Boo Mitchell
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Memphis Chapter Gov. Boo Mitchell Testifies As Recording Academy Supporter At House Judiciary Music Hearing

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"I can't think of another industry in America where you are allowed to take someone else's property," Mitchell declared during the virtual meeting — and Gloria Estefan and Dave Pomeroy echoed his sentiment
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Feb 4, 2022 - 3:25 pm

Speaking during a virtual House Judiciary hearing on Feb. 2, Gloria Estefan extolled the transformative power of music.

"Each of the songs that are precious and meaningful to you was a labor of love for the songwriters, the artists, the musicians and producers that brought it to life," she said. "They poured their own hearts and souls into its creation."

The problem, though? "But when their music is played on the radio," Estefan continued, "Artists don't get paid, only the songwriters."

In the tableau of digital squares, the three-time GRAMMY winner and 12-time nominee wasn't alone in this assessment. Supporting her argument were Nashville musician Dave Pomeroy and Memphis Chapter Governor Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell — who testified with support from the Recording Academy’s Advocacy Team, and spoke from his experience as a producer, engineer, musician, and the co-owner of historic Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.

"It's about the backbone — the people that make the music. I don't get promotion for 'Uptown Funk,'" Mitchell said in a follow-up Q&A, referring to the GRAMMY-winning hit Mark Ronson song — featuring Bruno Mars — that he co-produced. "It's not just about the featured artists, but the blue-collar people that go in to help make these great records."

Harvey Mason jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, also chimed in with his own statement.

"Today's House Judiciary Committee hearing on the American Music Fairness Act gives lawmakers an opportunity to hear directly from music creators on the antiquated compensation practices by radio stations for their performances," he said.

"The work of artists like Boo Mitchell, Gloria Estefan and Dave Pomeroy should not be devalued to increase the bottom line of big radio conglomerates," Mason continued. "It's time for terrestrial radio to compensate creators fairly. Our hope is that listening to these musicians today will spur Congress toward action."

Read on for Mitchell's entire testimony exhorting for the passage of the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), click here to access the recorded hearing, and click here to take action to support the AMFA.

Dear Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Jordan, and members of the committee,

My name is Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell. I am a GRAMMY Award-winning Recording Engineer, Producer, Composer, Musician, and the co-owner of Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. I am also a member of the Board of Governors of the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy. Best known for the GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy represents thousands of songwriters, performers, musicians, producers, and engineers across the country. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today.

In 2014, I was visited here at Royal Studios by songwriters and producers Mark Ronson and Jeff Bhasker. After visiting the studio, Mark told me that he wanted to record his album here, including a track with Bruno Mars. Over the next several weeks, Mark, Bruno, Jeff, myself, and some of the finest musical talents from Memphis and around the country teamed up to record the song "Uptown Funk." "Uptown Funk" was released in November of 2014, and immediately charted on Billboard. Eventually, it became the number one song of the year. And then it became the number one song of the decade. "Uptown Funk" is currently fourth on Billboard's All-Time Hot 100 charts. In 2016, it won the GRAMMY Award for Record of the Year, the first record made in Memphis to win this honor.

"Uptown Funk" was also a huge hit on the radio. In 2015, "Uptown Funk" finished the year as the number one song on the mainstream Top 40 radio chart. To this day, it is one of the twenty most played songs of all time on mainstream top 40 radio in America.

But despite this historic airplay on the radio, no one involved in the recording of "Uptown Funk" has ever been paid by the radio broadcasters who used and profited from their work.

Because of a loophole in the copyright law, radio broadcasters are allowed to play sound recordings without asking for permission from the artists who created it and without paying them any compensation. They can play records on the air for free, and they use our music to sell billions of dollars worth of advertising. I can't think of another industry in America where you are allowed to take someone else's property and use it without permission or compensation.

But this story gets crazier. "Uptown Funk" wasn't just a big radio hit in the United States, it was a hit around the world. The track reached number one in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and the U.K. In every single one of those countries, the broadcasters actually did pay royalties for playing the record. But I still didn't get paid.

