Bringing Music to the Parties Academy Promotes the Value of Music at Democratic and Republican National Conventions
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NATIONAL ACADEMY OF RECORDING ARTS & SCIENCES® ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF MUSIC CREATORS | WINTER 2009 BRINGING MUSIC TO THE PARTIES Academy promotes the value of music at Democratic and Republican national conventions Joe Nichols (left) performs at the Republican National Convention Photo: Cory Ryan/WireImage.com; Chris Daughtry (right) performs at the Democratic National Convention Photo: Soren McCarty/WireImage.com Neil Portnow spoke at each event, the Church is known as one of the best Academy Rocks The National addressing the importance of music dance clubs in the city and attracts top Political Conventions education and public support for the international DJs on a regular basis. The arts. But while many convention parties Flobots mesmerized the audience with Academy and artists promote the value of music use music to convey their message, at their brand of engaging progressive The hot ticket at any political convention Of course, it’s not surprising that if these events music was the message. hip-hop. Adding to the chart-topping is the moment when the presumptive you take successful music creators and a To drive that message home, at each group’s impact, guitarist/vocalist Andy nominee accepts the party’s nomination for group of politically motivated people and function artists spoke about their own Guerrero was once a member of The president. This year, the second-hottest convene them in the best venue a city has commitments to music, education, and Academy’s public service initiative What’s tickets in Denver and Minneapolis were to offer, you have a recipe for fun with a The Academy’s affiliated charities. The Download’s Interactive Advisory for The Recording Academy’s GRAMMYs meaningful purpose. Board. After the set, he spoke to the Rock The Convention events, which The Rock The Convention events Dems Rock The Church audience about The Academy’s program brought artists and songwriters to the benefiting the GRAMMY Foundation Local favorites the Flobots, along designed to find ways to improve the music respective centers of the political universe were different in each city, but shared with rock acts Everclear and Daughtry, environment for both creators and fans. at the Democratic and Republican some common traits. Academy Chair of performed at the Democratic installment The night concluded with Everclear national conventions. the Board Jimmy Jam and President/CEO of GRAMMYs Rock The Convention on and Daughtry performing rare acoustic Aug. 26 at the Church in Denver. sets for a rapt audience of Democratic Once a gothic-style house of worship, power brokers. continued on page 9 Everclear Talks Artist Rights At DNC In performing a captivating set at the acoustic set of Everclear hits. GRAMMYs Rock The Convention event It was then on to the Democratic in Denver on Aug. 26, Everclear frontman National Convention floor where Alexakis, Art Alexakis was just getting warmed up. his daughter Anna Alexakis, and Hudson The next day he and fellow bandmate witnessed Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) accept Sam Hudson set out to spread the word in the vice presidential nomination. At the support of artists’ rights to literally dozens convention, Alexakis and Hudson also had Everclear performs at GRAMMYs Rock The Convention during the Democratic National Convention Photo: Joshua Norton/WireImage.com of members of Congress on behalf of the more opportunities to speak with members musicFIRST Coalition. of Congress and underscore the importance Following U.S. House Speaker Nancy of artists’ rights. Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) leadership tea and discussing performance rights with a group of political officials, Alexakis and Hudson attended a staff briefing where they spoke with congressional staff working on intellectual property issues, addressing the need for a fair radio per- formance royalty for artists. The policy staffers were even Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.), Sam Hudson, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Joe Nichols, Alice Peacock, Brett James and Jennifer Hanson at “Up Close And Personal: The Hit Songwriters” Art Alexakis, Anna Alexakis, and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) treated to an impromptu short Photo: Anthony Camera Photo during the Republican National Convention Photo: Cory Ryan/WireImage.com 2 CAPITOL TRACKS CAPITOL TRACKS 3 GRAMMYs Rock The Conventions Republican National Convention University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis Democratic National Convention The Church, Denver Daryl Friedman, Neil Portnow, Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.), Jimmy Jam and songwriter Brett James Academy Chair Jimmy Jam with Flobots members (l-r) Andy Guerrero, Jesse Walker, Jonny 5, Kenny Ortiz, Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) Mackenzie Roberts and Brer Rabbit Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Academy President/ Jimmy Jam and Sen. Byron GRAMMY-winning musician Herbie (l-r) Matt