show to the late country king Kenny Rogers to benefit MusiCares. "CMT Giants Kenny Rogers: A Benefit for MusiCares" will feature at-home performances by Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Lady Antebellum, Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Rascal Flatts and more.

Later this week, on April 11, the Human To Human 2020 festival on Facebook Live will feature live music from Alec Benjamin, Tayla Parx, Skylar Grey, Richard Marx, Cyn, Grouplove, Jewel, Lauren Daigle and more. They will be raising money for the Plus1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has partnered with MusiCares and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Until April 9 (it began April 2), the UnCanceled Music Festival is bringing tons of live sets from artists around globe by pairing with local venues and brands to curate digital stages. The massive online event is hosted on the StageIt platform and requires "attendees" to donate in a pay-what-you-can model to watch. Fender's stage has featured alt faves like Waxahatchee, Cautious Clay and The Marias, while Los Angeles venue Hotel Cafe has tapped VINCINT, Colbie Caillat, Molly Tuttle and more. All money raised is donated to the venues' staff, the artist community and MusiCares.

Fender has been finding several creative ways to collaborate with artists and contribute to the MusiCares Fund. With the Fender Artist Check-In series on IGTV, they've tapped bad-ass guitarists including My Chemical Romance's Frank Iero, John 5, Isbell, and more and are donating on behalf of each artist that participates. In Iero's recent Check-In, which you can watch below, he shares a guitar tutorial for two MCR fan-favorites, "Ghost of You" and "Welcome to the Black Parade."

For those seeking a little retail therapy for a good cause, live music photographer Jacob Blickenstaff and pop star Troye Sivan have you covered. Blickenstaff has partnered with some of the artists he's photographed over the years, including Isbell, Dawes, Yola and Hiss Golden Messenger, selling gorgeous prints with a portion of the proceeds going to the Fund. Sivan, who had shared he would be supporting both MusiCares and the WHO's coronavirus relief efforts, recently released merch for his new single, "Take Yourself Home." All the profits from the three t-shirts will be donated to the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and Spotify's COVID-19 Music Relief project, which supports MusiCares and several other charities.

Last Fri., April 3, Light In The Attic & Friends Live brought live sets from Ben Gibbard, Jim James, Fred Armisen, Barbara Lynn, Devendra Banhart and more on their YouTube and Twitch accounts. All donations were directed to MusiCares. "Lo-Fi" singer Haley Reinhart recently did a performance on Billboard's Live At-Home series, choosing MusiCares as her charity of choice.

Explore: GRAMMY Museum To Debut Never-Before-Seen Content From Billie Eilish & FINNEAS, Brandi Carlile, Yola & Much More

Denim purveyors Levi Strauss have launched a star-studded 5:01 Live IGTV music and chat series to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts from MusiCares and the WHO. So far, it's featured a stellar squad including Snoop Dogg, Questlove, Burna Boy, Moses Sumney and Brett Young. Young, who performed last week, donated his performance fee to MusiCares. Additionally, the country star's past GRAMMY Museum is also being featured in the Museum's exciting digital offering rollout, going live on April 29.

On March 30, his birthday, country star Thomas Rhett released a new song benefiting MusiCares, called "Be A Light." Featuring none other than Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin, all of the artists' proceeds will be donated to the cause. Joining the growing coalition of companies supporting the Fund, the Country Music Association and its philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation, announced a $1 million donation last week.

As more members of the music community rallying around a unified cause, we'll keep you posted right here on musicares.org.

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

How Kevin Griffin Of Better Than Ezra Raised Over $40K (And Counting) For MusiCares In Just An Hour On Facebook

GRAMMYs

RAINNE

News

Meet RAINNE: L.A.'s Dark-Pop Duo On A Meteoric Rise

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Inside their journey from GRAMMY Camp and GRAMMY U to the Hollywood Bowl opening for some of music's biggest stars and the event that raised over $450k for MusiCares
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Dec 20, 2019 - 4:09 pm

Even if you aren't yet familiar with RAINNE, the L.A.-based duo consisting of singer/songwriter Annie Dingwall and saxophonist/engineer Justin Klunk, you're definitely familiar with the artists they opened for on Oct. 19 at "We Can Survive" at the Hollywood Bowl: Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Camila Cabello, the Jonas Brothers, Billie Eilish, Becky G, Halsey, and Marshmello. So how did they get there?

The short answer is RAINNE was selected out of over 14,000 artists who entered the Opening Act contest, 97.1 AMP Radio, and Radio.com, ultimately winning the grand prize opening slot on the bill and $10,000. Remarkably, the event also raised a whopping $450,000 for MusiCares  toward its efforts to ensure music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

The long answer stretches back nearly a decade, to when Dingwall and Klunk first met as part of the GRAMMY Museum's GRAMMY Camp music industry program for high school students. Their journey to the Hollywood Bowl stage also went through GRAMMY U, the Recording Academy's university network for college students, and USC's Popular Music Program, which they both attended.