You see, almost every other country in the world recognizes a public performance right for sound recordings on the radio, and they require broadcasters to pay royalties to artists and rights holders. But because we don't recognize a performance right here in the United States, foreign countries won't pay American artists the royalties we are due until the United States fixes the law and reciprocates. So, Mark Ronson, who was born in London and still lives there, can collect royalties from all the airplay that "Uptown Funk" has received around the world. But none of the American artists who collaborated with him can. Every year, American artists are losing hundreds of millions of dollars in international royalties that are owed to them.

More than two dozen individuals are credited on the recording of "Uptown Funk." While performance royalties from radio may not make a huge difference in the life of a super star like Bruno Mars, it would make all the difference in the world to me and to the other musicians, vocalists, and studio professionals that created this iconic track.

Fortunately, there is a reasonable, common-sense solution to fix this injustice. The American Music Fairness Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Ted Deutch and Darrell Issa. This bill would establish a performance right for sound recordings played on AM/FM radio stations. Under the bill, artists, performers, vocalists, producers, and other music makers involved in the creation of a sound recording would receive fair market compensation for their music played on radio stations across the U.S., just like they currently receive on digital radio services.

Importantly, the bill also safeguards the royalties received by songwriters for airplay on the radio, and it also contains key protections for small broadcasters to ensure that local and community radio stations can continue to thrive.

"Uptown Funk" is just one illustration of how this injustice has hurt recording artists throughout history. This year happens to be the fiftieth anniversary of Al Green's legendary album Let's Stay Together, which was recorded at Royal Studios and produced, recorded, and mixed by my dad, Willie Mitchell. The title track was a number one hit and has been added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, but my dad, who passed away in 2010, never received a penny from radio for his work.

Fast-forward to today and we are still making hits in Memphis that you can hear on the radio. It was just about one year ago that I received another phone call, this time from Bruno Mars. He was working on a new project and wanted to add some of those grimy Memphis horns. Those horns can be heard on the new album Bruno recorded with Anderson .Paak under the name Silk Sonic. Their current single "Smokin Out The Window" is still on the charts and still on the radio, but the horn players I recorded with -- Kameron Whalum, Marc Franklin, Kirk Smothers, and Lannie McMillan – haven't received any compensation from broadcasters.

Some things have not changed from the time my dad opened Royal Studios to today. We still produce and record great music. And AM/FM radio stations still pay no royalties to performers. Time is running out to fix this injustice for the artists of my dad's generation, like the Rev. Al Green and the Rev. Charles Hodges. These artists aren't looking for free promotion to sell records or go on tour, they just want the compensation that they deserve but have long been denied. And a new generation is struggling to see if they can even make it in the music business.

The ongoing pandemic continues to disrupt touring and the live music sector, which makes it all the more important that artists are able to fully realize the value of their recorded music in order to make a living. The lost royalties from radio could make the difference in whether a musician can stay focused on their career or has to take a second or third job to get by. 

Royal Studios is one of the oldest recording studios in the world, but we've struggled during these uncertain times as well. If we had been able to collect my dad's royalties from radio over the past fifty years, my small business and my family would be in better shape today.

Those who create music answer to a unique calling. It is not just a profession you choose, it's one that also chooses you. But today I'm calling on Congress to help us keep the music playing by ensuring that American Music Creators are fully compensated the way other Music Creators around the world are, whenever their work is used or exploited.

Please pass the American Music Fairness Act. Thank you.

The House Small Business Committee Puts A Spotlight On The Creative Economy: Here's What We Learned

Sam Moore holding a microphone

Sam Moore

Photo: C Brandon

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How The Recording Academy Advocates For Legislation That Could Help Generations Of Black Artists

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The American Music Fairness Act and HITS Act have the potential to benefit generations of Black artists — furthering work done by the Recording Academy's Advocacy team and others
Advocacy
Feb 25, 2022 - 11:01 am

Every year during Black History Month, the Recording Academy shines an extra bright light on the contributions and successes of Black artists, past and present. However, the work of Black artists should be championed year-round, and their contributions to popular culture honored through systemic change. As Black History Month comes to a close, the Recording Academy's Advocacy team looks ahead to pending legislation that would benefit Black artists in the long term. 

