MusiCares: An Industry Imperative by Michael Greene
MusiCares: An Industry Imperative by Michael Greene
to answer a knock at our back door. My dad was a bigband leader, and his musicians were my heros. I was around seven years old and had spent the evening praying that the morning light would reveal that Santa indeed was real and had not forgotten my new trap set. As my father moved toward the door, I darted
MUSICARES
An
Industry Imperative
behind the table to eavesdrop on this mysterious late-night caller. It was one of my dad's musicians who had stopped playing a few years earlier due to health problems. He looked terrible and apparently had no money for Christmas presents for his children. In that moment my world froze in time. I slowly rose to my feet from my hiding place and, without realizing it, stared squarely into the face of one of our industry's most diabolical realities-being a musician means you are on your own, with no guarantees. As big bands and
BY
MICHAEL
GREENE
Academy
live orchestras
President,
The Recording
father's band got older, the large venues began drying up, and the marketplace dictated that the group reduce in size and their jobs became weekend gigs only. My musical mentors and adopted uncles struggled to survive and many were stripped of their dignity. What a tragic price to pay for developing and pursuing gifts of talent. The fact was then, and remains today,that artists in our society are not to This to provide them with truly valued, nor has anyone ever bothered establish an infrastructure the most basic of human considerations.
tradition
union, guild and foundation directory contains office address and contact Eligibility requirements lined for quick reference.
force behind the creation of MusiCares. MusiCares gram as much as it is a mission that our organization has developed to give hope to those who pursue our very independent them. The MusiCares program is currently directing its efforts in five basic directions.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
each organization's
and services are also outIt is our hope applicants will and be better of
preoccupation
through access to this information learn more about each organization able to identity their options crisis. Directory AIDS participants
Equity Association; The Actor's Fund of America; Healthcare Foundation; Federation ciation; America; ofT elevision & Radio Artists; American Helps; Picture Jazz Foundation and Television of
In an effort to promote professionals, Assistance themselves stance-abuse necessities . In order to determine and submitted and screened Grant
I
FACE
an applicant's
eligibility,
STARED SQUARELY INTO THE
a financial assistance application form is completed to either the NARAS National by the MusiCares or nearest Chapter office. Applications mittee at the NARAS Foundation. are processed
OF
ON E 0 F
OU R
INDUSTRY'S
MOST
assistance remain totally confidential. The real need for this aspect of MusiCares was recently dramatized big-band during combating by the tragedy that engulfed
OWN, WITH NO GUARANTEES." MUSICIAN MEANS YOU ARE 0 N YOUR
leader and jazz legend Woody Herman the last years of his life. In addition serious health problems, to Woody was
forced to deal with a number of financial difficulties. Shortly before his death in late 1987, he was penniless pouring and fighting eviction from his lifelong of public affection and charity. ARAS home, which was averted only because of an outnow administers a special financial assistance pro-
the
NARAS
Foundation;
Musicians
Union,
gram in Woody's name to specifically help deserving jazz musicians in their time of need.
DIRECTORY OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Within
MusiCares
will be Self-
offering the music industry's Paid Insurance or personal and the policies hardship,
first National
Many musicians
casualty in our business. The fact is that many of available to music people existing unions and guilds require a person to earn a certain amount of money each year to re-qualilv,
5
services through unions or foundations aware of it. To make that information MusiCares has compiled a directory
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if you are
THE ISSUE
AT
incapacitated.
HAND
The MusiCares insurance plan will enable music industry professionals to obtain affordable medical, dental, vision, substance-abuse and HIV treatment,
Recording Academy members know, there's more to Grammy Week than meets the CBS eye.
and disability coverages. Coverage will be available through one of four programs: (1) Individual, (2) Group (small and large employers), (3) Organized Labor (Taft-Hartley) and (4) Senior (65 +). The group and organized labor programs are available for purchase through brokers, enabling employers and unions to continue already established broker relationships.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
In the special section that begins on page 11, we'll revisit a week of unforgettable
events, from Natalie Cole's historic Apollo Theatre show to the gala MusiCares benefit honoring Bonnie Raitt to a summit a couple of Grammy meeting between
nominees named Roy Rogers. You'll also find pictorial highlights, profiles of this year's Lifetime Achievement inductees, a pull-out other Grammy along winner's list and a few surprises the way. While paying tribute to musical excellence, Grammy Week events also serve as a reflection of the Academy's yearround aims and activities, many of which are now moving into high gear. MusiCares program In May, introduces our the
The Capital campaign is now in development. When in place, this initiative will encompass a variety of components, from a payroll pledge program to donations of property through wills, trusts, planned giving, special estate and income tax programs. This phase of MusiC ares will be the ongoing mechanism that ultimately enables us to create our endowment and to construct and operate care facilities.
OUTREACH CAMPAIGN
MusiCares also serves as a very positive voice from our industry to the community. Last year, we acthrough abuse quired over 8,000 billboards nationwide and Young M.C. delivered anti-substance messages. These billboards
which Paula Abdul, David Crosby, Gloria Estefan also displayed 1-800 Over 40,000
health in-
surance plan, fulfilling a basic human need that's been long overdue in our music community. This new project, along with other MusiCares initiatives, is detailed in this issue's From The President essay. For additional information, consult our Academy In Action section, where you'll also find news and updates on the battle over music education, our forthcoming best semester yet. Also in this issue, we take an in-depth look at SoundScan, the sales reporting system whose impact on the recording industry goes well beyond the charts. And don't forget Riffs and Backbeat, where everything from lyrics you'll encounter IMAX film venture, and Grammy In The Schools'
numbers which featured taped messages from the artists as well as referral numbers. referrals were generated as a result of this campaign, and it is our intention to sponsor similar programs on an ongoing basis. MusiCares is most definitely a work in progress, and to reach its goals and ensure that our business can deliver quality human services to our people will require the commitment of every sector of the community. There is little doubt that, if our business environment can become more secure in these areas, we will attract and keep a higher quality of individual in our music community--and good for everyone! No one is immune from the ravages of a health or other personal crisis, and it is reassuring to know that when a music professional knocks on our door for help, we can now say with conviction "MusiCares." that that's
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