Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
October 14, 2016
Ann Ourada Strubler of Local 5 (Detroit, MI) was born a musician. Barely four years old, she was already playing piano, but switched to violin, when it was discovered she had perfect pitch.
Read MoreOctober 13, 2016
Congratulations to Local 802 (New York City) member Bob Dylan, 75, who was just awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Nobel Committee said it selected the singer-songwriter for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” “Since the late 1980s, Bob Dylan has toured persistently, an undertaking called the ‘Never-Endin Tour.’ […]
Read MoreOctober 11, 2016
Chicago’s cash-strapped schools—the third largest public school system in the country—and its teachers’ union agreed to a contract proposal, narrowly averting a strike set for October 11.
Read MoreOctober 11, 2016
Legendary producer Quincy Jones of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) was set to go to trial over royalties he says he’s owed from albums released after Michael Jackson’s death.
Read MoreOctober 10, 2016
This was my first experience with the power of the paper trail, which is a direct result of the protections of working under an AFM contract.
Read MoreOctober 7, 2016
Bass player Chuck Rainey has graced the recordings of the best musicians and the biggest hits of the last 50 years.
Read MoreOctober 5, 2016
Predatory “payday” and “car title” lenders take advantage of people in desperate situations.
Read MoreSeptember 30, 2016
In each federal election year, the major parties create a national caucus that comes together to outline their party’s legislative-political principles and goals. The resulting document is commonly referred to as the “party platform.” In most instances, the platform reflects the ideals upon which a party would govern, while also underscoring principles and policies that it has previously embraced and operated under.
Read MoreSeptember 30, 2016
As we reach out to colleagues we are frequently asked, “What is the Recording Musicians Association, or RMA? What do you do?” The first answer is that we are a player conference of the AFM. The next question is often, “What’s that?”
Read MoreSeptember 30, 2016
Top 10 Important Reasons to Record Under AFM Agreements.
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