Among such proposed legislation is the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), which would close the century-long loophole that has enabled AM/FM radio to play music without paying a royalty for sound recordings. While radio has grown to become a multibillion-dollar business, not a single cent has gone to the legion of artists behind the mic, in the booth, or on guitar —many of whom are Black music makers— involved in the creation of the sound recording.

These artists — from the trailblazing jazz acts of the '20s and '30s, to '50s pioneers of rock and roll, to the countless Motown treasures — have defined American music and culture. Yet they do not receive compensation for their contributions. This injustice has hindered the success and longevity of generations of Black artists, musicians and studio professionals, as well as their heirs.

Radio royalty payments would be of particular necessity to Black artists, who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Americans for the Arts, 69 percent of BIPOC artists became unemployed as a result of the pandemic, losing 61 percent of their income. Comparatively, white artists had a 60 percent rate of unemployment and 56 percent loss of income.

The issue of rectifying nonexistent royalty payments has had broad support. Many leading Black artists have come to Washington, D.C., over the years to fight to end this injustice, including the late, great Mary Wilson of the Supremes. Last summer, Dionne Warwick and Sam Moore went to Capitol Hill to introduce the American Music Fairness Act, and major producer Boo Mitchell testified on the issue earlier in February in front of the House Judiciary Committee.

"This week is the 50th anniversary of Reverend Al Green's legendary Let's Stay Together album, which was produced and recorded and mixed here at Royal Studios by my father, the late Willie Mitchell," Mitchell said at the hearing, noting that the album's title track was a No. 1 hit and added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. "My father, who passed away in 2010 tragically, never received a penny from radio for his work. And shamefully, neither have the other great Memphis musicians and vocalists who created this work."

Mitchell continued, "Time is running out to fix this injustice for the artists of my dad's generation … These artists aren't looking for free promotion to sell records or to go on tour. They simply want to be compensated for their work."

Following the House Judiciary Committee hearing, children of deceased Black legacy recording artists wrote a letter in support of the American Music Fairness Act. This letter outlined the importance of closing the loophole that allows terrestrial radio to get away with not paying artists for their work, as well as the incorrect nature of the National Association of Broadcasters' (NAB) arguments against the passage of the AMFA.

"For us, to hear the NAB claim that passage of a bill that finally would compensate hundreds if not thousands of black artists would somehow put small minority owned radio stations that couldn't afford $500 a year out of business, thereby devastating low income communities where Black and Latino reside is intolerable," the letter stated.

The letter also argued in favor of the bill’s protections for small, local and community radio stations that earn less than $1.5 million annually. In the letter, the heirs even offered to cover a station’s "$10, $100 or $500 only annual fees" paid through the 501(c)(3) The Soul Arts And Music Foundation, founded by Sam Moore and his wife, Joyce.

If the American Music Fairness Act becomes law, these royalty payments would provide overdue funds to artists across the country and serve as one large step toward ending systemic inequities for artists of color. Ending these disparities is at the core of the Recording Academy's Advocacy efforts.

Similarly, the Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act is another effort that will provide much-needed, immediate relief to independent artists while benefiting them in the long term.

The HITS Act would allow artists, musicians, producers, and studio technicians to deduct the entirety of their recording expenses, up to $150,000, on their taxes for the year incurred. The HITS act passed the House in 2021 as part of the Build Back Better Act and is currently being considered in the Senate.

"We have an opportunity where every other business has all these tax laws and things that have been passed," Kevin Liles, co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment, CEO of Elektra Music Group, and Recording Academy member, noted of the importance of the HITS Act during a panel discussion about Black-owned small businesses.

Liles continued, "If you think about the small artist, the small producer, the recording studio — if we give them a kind of a cap, $150,000 basis, they could write off 100 percent of the cost as an expense. That little thing alone could keep the light on. It could have somebody else get another piece of equipment."

