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.
February 7, 2018
IM -AFM Local 6 (San Francisco, CA) member Bob Weir was honored at the opening of the 2018 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Anaheim, California. NAMM’s highest honor, the Music for Life Award honors Weir’s five-decade career and pioneering spirit, influencing musical styles, sound design, and the music business.
NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond presented the award saying, “The Grateful Dead inspired a movement by taking incredible risks musically, culturally and in terms of how they approached the music business. They did so out of a passion for music making and, as a result, continue to inspire musicians to this day. We’re honored to present Bob Weir with the Music for Life Award for this his unabashed passion for music making, support for music education and so many more achievements in his long career.”
Weir offered a bit of creative wisdom for the audience of music professionals. “If you’re always going for it, the muse is always leading you in some direction. If you have faith in your muse, you’re going to get somewhere-if you put shoulder to the wheel. Every artist of any stripe is a storyteller, and the way you weave it together represents what makes life worth living.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of famer and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is currently a member of Dead & Company, which features Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, all members of Local 6, along with singer-songwriter John Mayer of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) and Jeff Chimenti of Local 6. Weir will tour this spring with fellow Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh, also a member of Local 6.
Past recipients of the Music for Life Award have included business leaders, public officials and musicians, including Stevie Wonder of Local 5 (Detroit, MI) and Henry Mancini. It is awarded each January during the global music products gathering, The NAMM Show.