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.

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Member Profiles

Mike Daly Spotlights the Steel in “Renascence”

In his new CD, Renascence, Mike Daly showcases the range of the steel guitar with original tracks featuring artists who unearth sounds that are decidedly nontraditional—and not country.


Ken Dow

From Broadway’s Jersey Boys to Gigging with Queen, Bassist Ken Dow is in Demand Ken Dow, of Local 325 (San Diego, CA) is the original bassist for the worldwide hit musical Jersey Boys. He worked with multiple Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff since the show’s inception at La Jolla Playhouse, and performed the show nightly on […]


Canada’s Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison Bid Adieu to Touring

Local 149 (Toronto, ON) members and children’s music duo Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison will take to the road one last time before officially retiring from touring in 2019.


Percussionist Sean J. Kennedy: Serendipity Led to Success

Drummer and percussionist Sean J. Kennedy first joined Local 45 (Lehigh Valley, PA) and later transferred to Local 341 (Norristown, PA). He says, “It was amazing how much networking was immediately available. Area musicians and the people I knew increased rapidly, just by joining the local.”


JinJoo Yoo: Pianist Thrives in the Jazz World

Jazz and access to like-minded artists drew Jinjoo Yoo to New York City. The 29-year-old South Korean pianist enrolled in the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in 2015, earning a master’s degree in jazz performance in 2017.


Kingdom Hearts Tour Hires Local Musicians Across the Country

This past summer, the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra tour made its way across the country with 11 stops, from Boston to Las Vegas. The tour employed nine touring principal musicians covered under an AFM agreement and hired 52 additional local musicians at each stop to fill out the complement.


Vinyl Stripes Revive an Era when Turntables Rocked

Steve Curry (singer) formed a classic rock trio a few years ago with veteran Texas musicians and union members Mark Baker (drums) and Greg New (bass). Their band, The Vinyl Stripes, pays homage to a time when turntables, not streaming services, ruled the airwaves.


Boston Jazz Bassist Bruce Gertz Walks the Walk

Bruce Gertz has been on the Boston jazz scene for 42 years. A bassist, composer, and producer, he’s also an educator, joining a coterie of top players on the faculty of his alma mater, the Berklee College of Music.


A Lonestar State of Mind: The Literary Rise of Radney Foster

When he’s touring the US this fall, singer-songwriter Radney Foster of Local 257 (Nashville, TN) will add book signings to his schedule. Last year, he released a collection of short stories, For You to See the Stars, complete with a companion CD.


A New Pops Culture: Atlanta Orchestra Sets the Bar

More than just a hometown favorite, the Atlanta Pops Orchestra has become a touring ensemble that regularly performs with an array of artists, like Chloë Agnew, formerly of Celtic Woman, John Driskell Hopkins of the Zac Brown Band, Broadway’s Craig Schulman, and hard-bop trumpeter Joe Gransden.








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