The HITS Act is another proactive step Congress can take to help the music community recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. And since the onset of COVID-19, the Recording Academy has mobilized its members to advocate for better protections and provisions for Black artists and Black-owned small businesses in the music ecosystem.

During the Academy's Summer of Advocacy in 2020, thousands of Recording Academy members successfully pushed Congress to provide targeted relief to minority-owned businesses by providing dedicated funding for underserved businesses so that they had direct access to the support and capital they deserved. The HITS Act would be another step towards recovery for Black artists and businesses, and reflects the Academy's advocacy efforts to provide economic relief and equity that encourage creative success in years to come.

Creators & Champions For Creators: These 2022 GRAMMYs Award Show Nominees Are Also Advocates For The Music Industry

Jimmy Jam & Co 775775104

(L-R) Jimmy Jam, Rep. Ted Deutch, Sofia Carson, Rep. Michael McCaul, and Terry Lewis

Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

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How The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards Brought Joy, Healing & Reverence For Music People

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Featuring key congresspeople and leading lights in the music community, the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards was in equal parts celebratory and impactful toward the fight for creators' rights for all music people.
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Apr 28, 2022 - 12:21 pm

Just before a performance where Jimmy Jam played an enormous keytar and Sen. Amy Klobuchar playfully shook a maraca, Jam laid down his stone-cold genuine feelings about his chosen artform. "Music is the divine art," he told the crowd at the packed GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 27, as they munched on dinner and dessert and enjoyed an open bar. And he meant it.

"Imagine a life without music," the five-time GRAMMY-winning producer continued. "It would be like breathing without oxygen. It would be like thirst without water. It would be life without the aural sustenance in our souls." Fellow five-time GRAMMY winner Terry Lewis, his decades-long partner who together form the legendary duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who were this year's artist honorees at the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, concurred: "This is the thing that God gave us to pull us together."

This balance between tireless work and divine play — a bunch of musicians jamming out a few blocks away from the hub of U.S. democracy — epitomized the vision of the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, Washington, D.C.'s premier annual celebration of music and advocacy. On the surface, it seemed to simply be musicians having a ball with lawmakers, connecting the spheres of music and politics. But there was nothing at all frivolous or superficial about the intent, as encapsulated in Ledisi's passionate question in her performance: "What can be higher than this?"

Much like MusiCares, the Advocacy division of the Recording Academy is predicated on helping music people in need — in this case, creators and artists who aren't fairly compensated for their labor. This happens to songwriters and music creators, who are regularly financially neglected, too often.

At this year's GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week, this urgent issue was front and center. 

Watch: Inside GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. is one of music's most vocal advocates for fair compensation for creators. A GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and producer by trade, he knows the inner workings of the music business.

"You have to remember, I'm a songwriter," Mason jr. said in an interview on the red carpet at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. In his experience, he's been paid for his songwriting work. But the landscape is increasingly tilting toward exploitation of his peers. "To get paid $7,000 or $10,000 is not acceptable," he continued. "So that's something I'm very passionate about — in my experience, but also knowing what it takes to be successful."

Other songwriters at the event also echoed this sentiment: Whitney Phillips, Lupita Infante, Emily Warren, Nnenna Freelon, Gramps Morgan, Autumn Rowe, and Emily Bear, the latter three of whom have won GRAMMYs. Although they spoke individually, they came together for a collective higher purpose: a path toward fair treatment and fair compensation for music people, especially after a detrimental pandemic, that can no longer wait. (Gospel singer Yolanda Adams, rappers Bun B and Cordae, gospel group Take 6, and singer/actress Sofia Carson also performed at and/or attended the event.)

"They asked for me to come out here and speak and advocate, and it was a no-brainer for me," Phillips said. "I think what's most frustrating about the songwriter experience is that nobody has known what to do, what to say, who to talk to — what's going to be the most effective way to get this message across that we need to be fairly compensated."

