AFM International President Ray Hair has named John K. Painting as AFM Director of the Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD) and Assistant to the President, following the unexpected passing of EMSD Director Pat Varriale in May. “I have immense respect for John and his thorough knowledge of AFM’s media agreements,” says AFM President Ray Hair. […]
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) applauds Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Shelly Lowe, chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities on their announcements that Chief Diversity Officers will be created at each agency. The new diversity officers will help […]
The International Executive Board of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada issued the following statement regarding the recent gun violence tragedies: “Our emotions are still raw from the senseless mass murders in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York. We grieve with the families of those killed and the communities affected […]
We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden loss of our esteemed colleague and friend, Pat Varriale, Electronic Media Services Division Director and Assistant to the President, who passed away Friday, May 13. Pat had been a valued member of our team since he was first hired in October 1974 into what was then known […]
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are critical to the recovery of the arts and entertainment industries. The NEA and NEH support job opportunities for union members in every state, as well as for local economies devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An NEA study found that the […]
After much work and collaboration, we pleased to announce the release of “Welcome to the AFM”, a video produced by International Executive Board member Dave Pomeroy with the assistance of International Vice President Bruce Fife, Organizing and Education Director Michael Manley, and Communications Director Antoinette Follett. Created to introduce new members and other interested musicians […]
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada profoundly condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine. We express our unwavering solidarity with the brave Ukrainian people and their elected government during this horrific time. We are concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian toll resulting from the barbaric attacks on the civilian population […]
During a special meeting of the International Executive Board via videoconference in January, the AFM International Executive Board (IEB) determined that holding the 102nd Convention in June 2022 in Las Vegas would be impossible due to COVID variants, travel restrictions, and consideration for delegates and staff health and safety. The IEB has rescheduled the 102nd […]
As you may know, musicians and vocalists do not receive a single cent when their recordings are broadcast on AM/FM radio stations. Incredibly, the United States is the only industrialized nation besides North Korea and Iran that has no law requiring a broadcast performance royalty for sound recordings to be paid to artists, musicians, and […]
Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a champion of civil rights, equality, and justice. At a time when working people across the country are taking back their power, I am inspired by Dr. King who challenged us to realize that a better world is possible when we stand together. Dr. King denounced “right […]