What happens when music and politics unite? GRAMMY-nominated country artist Martina McBride will have a front-row view as the host of the 2017 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards. Scheduled to take place April 5 at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., the event will honor Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) for their ongoing support of music programs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
As the ranking member of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, Udall annually leads the funding request for the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Collins serves on the influential Appropriations Committee where she regularly has supported funding for the arts.
"As funding for the arts is a critical conversation with the current administration, we are pleased to honor Sen. Collins and Sen. Udall who understand the importance of arts programs for our nation and culture," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow.
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The GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards — known as "Washington's most interesting mix of music and politics" — will also feature special musical performances by this year's Recording Artists' Coalition Award recipient Keith Urban, Blue Traveler's John Popper and GRAMMY winner Wynonna. Confirmed attendees include GRAMMY winners Peter Asher, William Bell, Rory Feek, Jesse & Joy, and Pentatonix's Kirstin Maldonado, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, rapper Uncle Luke of 2 Live Crew, television composer Jonathan Wolff, and more than 60 members of Congress.
On April 6, more than 100 music creators will go "back to work" by discussing critical music issues directly with lawmakers on Capitol Hill during GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day. Bills that will be addressed include the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, which seeks to reform music licensing for sound recordings, and the Allocation For Music Producers Act, which includes producers in copyright law for the first time.
