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Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of The Recording Academy® © 2009.
PRESS RELEASE
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THE RECORDING ACADEMY® PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING® ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 STEERING COMMITTEE
Diverse P&E Wing Leadership Tackles Important Issues Including
Performance Rights, Recording Metadata and EducationSANTA MONICA, Calif. (October 21, 2009) — The Producers & Engineers Wing® of The Recording Academy® announces its 2009-2010 Steering Committee, the leadership group for the P&E Wing which works to identify, investigate and recommend solutions for the technical and economic issues facing today's music production professionals. The newly seated Committee, consisting of a diverse array of music engineers, producers and others with hundreds of hit recording credits among them, will both build upon the significant legacy of progress established by prior Steering Committees, and work to determine the key issues confronting music production professionals today, with the goal of finding meaningful solutions and suggestions for the industry moving forward.
Newly-appointed Steering Committee Co-Chairs Eric Schilling (Florida) and James McKinney (Washington, D.C.) note the particular emphasis that the P&E Wing will continue to place on the development of standardized metadata practices, advocacy for performance rights and educational outreach.
"One of our top priorities is the recording metadata project we're working on with the BMS/Chace company and the Library of Congress," stated Schilling. "We need to address this issue; if we don't, we're going to end up with no available credits at all and no good way to track information for payment. We believe that consistent and open standard metadata systems are essential to the overall recording industry, not just to the P&E Wing. Something else we believe is good for the entire industry is support for The Recording Academy's Advocacy department and the Performance Rights Act – so that's also high on our list."
"Our goal is to work on projects that will make our industry better," added McKinney. "It's about raising the standards of quality for what we do. Recording is an art form, and the P&E Wing really represents that. We want our initiatives to assist in raising the quality of everything that has to do with making and recording music. To that end, educational outreach is our third main priority – providing educational and professional development for both professionals and for the next generation."
The other members of the 10-person 2009-2010 Steering Committee are Chuck Ainlay, Carlos Alvarez, Ed Cherney, Mike Clink, Nathaniel Kunkel, Sylvia Massy, Phil Ramone and Dan Workman.
Member biographies:
Chuck Ainlay — With multiple GRAMMY® Awards, Chuck Ainlay is one of Nashville's top recording engineers and a leading pioneer in the world of surround sound. He has worked as a producer or engineer for such diverse talents as Melissa Etheridge, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Taylor Swift, James Taylor, and more. A partnership with Nashville's famed Sound Stage Studios has enabled him to build his own studio outfitted with 5.1 mixing, resulting in award-winning projects from Dire Straits and Peter Frampton. Ainlay also recently recorded and mixed George Strait's latest album, Twang, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200.
Carlos Alvarez — Carlos Alvarez's engineering and production career has taken him around the world while working with a wide variety of talent, including artists as varied as Juan Luis Guerra, Julio Iglesias and Carrie Underwood, among many others. Recently garnering GRAMMY Awards for his work with Jose Feliciano (2008 Best Tropical Album) and Alejandro Sanz (2007 Best Latin Pop Album), he's also the recipient of six Latin GRAMMYs. In 2007, he concluded a two-year term as Florida Chapter President for The Recording Academy and has also served on its Board of Governors since 2002.Ed Cherney — GRAMMY and TEC Award-winning producer/engineer Ed Cherney is known for his work with a wide array of artists, among them Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones and Bob Seger. Over the years, he has amassed six GRAMMY nominations and two wins, in addition to seven TEC Award nominations and five wins, as well as three EMMY nominations. A founding member of the Music Producers Guild of America, the P&E Wing's direct forerunner, Cherney has also served as Governor of the Los Angeles Chapter of The Recording Academy.
Mike Clink — Noted record producer Mike Clink has produced projects that have sold over seventy million records worldwide. Known for working with legendary rock acts such as Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses and Metallica, Clink also specializes in developing new talent. He has traveled the world to record numerous giant media events, including ABC's Millennium Broadcast from Osaka, Japan, the Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, Super Bowl XXXVII pre-game show and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. A pioneer in live recording and distribution, he has started a new media company that specializes in the instantaneous fulfillment of CDs with added value content available immediately after a concert event. Clink frequently speaks on panels for The Recording Academy and the Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Nathaniel Kunkel — Since starting his engineering career at the age of 16, Nathaniel Kunkel has earned an EMMY Award, several Surround Music Awards and two GRAMMY Awards for his work in surround and stereo recording and mixing for artists such as B.B. King, the Crystal Method, Graham Nash, James Taylor, and Sting. His practical experience in studio construction (including his own innovative, portable and modular Studio Without Walls) and electrical engineering has also made him an in-demand consultant for numerous equipment manufacturers.
