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 1, 2014
At age 53, Local 47 member (Los Angeles, CA) Melissa Etheridge has newfound freedom to create and challenge herself in the modern music industry in ways that were not possible just a few years ago. The seasoned rocker with 17 Grammy nominations and two wins, just launched her first album as an independent artist. Now, the same […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
The downside of the information age is that far too often there is just simply too much information. The constant barrage of images, data, and noise coming at us from every angle makes it an ongoing challenge to extract the meaningful from the trivial, but that is exactly why music, art, and creativity still matter.
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
by Karen Sandene, ROPA Secretary and Member of Locals 463 (Lincoln, NE) and 70-558 (Omaha, NE) The 30th Anniversary Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA) Conference convened in August in Pasadena, California. This special anniversary conference, with the theme: “Creative Change Through Creative Channels,” provided opportunities to examine ROPA’s history and role in serving musicians, and […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
When Robert Plant sang “Your head is humming and it won’t go, in case you don’t know,” he could have been singing about tinnitus, a common problem, that is even more prevalent among musicians. About 50 million people in the US suffer from tinnitus, but it is estimated that less than one-third seek treatment. According […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
by Robert Baird, President Baird Artists Management (BAM!) Travelling across the US/Canada border requires declaring to a customs officer what you are bringing with you. Personal items are exempt from duties and taxes. Bringing in goods or merchandise makes you an “importer” and you will definitely have to declare any items you intend to sell. […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
The AFM has been made aware of recent cases of fraudulent companies promising expedited P-2 visas. “These individuals ask musicians to sign an affidavit and then have them wire money for the ‘expedited visa,’” explains Liana White, executive director, Canadian Federation of Musicians. “After receiving money from the musician, they then tell the musician they […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
Improvisation for Flute is a treasured resource for players worldwide with its step-by-step exercises and explanations to help you develop your ear and improve your soloing technique. Improvisation for Flute will teach you how to better use distinctive qualities associated with modes and scales for expressive soloing; licks typical of each mode and scale; solos […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
Music & Copyright in America examines the relationship between new technologies and music copyright in the context of the history of music copyright, from its origins in the early 19th Century through today. Attorney, educator, and entrepreneur Kevin Parks also presents a cultural history of how Americans have created and listened to music over time. […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
The Jazz Masters Method DVD from artist and educator Steve Nixon will show you how to play and improvise in the styles of the great jazz piano masters the late Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Ray Charles, Bud Powell, and Red Garland, and Local 802 (New York City) members Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, and […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
The Real Cool Book is a collection of 14 transcribed five-horn octet charts of West Coast “cool jazz” classics that is perfect for professional, college, and advanced groups. The eight separate books come in one big binder with transposed parts for piano, bass, drums, trombone, trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax, and baritone sax. Horn parts in […]
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