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.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AFM

Books-Resources, Products

Union Divided: Black Musicians’ Fight for Labor Equality


Leta E. Miller follows the AFM’s history of Black locals, which were chartered alongside white locals in the same territories, from their origins and successes in the 1920s through Depression-era crises to the fraught process of desegregation in the 1960s and 1970s. Millier details how Black AFM locals sought to ensure employment and competitive wages for members with always evolving […]




GADD: A Life in Time


Gadd: A Live in Time is heavily illustrated with nearly 200 photographs of Steve Gadd, the much-celebrated and in-demand drummer of Local 802 (New York City). He was introduced to the drums at age three by his uncle, a former Army drummer, who gave him his first pair of sticks. Gadd was prodigious, quickly absorbing […]




Find the Perfect Gift for the Musician in Your Life!


Struggling to find the perfect gift for the musician in your life? Or for yourself!Check out the great suggestions below: Luis & Clark Instruments Contrary to the beliefs of many, Luis & Clark carbon fiber instruments are not “machine made.” They are individually made, by hand. They are fabricated, using molds and each is made […]




Book: Defying the Silence, by Julie Ayer

Defying the Silence: A Chronicle of Resilience that Saved the World Renowned Minnesota Orchestra


In this book, Julie Ayer of Local 30-73 (St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN) shows how some of the world’s finest musicians went from sitting in the Minnesota Orchestra to standing in the picket line—and how their city rallied around them. The lockout that began on October 1, 2012 became the longest and most infamous work stoppage in […]




ASI Audio System

New Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Agreement Adds Hearing Protection for Orchestra Musicians


Under the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra’s August 2021 collective bargaining agreement, audiology visits and custom earplugs are included for every musician. 




Recommended Reading

No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age Drawing on her experience as a scholar and longtime organizer in student, environmental, and labor movements, Jane F. McAlevey examines cases from labor unions and social movements to pinpoint the factors that helped them succeed, or fail, to accomplish their intended goals. She ultimately concludes […]


Sennheiser HD 200 PRO


Powerful, Detailed Sound The Sennheiser HD 200 PRO monitoring headphones deliver powerful studio sound for recording your own tunes, practicing silently, or simply enjoying your favorite music. The HD 200 PRO’s closed, around-ear headphone design reduces ambient noise, while Sennheiser’s proprietary transducers deliver stereo sound reproduction with powerful punchy bass. Soft ear cushions and the […]




Dominant PRO DP100 violin strings


New Generation of Violin Strings Thomastik-Infeld has released its new Dominant PRO DP100 violin strings, made to offer an additional, contemporary repertoire of strings to its existing Dominant lines. Ideally suited for chamber musicians, soloists, and orchestra musicians alike, the new DP100 series features a broad range of sound colors, good balance of brilliance and warmth, […]




The Rattler Returns


Mod Electronics has re-released a new and improved version of the original Mod pedal, The Rattler. The Rattler Returns offers the same over-the-top fuzz as the original Rattler and features several new upgrades. The circuit has been overhauled for a wider spectrum of fuzz that is steady when used with any pickups, pedals, or amps. […]




ProSoCoustic Wave Pro


Take Control of Your Room The new ProSoCoustic Wave Pro Series—announced at the 2021 NAMM Show—offers a blend of absorption and diffusion in one product. The diffusor pattern inside each panel allows greater absorption efficiency in the same amount of space. Wave Pro panels include machine screw inserts for easy installation, are mold and moisture […]










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