SEPTEMBER 2016 ISSUE 2 NEW FUND TRUSTEE: Tino Gagliardi FROM THE HELP DESK: The Musician’s Friend SOUND RECORDING RESEARCH: Many Shades of Gray Out and About with the Fund: The Waters Run Deep Terry O’Neal, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Lavonne Murlowski and by Terry O’Neal, Manager Oren Waters SAG-AFTRA & Industry Sound Recordings Distribution Fund (SRDF) The Fund was recently honored by a visit Santana, Dolly Parton, John Fogerty, Don these royalties have been for them and from Julia, Maxine and Oren Waters. Henley, Paul Simon and many others. others, helping them to continue to make Along with their brother Luther, they form Oren laughed as he stated their family a living in the performing arts. They also the legendary Waters family, whose voices slogan, “If you want a hit record, just add stand in support of efforts to see that the have been heard on more gold and platinum Waters!” “Fair Play Fair Pay Act” becomes law, and recordings than anyone in the history of the that performers can be fairly compensated music industry. In addition to recording, they found for AM/FM radio airplay. the desire to perform live as complete They took time out of their busy entertainers. The four individually and Oren said, “A song may be three schedules to participate in the premiere collectively have toured with the likes of minutes long, but it took much more than interview for “Out and About with the Wayne Newton, Patti LaBelle, Paul Simon three minutes of work. You reach deep to Fund,” hosted by Terry O’Neal, Manager and Neil Diamond. make it happen. A lot of times we stayed in of the newly created SAG-AFTRA & the studio after everyone else went home to Industry Sound Recordings Distribution The Waters family credits also extend make sure that the music was right. It takes Fund. The show’s debut, featuring this to film and television productions such dedication and stick-to-itiveness.” as Avatar, The Lion King, Forrest Gump, interview with the Waters family, will be This dedication to their craft has led to posted on the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund Happy Feet, The Matrix, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Ace Ventura, Rocky 1, 2, & success across the field of entertainment. website, but we will also share some of the The Waters have contributed to the five group’s background and insights here: 3, The Color Purple, Beverly Hills Cop 1 & 2, and TV’s Women of Brewster Place, biggest events in what could be called The Waters grew up in a rich musical Rosewood and much more. the Music Industry Guinness Book of environment orchestrated by their mother, Records: 1) The biggest selling album of Lorena, a talented vocalist in her own After their many accolades, (such as all time - Michael Jackson’s “Thriller;” 2) right. As young toddlers, they studied the receiving the prestigious Ella Voice Award,) The highest grossing soundtrack - Whitney cello and classical piano, but each one the Waters’ passion still remains. They Houston’s “The Bodyguard;” 3) The theme found that their best instrument was their are dedicated to enhancing the listening song to the longest running sitcom in the voice. They started singing in church, enjoyment of music lovers all over the history of TV - The Jeffersons’ “Moving school and community talent shows and world. To this day they continue to record On Up;” 4) The highest grossing movie - were encouraged to pursue opportunities to several sessions each week, supporting “Avatar,” where they contributed unique perform in the burgeoning music industry. featured artists to bring out the very best in sounds of the alien planet Pandora; and 5) the songs they sing. The most played record in the history of The four went from competing for radio - The Righteous Brothers’ “You Lost time in front of the hallway mirror to “We’re gonna give you some blood and That Loving Feeling.” distinguishing themselves as the beautiful make sure it’s everything that it can be,” voices behind iconic artists such as Michael Oren said. Be sure to visit the AFM & SAG- Jackson, Adele, Whitney Houston, Barbra Given all the work that The Waters AFTRA Fund website to listen to the entire Streisand, Glenn Frey, Guns N’ Roses, have done, they are especially appreciative interview with The Waters: Donna Summer, Barry Manilow, Patti of the Fund and the work it does on a https://www.afmsagaftrafund.org LaBelle, Lionel Richie, George Harrison, daily basis for non-featured vocalists Ringo Starr, Bobby Womack, Julio Iglesias, and musicians. They praised the staff for Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon their work researching credits for songs, Jovi, Teena Marie, Christina Aguilera, Joe even those they had forgotten they had Cocker, Celine Dion, B.B. King, Carlos performed on. They shared how important From the Editor-in-Chief by Shari Hoffman, Chief Operating Officer AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund For this second international interests. In fact, the recent to see if they know about our Fund, and if issue of The Sound Recording Distribution reflected you or they know someone listed on our Reprise, I am a