DJs Amira and Kayla performing at GRAMMYs On The Hill

DJs Amira and Kayla performing at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

Infante, the granddaughter of Mexican ranchera legend Pedro Infante, agrees — and this reality compelled her to become a brand-new Advocacy participant. "I think my music genre is a little bit incoming; I do Mexican music, and there's a big community out there," she says. "I think it's important to have that music protected."

Warren, who co-wrote Dua Lipa's GRAMMY-nominated hit "Don't Start Now," initially tried to highlight advocacy for music people via online posts, but she hit a wall. "I think people don't understand what the [pay] rate is for [music] streaming — why it is that way, what the history of that is, and why it's so hard to change," she says. "I think just making it simple and educating people so they know what to ask for and what they deserve [is important]."

Jazz luminary Nnenna Freelon, who was most recently nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 2022 GRAMMYs, boils it down to eternal family lessons. "What did grandma say? 'Actions speak louder than words,'" she says. "Often, people don't think of the material value of the creation as anything that should be compensated," she added, speaking of the often-invisible role of the songwriter.

Reggae master Gramps Morgan articulates the problem less in terms of dollar signs than of sheer visibility. "If you're not acknowledged, it makes you feel bad," he says. And when he does discuss financial compensation, it's more in terms of the overall system than of applying Band-Aids: "The last time these laws were changed was in the '40s. Now it's time to, as the music has changed and moved forward."

Sofia Carson performing at GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Sofia Carson performing at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

As singer/songwriter, DJ and activist Rowe puts it, "I got involved with Advocacy, because how can I not? If not, I'm just sitting at home complaining about why things are the way they are." She connects this to our era of no-skin-in-the-game online activism: "You can post all day, you can tweet all day, but you've got to really get out there and get with the people that can actually change your life."

Bear, a pianist straddling the spheres of classical and jazz, says she feels like she regularly gets "the short end of the stick" when it comes to compensation. "I've seen and felt firsthand in the streaming industry era how we can't make a living right now." What of her talented friends? "They have to go back and move in with their parents," Bear laments, "because all of a sudden, touring was gone."

How did these sentiments bear out at the actual GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards ceremony? Through passionate performances and gripping speeches. The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards celebrated artist honorees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their decades of creating iconic songs from artists like Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Boyz II Men, as well as Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) for their leadership in supporting the rights of music creators. Despite political party lines, a fierce devotion to music binded them all as friends and colleagues last night.

Rep. Deutch, who spoke first, is the lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, if passed, would pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. (If you didn't know this is a problem, read about it — you'll never listen to the radio the same way again.)

Harvey Mason jr. speaking at GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. speaking at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Leigh Vogel / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

"Our nation must nourish the songwriters struggling to make a living and support the producer and artist working in studios with the next potential hit," Deutch said in his riveting acceptance speech. And we do this, he declared, by making sure technology operates equitably to properly compensate creators. Proving his passion is on the line, he proclaimed his decades-long love for Bruce Springsteen, Faith Hill, and the greats of Motown, among other artists.

McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation like the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring in line music production with other industries and create parity. He noted that his big-band-loving parents were confused by his love of AC/DC and the Who — and he now feels the same about his kids' obsession with hip-hop. But it's all music, Rep. McCaul said in his acceptance speech — and it adds up to an intergenerational mode of expression.

The night also featured speeches from Todd Dupler, Acting Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer at the Recording Academy, as well as Recording Academy Board Of Trustees Chair Tammy Hurt, GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Jon Secada, and others.

But what ultimately bridged the music and congressional universes at the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards? The music, of course: an opening performance of the national anthem with mind-bending harmonies by Take 6 and spectacular performances by Ledisi and Co-Chair of the Recording Academy's National Advocacy Committee and four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams. And to boot, the house band for the night was composed of Recording Academy members from various Chapters across the country.

