PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE RECORDING ACADEMY® PRODUCERS
& ENGINEERS WING TAKES ADVOCACY ACTION FOR MUSIC CREATORS' RIGHTS
Producers & Engineers Wing Members Help Educate National
Legislators on the Crucial Roles Played by Record Producers, Recording
Engineers and Mixers
GRAMMY® -Winning Guitarist Slash and Producer Mike Clink
Demonstrated the Relationship Between Artist and Producer During a Recording
Session at The Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles
In Washington, D.C., Producers and Engineers Help Rally Support
for the Performance Rights Act, Currently Before Congress
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 6, 2009)
— The Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy®
has played an activist role throughout its existence, something that
was illustrated by two recent events in which P&E Wing members played
a key role. These events focused on educating U.S. legislators on the
record-making process and lobbying for the Performance Rights Act, currently
before Congress.
In February, as part of congressional briefings arranged
by The Recording Academy, former Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver
guitarist Slash and acclaimed record producer Mike Clink (Guns N’
Roses, Metallica) provided congressional representatives with a look
"Behind the Scenes – Inside the Studio." This demonstration
of the working relationship between the artist and the producer, as
well as the creative and technical aspects of modern record production,
illustrated in graphic fashion the importance of the recording process
to the entire music industry. The event, which took place at the renowned
Record Plant Recording Studios in Hollywood, Calif., was as real as
it gets: Slash, who won a GRAMMY® Award for Best Hard Rock Performance
in 2004 for his work with Velvet Revolver, along with keyboardist Teddy
Andreadis, drummer Kenny Aronoff and bassist Chris Chaney, recorded
the closing track for a new motion picture as the legislators looked
on, experiencing first-hand the collaboration between musician and producer.
"Members of Congress and legislative staff have a
good sense of the artists' and songwriters' roles in creating a record,
but the producer's role is sometimes not as well understood," commented
Maureen Droney, Senior Executive Director of The Recording Academy's
Producers & Engineers Wing, which co-produced the event with The
Academy's Advocacy office. "The studio demonstration at The Record
Plant served as another step in the continual process of shining a bright
light on the important work of studio professionals to the policy makers
in Washington so that future laws might more accurately reflect the
credit due to these talented individuals."
In March, the P&E Wing was present for Performance
Rights Act lobbying day in Washington, D.C., organized by the MusicFirst
Coalition and The Recording Academy. Members of the Wing, including
Ed Cherney, Alia Fahlborg, Bennett Kaufman, Glenn Lorbecki, Jeff Lorber,
Sylvia Massy, Phil Nicolo and Phil Soussan, were there to help explain
and voice their support for the Performance Rights Act. This proposed
legislation with broad bi-partisan support in Congress would amend Federal
copyright law to grant performers of sound recordings equal rights to
compensation from terrestrial (over-the-air) radio broadcasters, a right
enjoyed by recording artists and musicians in the rest of the world.
"To be able to speak directly with our elected representatives
and express the importance and fairness of the terrestrial radio Performance
Rights Act with 100 of our fellow musicians, engineers and producers
was a great reminder that we really can have an effect on our future,"
stated Ed Cherney, GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer and a founding member
of the P&E Wing and the Music Producers Guild of America.
Glenn Lorbecki, producer/engineer/studio owner and co-chair
of the P&E Wing, commented, "The members of Congress seemed
sincerely impressed that we took the time to educate them about the
record making process from the perspective of producers and engineers.
It proves to me that we still do have a voice in this democracy, and
that the average person can absolutely make a difference."
Photo File: PE_OntheHill.JPG
Photo Caption: Pictured L-R: Jeff Lorber, producer/musician; Bennett
Kaufman, producer/manager; Maureen Droney, Sr. Executive Director of
the P&E Wing; Phil Soussan, producer/songwriter/bassist; Ed Cherney,
producer/engineer and founding member of the Music Producers Guild of
America and the P&E Wing; and Dan Navarro, songwriter/recording
artist, in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., as
the P&E Wing membership and leadership participated in the Performing
Rights Act lobbying day in March 2009.
Photo courtesy of The Recording Academy® © 2009.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians,
producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to
improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its
makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent
peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand
in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking
professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and
human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission
of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of
music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture.
For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
Currently, 6,000 professionals comprise the Producers
& Engineers Wing, which was established for producers, engineers,
remixers, manufacturers, technologists, and other related creative and
technical professionals in the recording community. This organized voice
for the recording community addresses issues that affect the craft of
recorded music, while ensuring its role in the development of new technologies,
recording and mastering recommendations, and archiving and preservation
initiatives. For more information, please visit www.producersandengineers.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Robert Clyne/Clyne Media, Inc./615.662.1616/ robert@clynemedia.com
Lisa Roy/310.463.1563/ lisaroyaudio@mac.com
Jennifer Keppel/The Recording Academy/310.392.3777/ jenniferk@grammy.com