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.
May 1, 2026
With the 103rd AFM Convention approaching this June, our recent International Executive Board (IEB) meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a very productive week of hard work and tough decisions. The board focused on strengthening our union’s structure and ensuring that all areas of our membership are heard and represented in the decisions that […]
May 1, 2026
In its 130th year of our union’s existence, the 103rd triennial international convention of the American Federation of Musicians of the US and Canada will convene next month in Ottawa, Ontario. AFM Conventions are working conventions. Delegates elected by the membership in Canadian and American locals will make the journey to Ottawa not to see […]
May 1, 2026
For the uninitiated visiting our nation’s capital for the first time, the experience can truly be one of sensory overload. The combination of the sheer physical beauty of the city and the immediacy of its historical significance can be overwhelming. I will certainly never forget my first visit to the John F. Kennedy Center for […]
May 1, 2026
The Junos, held in Hamilton, Ontario, last month highlighted the world-class caliber of Canadian music and the visibility of our membership. Twenty-five winners represented six Canadian and two US AFM locals, with nominees appearing in nearly every category. AFM artists hailing from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia ensured a strong presence […]
April 1, 2026
As I write this column, we have concluded the second round of our Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations. We have made some progress but are still far from an agreement. While things are moving slowly, I am pleased to report the positive impact of rally we held March 11 in Times Square. I thank […]
April 1, 2026
My late father was born in 1906 into the atmosphere of the central Pennsylvania Mennonites. In his mid-70s, he once remarked to me about the incredible pace of technological change that he had witnessed within his lifetime—ice blocks to refrigeration; outhouses to indoor plumbing; telegraph to telephone to radio wave broadcast; the horse and buggy […]
April 1, 2026
The National Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Culture took place this week in Banff, Alberta, March 15-17. The event was organized by the Government of Canada in collaboration with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. I joined representatives from Screen Composers Guild of Canada; Canadian Independent Music Association; Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists […]
April 1, 2026
Tension between musicians and technology has been going on since the beginning of time. Which came first, the modulating voice or the stick against a rock? Could the stick against the rock have been considered technology? What about instruments created through the centuries that emulate the sound of a voice but with different ranges, timbres, […]
March 1, 2026
March finds our union at a critical crossroads, balancing the intense technical work of contract negotiations with the moral imperative to protect our members’ safety. While our instruments are our primary tools, our collective voice as a union remains our most essential asset during times of industrywide transition and social unrest. Our core mission of […]
March 1, 2026
If you experience most of life today through your phone or your computer as I do, you will inevitably come across hackers, scammers, phishers, ID thieves, ransomware demands, sneaky links, malicious sites, and the like. I am pretty careful about all of these web-dwelling hazards. For my personal accounts, I signed up for Malwarebytes’ free […]