Now, with the momentum of their Hollywood Bowl debut and a string of infections singles like "Psycho Killer," Hollow" and the newly released "Sin," RAINNE are just getting started. The Recording Academy caught up with the rising dark-pop duo to hear about their experience at "We Can Survive," the evolution of their sound and more…

First of all – for the uninitiated – tell us more about RAINNE's music. Where do you feel your unique dark-pop comes from?

Dingwall: It has definitely been a journey to find our own sound. Both Justin and I have a wide array of music influences, so it’s been fun to draw our favorite aspects from those different genres and incorporate them in our music. From a songwriting perspective, the songs we put out all have a couple common threads that weave them together – both musically and lyrically – and darker sounds and lyrics are definitely one of those motifs that define our sound.

Klunk: Our music and ‘voices’ have been evolving since we met, and this is where we feel the most comfortable expressing ourselves right now. 

That's right, you met at GRAMMY Camp. What do you remember about the program and has it helped you in your career?

Klunk: Personally, GRAMMY Camp was a major part of my musical education. Prior to the camp, I was really oblivious to the other jobs and responsibilities involved with putting on a show, or creating a record. The only thing on my mind was to play the saxophone, and the camp really opened eyes to the industry. It was inspiring for me to see while I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do for a living. And the program still affects us to this day. We keep in touch with a bunch of GRAMMY Camp alumnus, and it’s great to see how everyone is pursuing and thriving in their own endeavors.

In January, I’m actually going to be a part of the GRAMMY In The Schools Alumni band, so that’ll be a ton of fun to see some familiar faces.

Dingwall: I don’t think I realized back then just how impactful going to GRAMMY Camp would be on my life and career. It was a huge part of my musical foundation and introduction to Los Angeles – and introduced me to my best friend and band mate! I am so grateful to have met and worked with so many amazing people at Camp and so happy that they continue to be a part of our lives.

After GRAMMY Camp, how did you two start RAINNE?

Dingwall: RAINNE was a long time coming for us. After Camp, through college, and for a good time after graduation, Justin and I were playing shows together, but at the same time pursuing our own solo interests and projects. Justin released a few instrumental saxophone EPs and toured with Ariana Grande, Saint Motel, and many others, and I released some solo material and was writing for other artists and tv/film projects, but all the while we continued playing shows together. I think over the years we both felt the most comfortable and creative when performing together, and decided that we wanted to do that more than any of the other things we had going on. We decided to become a band a couple years ago and haven’t looked back since.

As a duo, how do you like to work together? What's your songwriting and production process?

Klunk: Our approach to the band is to utilize each other’s strengths and pick up the slack where one of us may fall short. We each bring a different set of skills to the band that compliment each other very well. Historically Annie has been the main songwriter for the group and I have focused more on the live band arrangements, but as we grow we are both becoming heavily involved in every aspect of the band. We have teamed up with amazing producers who understand the sound we are trying to achieve and help us make recordings we are proud to share with the world.

I also understand you participated in GRAMMY U. What was your experience like?

Klunk: GRAMMY U was wonderful. We got to attend and participate in a ton of events while we were in college – even a battle of the bands. There were even a few GRAMMY Career Days we was able to participate in, which were a blast. The various panels in L.A. and at the GRAMMY Museum were really great to check out.

Dingwall: The opportunity learn directly from successful people in the industry is something that not everyone has access to, and we were grateful to be a part of an organization that afforded us those possibilities.

How did you get involved with the Opening Act contest for "We Can Survive," and what do you think set you apart from the thousands of entrants?

Dingwall: Funny enough, Justin saw an ad for the competition on Instagram. He entered us and didn’t tell me about it until a few days afterwards. To be honest, we thought it was such a long shot, but we ended up progressing through the multiple rounds and when we got into the Top 16, we thought “Hey! Someone from the Top 16 has to win – and that someone could be us!”. The outpouring of love and support we received throughout this whole process was amazing and incredible. We are so honored and grateful to everyone who helped us get to the Hollywood Bowl. Not only that, but a portion of the votes was donated to MusiCares – which is an organization we fully support and had been involved with in the past. They do amazing things for the music community and we are happy to contribute in any way that we can. “We Can Survive” is a really special night at the Bowl and we loved to be a part of such a magical night supporting a great cause.

How did it feel performing at the Hollywood Bowl, especially on such a stacked bill. Any surprising moments?

Klunk: It was INCREDIBLE! We were obviously a bit nervous; not only was it an iconic stage, but a ridiculously stacked lineup. We just made sure to over-prepare during our rehearsal process so that we were ready for any curveball that could come our way. We found that the entire production team and staff were the kindest people ever, and they really treated us just like any of the other artists or bands on the bill. Words can’t describe how smooth they made that process and how welcomed they made us feel. 

With such a prolific and successful 2019 behind you now, what's next for RAINNE in 2020?

Dingwall: We are definitely looking forward to seeing what is in store for us in 2020. Right now we have big plans to release tons of new music and grow our fanbase.

Klunk: We also really want to tour and play even more shows than we played this year. We’d love to be opening for another artist on the road. Our shared love for performing is what got us started and we want to continue sharing that with as many people as possible! 

Meet The Real Ironman: Michael McDonald To Race On Behalf Of MusiCares