By the time everyone in the house got on their feet and the stage erupted into a dance party while Adams performed "Open My Heart," the message of the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards was abundantly clear: material change beats big talk any day. It's exactly what GRAMMYs on the Hill has advocated and accomplished: Over the past 20 years, the annual event has led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act in 2018.

And as long as that change is charged with a genuine love of music and music people, nothing can stop that righteous tide.

An Inside Look At The Recording Academy's Congressional Briefings During GRAMMY Week

(L-R) Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones attend the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards 2022 at The Hamilton on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

(L-R) Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones

Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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Music Creators Take To Capitol Hill At The Recording Academy's GRAMMYs On The Hill Advocacy Day 2022

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Following the 20th anniversary of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, GRAMMY winners and nominees meet today with representatives to protect music creators
Advocacy
Apr 28, 2022 - 6:06 am

Today, music creators and GRAMMY winners and nominees from across the country will meet with representatives on Capitol Hill in support of legislation to protect and ensure fair treatment as the music community continues to recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This effort comes on the morning after the 20th anniversary of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, Washington, D.C.'s premier annual celebration of music and advocacy, bringing together congressional leaders and music makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators' rights.

"Over the past two decades of GRAMMYs on the Hill, we've honored legendary creators and congressional leaders moving our industry forward and standing up for working musicians across the country," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "Last night was no exception, though there is still work to be done. As we meet with legislators today, we urge them to join us in support of more equitable solutions that protect the creative community, ensure fair treatment for creators, and harness the power of music to reach across cultures in pursuit of peace."

Benefitting the GRAMMY Museum and sponsored by City National Bank, the Recording Academy's 2022 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards returned to the nation's capital on Wednesday, April 27, recognizing five-time GRAMMY-winning, renowned songwriters and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who have been instrumental in defining the sound of pop music for decades. Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) were also honored for their leadership in supporting the rights of music creators.

Watch: Inside GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Throughout Advocacy Day meetings, creators will urge support for several efforts, including those introduced by this year's congressional honorees. Deutch is the lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, if passed, would pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation like the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring in line music production with other industries and create parity.

Together, Deutch and McCaul also introduced the Promoting Peace, Education, and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) through Music Diplomacy Act, an effort crystalized into importance by recent events and showcased in action during the 64th GRAMMY Awards by a powerful performance from three Ukrainian artists, Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newton and Lyuba Yakimchuck, together with GRAMMY winner John Legend.

Another key issue that will be addressed on behalf of songwriters and composers is the fight for fair pay. Later this year, the Copyright Royalty Board will set the royalty rates that streaming services pay to songwriters, and tech companies are once again pushing to cut songwriter pay.

Over the last 20 years, GRAMMYs on the Hill has hosted award-winning artists and applauded congressional leaders alike, including four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams, then Vice President Joe Biden, two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, former United States Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), 28-time GRAMMY winner Quincy Jones, seven-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), four-time GRAMMY winner Missy Elliott, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and more. The annual advocacy event has also led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act in 2018.

How The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards Brought Joy, Healing & Reverence For Music People

GRAMMY Brunch 2022

GRAMMY Fund Breakfast during ​​GRAMMY Week 2022

Photo: David Becker/Getty Images for the Recording Academy

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GRAMMY Week 2022: How The Recording Academy's Advocacy Team And The GRAMMY Fund Breakfast Fight To Advance Music Creators' Rights

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At the annual GRAMMY Fund Breakfast during ​​GRAMMY Week 2022, the Recording Academy's Advocacy team honored leaders who are fostering the next generation of music makers
Melissa Gill
Advocacy
Apr 11, 2022 - 2:53 pm

They say teamwork makes the dream work. To prove that axiom true, music creators and lawmakers must unite to advance the rights of music professionals. The drive to increase support for music creators defined the theme at the third GRAMMY Fund Breakfast, a fundraiser for the Recording Academy's Political Action Committee (PAC) held by the Advocacy & Public Policy team.

