"Did you know the GRAMMY Awards isn't the only big music event this weekend? Today Congress held a hearing on music issues in New York City!" — Conversations in Advocacy #6
On Jan. 26 in New York City, the full House Judiciary Committee conducted a field hearing titled "Music Policy Issues: A Perspective From Those Who Make It." Held at ranking member Jerry Nadler's (D-N.Y.) alma mater, Fordham University School of Law, the all-star, all-music panel of witnesses included singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc, platinum-selling producer Mike Clink, country songwriter Tom Douglas, three-time GRAMMY winner Booker T. Jones, Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, and five-time GRAMMY winner Dionne Warwick.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We’re grateful to members of Congress for coming to NY for GRAMMY Week to hear from creators and discuss music licensing reform. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a> <a href="https://t.co/iXIX0wW3Yk">pic.twitter.com/iXIX0wW3Yk</a></p>— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) <a href="https://twitter.com/GRAMMYAdvocacy/status/956975310213332992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"A few years ago, at GRAMMYs on the Hill, majority leader [Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)] and Democratic leader [Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)] both cautioned the audience of industry members that 'unity is what this community needs to pass legislation,'" testified Portnow at the hearing. "Members of the Judiciary Committee: We listened."
Speaking for music people of every variety, Portnow encouraged the lawmakers not to let outdated regulatory categories slice up the panel into songwriters versus performers versus producers because a better framework is now the music community's consensus.
On Jan. 8 this "united support" was announced. The key pieces of legislation that it was agreed fit so well together for a better framework include the Music Modernization Act of 2017, CLASSICS Act, the Allocation for Music Producers Act, and establishing a market-based rate standard for satellite radio.
The organizations announcing their support alongside the Recording Academy include American Association of Independent Music, the American Federation of Musicians, PROs ASCAP and BMI, the National Music Publishers' Association, RIAA, SoundExchange, and more than a dozen others, including digital services. So as the panel took their seats at Fordham, they had their entire professional community behind them.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/BookerTJones?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BookerTJones</a> testifies to Congress on the issues affecting the music industry. Years of grassroots efforts got us here. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SupportMusic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SupportMusic</a> <a href="https://t.co/3NLH7tTHSo">pic.twitter.com/3NLH7tTHSo</a></p>— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) <a href="https://twitter.com/GRAMMYAdvocacy/status/956977326390038528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"I'm an artist, songwriter and producer who has worked professionally in music for nearly 60 years," said Jones, reviewing how each of the legislative pieces would make the varied aspects of his work more fair.
Notable was the problem of collecting any artist royalties for his many recorded performances made before 1972, the regulatory cut-off date before which artists get nothing. "Correct the law now," he said, "so that all music creators — whether they write, play, sing, produce, or engineer — can make a living from the work they do that enriches all our lives."
"Recording artists have never been more optimistic about the prospects for legislation that will allow music to flourish," said Warwick. "We hope that the Committee will quickly move this comprehensive legislative package together as one — just like we have come together as one community."
The event underscored the power of a unified front and hopefully provides a strong step forward for much-needed music reform, the perfect way to celebrate GRAMMY Week 2018.
"Conversations in Advocacy" is your weekend digital tip sheet on music advocacy and the policies that affect music makers and their craft. New installments post every Friday.