number of gains including improved website’s “Unclaimed Royalties List.” thrilled to report reporting reflected on the statements for Also, I cannot emphasize enough the that the Fund that distribution. The Fund’s hands-on importance of reviewing materials that has had a banner Participant Services Division serves the accompany your distribution checks. year and is needs of our Participants by accurately For example, our April sound recording expected to surpass last year’s distributions and courteously responding to participant distribution included an informational by nearly $35M. With the upcoming telephone inquiries, live chats, e-mail insert pertaining to foreign royalties. There audiovisual payments later this month, we inquiries, and in-person visits. Our are international laws in place governing anticipate a record year totaling just under Legal Affairs Department includes a several foreign CMOs (Collective $60M. team dedicated solely to servicing the Management Organizations) that provide a The Fund is a team of 66 and beneficiaries of deceased performers, higher remuneration to performers on sound growing, complemented by Sound and there are countless others on staff recordings who were born or resided in a Recording, Audiovisual and Symphonic who manage the day-to-day operations Rome Convention country, or if that sound Divisions all devoted to research, to secure royalties for you. Suffice it recording took place in a Rome Convention collections and distributions. Our recently to say, the Fund would not be what it is country. The Rome Convention countries launched International Compliance today without this dedicated group, most are Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia- Division maintains foreign collections of them fellow performers themselves. Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, and allocations and represents our Their progressive sleuthing in locating and Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, identifying performers, and proficiency for Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, collecting and distributing remuneration Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Monaco, Paraguay, from a variety of worldwide sources Serbia, Montenegro, Spain, Sweden, have provided measurable results. As the United Kingdom. As a result of so many newly appointed Chief Operating Officer of you completing and returning the insert, of the Fund, I could not be prouder of this foreign collections are expected to rise. ensemble, and I’d like to personally express PUBLISHER Dennis Dreith my gratitude to each and every one of the Lastly, passage of the Fair Play Fair EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shari Hoffman team! Pay Act of 2015 will cause AM/FM radio stations to pay performance royalties for MANAGING EDITOR Jennie Hansen But … there’s a but. Through this all the music they air under the same rate ASSOCIATE EDITOR Terry O’Neal newsletter, our website, entertainment standard that governs Internet radio today. ASSISTANT EDITOR Colin Gilbert industry web pages, and recurring ads in This will dramatically increase royalty numerous trade publications, the Fund CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jay Rosen collections for the Fund, both domestically performs widespread outreach in order to PHOTOGRAPHER Brian Stewart and abroad, placing more earnings in your locate performers that are due royalties. pockets. Every letter of support which LAYOUT DESIGN Coi Nguyen We also attend industry events and trade reaches your congressional leaders is shows across the nation such as SXSW, considered to represent 100 voters. Please WEBMASTER Coi Nguyen the ASCAP I Create Music Expo, Comic- sign up today at http://musicfirstcoalition. Con, the NAMM Show, and Grammy org/fairplay_for_fairpay. sponsored presentations both as exhibitors CONTRIBUTING Shari Hoffman and panelists. And here’s the “But”... it is Next time this year, I hope to report WRITERS Dennis Dreith still not enough. The Fund needs your help that we have made even more significant Terry O’Neal too. gains, and that the U.S. is no longer among Colin Gilbert the rogue nations providing substandard We still have a rather large list of protections for the rights of its performers Lavonne Murlowski performers with unclaimed royalties. (or at least further on the path to passing the Sometimes we can identify a performer, Fair Play Fair Pay Act.) MEDIA RELATIONS Brian Stewart but simply cannot gather valid contact information. For more information contact Other times, we only have a [email protected] name and know nothing more. or go to Even with the initiatives I mentioned above, and our www.afmsagaftrafund.org enrollment with sophisticated tools such as the Social Security Administration and Lexis Nexis, we simply cannot track down every performer. Consequently, I encourage all of you to reach out to your fellow performers From the Help Desk: Direct Deposit - The Musician’s Friend by Colin Gilbert, Associate Director, Participant Services, AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund Has this happened to you? You come 6-8 weeks to receive.