The GRAMMY Fund Breakfast — an official GRAMMY Week 2022 event held at Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas on April 2 — gathered leaders of the Recording Academy's Advocacy team, supporters and advocates to thank them for their support and contributions to advancing creators' rights. The event raises funds for the GRAMMY Fund for Music Creators, a PAC that provides Recording Academy members the opportunity to help defend music makers' rights and support their best interests on significant policy issues. With a deep understanding of the creators' journey, the Recording Academy Advocacy team strives to build a better future for all music makers.

Leaders of the committee spoke on the importance of championing music advocacy throughout the GRAMMY Fund Breakfast fundraiser. Todd Dupler, Acting Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer at the Recording Academy, expressed the utmost appreciation for the Recording Academy's National Advocacy Committee and backers. 

"Your support for what we are doing here fuels our advocacy work all year long, fighting for music creators and for creators' rights," he said.

During the event, Dupler recognized members of the Advocacy team, including Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones, as well as trustees in attendance — among them, Recording Academy Board Of Trustees Chair Tammy Hurt, Vice Chair Rico Love and Chair Emeritus Christine Albert. He also offered thanks to his Advocacy & Public Policy team members in attendance, including Senior Director Michael Lewan, Project Manager Anngela Hanks, and Executive Assistant Montana Miller.

Dupler also acknowledged Brookly Bowl founder and owner Peter Shapiro for hosting the event. At the venue, located in the LINQ Promenade, fundraiser attendees settled into large leather sofas as they drank breakfast cocktails and noshed on gourmet morsels.

Shortly after, Andrew Joslyn, composer, orchestrator, violinist, and Co-Chair of the National Advocacy Committee, took the mic. With great enthusiasm, Joslyn delivered a heartfelt speech, expressing appreciation to the Washington, D.C.-based Advocacy team and donors. Through his leadership role, he aims to advance economic equality and recovery for all musicians.

"I wanted to talk a little about the human aspect of what the GRAMMY Fund does. Advocacy sometimes can feel like a stratospheric concept," Joslyn said, adding that he is a gig musician.  "It doesn't really get to the heart of what it actually means. Becoming a full-time musician for a lot of artists is the dream. It's not about the glitz and the glamor and the millions of dollars. It's about being able to sustain the dream.

"The pandemic, the zombie apocalypse, Ice Age, we've all been living through, that was difficult for all of us," he continued. "The gigs stopped. The work stopped. The tours stopped. So where's the money come from? Here's the human aspect that you need to know."

In his gripping speech, Josyln praised the Committee for their dedication to making progressive changes in the music industry, noting that the Advocacy team is "really on the front lines making sure that people like me, people like my colleagues" can live their dreams and sustain a living. "The conductors, the engineers, the road crew, the people that make the dream happen for all the superstars. They're the ones that are suffering.

"The money you are contributing today is putting forth the dreams for all the musicians," Joslyn said. "Not just for me … but all the people that deserve the right to be here in the future. Thank you so much."

Following Joslyn, Yolanda Adams, Co-Chair of the Academy's National Advocacy Committee and the event's special guest host, took the floor. The iconic gospel singer and four-time GRAMMY winner has been at the forefront of fighting for fair compensation for artists and creating legislation to increase the rights of creators.

"I am so excited about the future. We have come through some really stressful, hard times, and to see you all in attendance today makes our hearts just burst with joy because we know that the work we are doing is not going in vain," she said. "We're fighting on the Hill, we're fighting at the state level, we're fighting on the local level. Everywhere we fight, we know the fight is worth it."

Adams' radiant presence and warm voice charmed the crowd. "Although our faces are the most prominent, your participation helps us get to the Senate floor [and] the House floor to tell folks, 'Hey, y'all doing us wrong.1945 prices for 2022. That will not work!' Some of y'all didn't get the joke, you'll catch it after the Bellini."

Such efforts require a team, she continued. "We could not do this without you. None of us are islands," Adams said with exuberance. "We all got here through people, so we're gonna need people. I am so glad that the people we need today are the amazing folks in this room who are going to make it happen."

The Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing Town Hall: Here Were The Insights About Songwriter Royalties & Justice For Music Makers