Abdo, Mari Abdo and Jake Abdo of the Abdomen speak about their experience at GRAMMY Camp in CEO Neil Portnow Dorgan (D-N.D.) Hancock with Neil Portnow 2005 with Daryl Friedman (right) Back row: (l-r) Daughtry’s Josh Paul, Daughtry manager Stirling McIlwaine, Jimmy Jam, Academy Vice President of Jennifer Hanson performs at Advocacy & Government Relations Daryl Friedman, Neil Portnow, and GRAMMY Foundation Senior Vice President “Up Close And Personal: The Greg Laswell performs prior to Brett James performs at “Up Close Kristen Madsen; front row: (l-r) Daughtry’s Chris Daughtry, Brian Craddock, Josh Steely and Joey Barnes Hit Songwriters” “The Hit Songwriters” session And Personal: The Hit Songwriters” Photos: Cory Ryan/WireImage.com Photos: Soren McCarty/WireImage.com Photos: Soren 4 CAPITOL TRACKS CAPITOL TRACKS 5 Radio Performance Royalties Effort Academy Leaders Help Advance Royalty Makes Key Strides Issue In Washington Music community optimistic about issue’s momentum Nitty Gritty Dirt Band delivers a musical message The quest for a radio performance the corporate radio loophole and top 10 radio hit for the band royalty for artists — a top priority on The requires broadcasters to compensate in 1971 — they informed the congressional audience that Recording Academy’s advocacy agenda — artists for radio play, similar to payment their cumulative radio royalties passed several major milestones in the models in Internet and satellite radio. for the song amounted to 110th Congress scheduled to conclude in The bill is at the heart of the debate exactly zero dollars and zero December. The effort is now well posi- between the music community and cents. It was a poignant tioned for continued deliberations in the broadcasters. Performers want to close the illustration that the issue 111th Congress scheduled to begin in decades-old exception that allows radio Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif., center) with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band members must be addressed for the (l-r) Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John McEuen January 2009. stations to play music without paying the sake of fairness to artists The Academy and other music performers, contending that it is only fair The initial discussion for a campaign and musicians. in support of radio performance royalties On June 11 Academy Trustee Dan organizations founded the musicFIRST to pay musicians and copyright owners for for artists was launched at a GRAMMY Workman joined other music makers for Coalition in June 2007 to address the the very thing that brings listeners to radio. Industry Roundtable in February 2007, so a lobby day on Capitol Hill. Meeting with performance royalty issue. In the short Meanwhile, broadcasters have vowed to it’s no surprise that numerous Recording Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and time since the coalition was formed, kill the legislation, arguing that radio’s Academy leaders and supporters have other members of Congress, Workman more progress has been made on this promotional value more than compensates led the fight for this basic right for music helped explain the creative community’s long-standing issue than in the previous performers for their music. creators ever since. position on the Performance Rights Act 80 years combined. Since the launch, the At least on the subcommittee level, The first two hearings before the on the day of the House subcommittee Performance Rights Act was introduced broadcasters lost that fight when the panel U.S. House and U.S. Senate were both vote. Rep. Jackson Lee ended up voting populated by Academy-requested in support of the legislation. in both the U.S. House of Representatives approved a version of the bill that gives witnesses: artists Judy Collins, Lyle As the issue of performance royalties and U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. performers this critical right. Lovett, Sam Moore and Alice Peacock. continues into 2009 and beyond, Academy Three hearings have been held with several “The broadcasters have refused to Among the most recent efforts in representatives will continue to lead the Academy witnesses and supporters acknowledge that there may be a sum June, just as the House subcommittee charge in support of artists and musicians. testifying including GRAMMY-winning above zero that they are willing to pay,” was scheduling a vote on the bill, the artist Lyle Lovett and Chicago Chapter said Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band came to Washington, Governor and singer/songwriter Alice panel chairman and chief author of the bill. D.C., to discuss — and demonstrate — Peacock. The bill also cleared a major Under the version of the bill reported the importance of this issue. Los Angeles Chapter Governor Bob Carpenter and hurdle on June 26 when the U.S. House out of the subcommittee, performance Nashville Chapter Governor Jeff Hanna Judiciary Committee’s copyright sub- royalties would be capped at $5,000 per joined fellow band members Jimmie committee approved the measure on year for radio stations with less than $1.25 Fadden and John McEuen for an after- a voice vote — a major step toward million in annual revenue.