Sylvia Massy — Best known as the record producer and engineer for the groundbreaking rock artists Tool and System of a Down, Sylvia Massy's career has touched nearly every aspect of the music industry, including recording, radio, manufacturing, retail, production and performance. Her recording of Johnny Cash's Unchained won a GRAMMY for Best Country Album of 1997, and she also produced King Cake by Lisa Haley, which was nominated for the Best Zydeco Album in 2008. She has received more than 25 gold and platinum RIAA awards, for artists as varied as Prince, Paula Abdul, and Tom Petty. She has also been featured in several books, including Behind the Glass by Howard Massey, which is often used by major educational programs as part of their instructional curriculum.
James McKinney — Committee Co-Chair James McKinney is an accomplished pianist/keyboardist, vocalist, musical director, songwriter, arranger, producer, educator, businessman and philanthropist. Since relocating to Washington, D.C. in 1988, McKinney has performed for three U.S. Presidents and has performed with the likes of Kenny Burrell, Kenny Lattimore, Stevie Wonder, and more. His co-writing and co-production for Wayna and Kokayi contributed to their projects being nominated for the 2009 GRAMMY for Best Urban Alternative Performance. McKinney serves as co-owner/executive of the independent label New Moon Recordings, LLC, and he also owns and operates Infinite Icon Enterprises, LLC, which provides production and consulting services to the music industry. McKinney serves on the Board of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of The Recording Academy and is also a National Trustee.
Phil Ramone — With 10 GRAMMY Awards and an EMMY, Phil Ramone's musical acumen and use of audio technology are legendary. Renowned for his work with such elite artists as Tony Bennett, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand, among many others, Ramone has participated as producer, engineer or advisor on recordings that have sold more than 200 million units in the U.S. alone. Ramone has also constantly played a pioneering role in the embrace of new technology, including the compact disc, DVD, high-definition recording and surround sound. A former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Recording Academy and the P&E Wing, Ramone is currently a Trustee of the MusiCares® Foundation.
Eric Schilling — Committee Co-Chair Eric Schilling's classic engineering chops were honed by his training at the legendary Record Plant. Gloria Estefan's engineer of choice for many years, he is also acclaimed for his work with artists from Cachao and Babyface to Shakira and Madonna, and for the last few years he has been one of the main music mixers for both the GRAMMY and the Latin GRAMMY Awards telecasts. He has been awarded four GRAMMYs and 10 Latin GRAMMYs, in addition to an EMMY Award. He serves as Trustee for The Recording Academy's Florida Chapter and formerly served as Chapter President.
Dan Workman — Dan Workman is a producer/engineer, musician, studio president and educator. Moving to the producer's chair after a successful run with the seminal art/noise/rock band Culturcide, he has engineered some of Texas' most notable artists, including Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Clay Walker, and ZZ Top. He is president of SugarHill Recording Studios in Houston, one of the world's oldest continuously operating production facilities. He is also Music Liaison to the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and Adjunct Staff at Houston Community College.
"We owe a great debt to all of our past founding Steering Committee members, including John Alagia, Jeff Balding, Jimmy Douglass, Glenn Lorbecki, Bob Ludwig, Keith Olsen and Elliot Scheiner," states Maureen Droney, Sr. Executive Director of the P&E Wing. "They charted the course and are still a huge part of our team as we move forward under the direction of the diverse group of individuals who comprise the 2009-2010 committee. At this challenging time in the industry and in the world economy, we'll need the skills and experience of all of our leaders and members, to address our challenges, find solutions and help re-envision the way the music industry works."
Photo File: PE_SteeringCommittee_AES09.JPG
Photo Caption: The newly-appointed 2009-2010 Producers & Engineers Wing® Steering Committee, gathered at the 127th AES Convention in New York City on October 12, 2009. Pictured L-R: Chuck Ainlay, Carlos Alvarez, Eric Schilling, Recording Academy P&E Wing Sr. Executive Director Maureen Droney, Mike Clink, Sylvia Massy, Nathaniel Kunkel, Dan Workman, James McKinney and Ed Cherney.
Photo Credit: 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. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys, a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.
Currently more than 6,000 professionals comprise The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing, which was established for producers, engineers, remixers, manufacturers, technologists, and other related creative and technical professionals in the recording field. This organized voice for the recording community addresses issues that affect the craft of recorded music, including the development and implementation of new technologies, technical guidelines and recommendations, and archiving and preservation initiatives. For more information, please visit www.producersandengineers.com.
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