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.
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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.
January 1, 2025
IM -(AFM Local Limited Pressing Agreement)
On his EP, Watching Time, international touring guitarist-singer Chris Bell of Local 433 (Austin, TX) performs three of his original songs, featuring a few of his favorite players in Austin. “It is definitely an Austin sound, which means the blues and country influences are front and center,” he says. “But all of the musicians on my record are seasoned jazz musicians who provide a higher level of musical sensitivity, and it’s what I believe makes this recording unique.” Here, he’s backed by Phil Spencer on acoustic bass and Mo Roberts on drums.
As leader of The Belltower, he’s brought his own blend of jazz and blues to audiences across the US and Spain. Watching Time is a roots-based project that goes back to 2010, when Bell says he finally got the courage to step out front and sing and write his own material. Describing the live studio recording, he says, “I think it is an excellent snapshot of my current development and that of the band at this moment in time.”
He has been teaching lessons in Austin since 2002, and specializes in jazz guitar, performance, theory, and improvisation, with a heavy accent on the blues. Bell is a member of The Forgotten Prophets with Pat Harris of Local 433 and Local 625 (Ann Arbor, MI), and Aaron Lack of Local 433 and Local 23 (San Antonio, TX). He has shared the stage with an all-star lineup, including musicians Ernie Durawa, John Mills, and Alex Coke of Local 433, Johnny Vidacovich of Local 174-496 (New Orleans, LA), and Ron Wilkins of Local 802 (New York City).