REVIEWS: punch brothers
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Etta Britt
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Don Williams
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Bill Wence
Official Jour nal of A FM Local 257 JULY— SEP T EMBER 2012
AFM Goes to
China
Historic treaty signed Nutty Professor World Premiere Legendary INSTRuMENTALIST
Charlie McCoy
THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 1
Don’t Miss the
Nashville Musicians Association
110th Anniversary Celebration Wednesday, October 17!
NASHVILLE
SICIANS MU AFM LOCAL 257
music, drinks, fellowship! 4–7 p.m. Local 257, 11 Music Circle N. Come help us celebrate 110 years of representing the finest musicians in the world – AFM Local 257 members !
2 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
content Official Journal of the Nashville Musicians Association, AFM Local 257 | july—september 2012
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Announcements Details on the next membership meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 5, a new bylaw proposal, past minutes and more. State of the Local President Dave Pomeroy gives a roundup of Local 257 priority issues. New Grooves Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf explains the Local 257 Funeral Benefit Fund, and why this unique offering is a great boon for members. News The latest on carry-on instrument legislation, Bob Babbitt celebrated with Walk of Fame honors, and a Pension Fund website update. Heard on the Grapevine The notable comings and goings of Local 257 members.
Charlie McCoy
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Gallery Summer NAMM, CMA Fest, member milestones and more. Interview The legendary Charlie McCoy expounds on his life in music. Cover story: The AFM Goes To China A delegation from the AFM made an historic trip to help pass a world treaty that will protect and strengthen your intellectual property rights. Dave Pomeroy reports. Reviews Punch Brothers kick it up a notch, plus new records by Etta Britt, Don Williams and Bill Wence. RMA Corner RMA input remains essential to AFM success. Symphony Notes The NSO returns to Carnegie Hall, and another great season draws to a close. Live Music The "Nutty Professor" premiere charms Nashvillians with great acting, dancing, singing and a killer orchestra.
AFM Goes to China
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Jazz & Blues Beat New offerings from Chris Walters and the Kelli Cox Collaborative spice up summer. Final Notes We bid farewell to a number of our members, including Kitty Wells, Doug Dillard, Everett Lilly and Bob Babbitt. Member Status Do Not Work For list
Cover Photo by Dave Pomeroy
"The nutty professor"
THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 3
Announcements Next General Membership Meeting, Monday Nov. 5, 2012 O f f icial Q ua r te r ly jou r nal o f the nashville M usicians A ssociation A F M L ocal 2 5 7
Publisher EDITOR managing editor ASSISTANT EDITORS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
ART DIRECTION WEB ADMINISTRATOR Ad Sales
Dave Pomeroy Craig Krampf Kathy Osborne Leslie Barr Kent Burnside Austin Bealmear Bruce Bouton Roy Montana Laura Ross Mickey Dobo Donn Jones Lydia Hutchinson Craig Krampf Rick Malkin Dave Pomeroy Randi Radcliff Ed Rode Cheryl Stewart Lisa Dunn Design Kathy Osborne The Horton Group 615-292-8642
Local 257 Officers President Dave Pomeroy Secretary/treasurer Craig Krampf executive board Jimmy Capps Duncan Mullins Andy Reiss Laura Ross Tim Smith Tom Wild Jonathan Yudkin hearing board Michelle Voan Capps Tiger Fitzhugh Teresa Hargrove Bruce Radek Kathy Shepard John Terrence Ray Von Rotz Trustees Ron Keller Biff Watson SErgeant-At-Arms Chuck Bradley Nashville Symphony steward Laura Ross Office Manager Anita Winstead Electronic Media Services Director assistant data entry recording dept. assistant
Steve Tveit Teri Barnett Mandy Arostegui Kelly Spears
director, live/Touring Dept. Leslie Barr and Pension Administrator Membership Coordinator & Rachel Mowl Live Engagement/MPF Coordinator Member Services/Reception Laura Birdwell
@ 2012 Nashville Musicians Association P.O. Box 120399, Nashville TN 37212 All rights reserved.
nashvillemusicians.org 4 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
The next General Membership meeting will be Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.There is one Bylaw proposal on the agenda and a vote to approve the 2013 dues which include a $6.50 (regular) and $1.50 (life) increase in local dues. 2013 Dues Breakdown (must be approved by Membership at Nov. 5 meeting)
$138.00................... Local Dues (Life member local dues $34.50) 56.00................... AFM Per Capita (Life member per cap $40.00) 15.00................... Funeral Benefit Fund 27.00................... Funeral Benefit Fund Assessment (pending Bylaw approval) 3.00................... Emergency Relief Fund 2.00................... AFM Tempo Fund (voluntary) 3.00................... ERF contribution (voluntary) $244.00................... Total 2013 Dues Regular members (including $5 voluntary) $124.50................... Total 2013 Dues Life members (including $5 voluntary)
Funeral Benefit Bylaw Amendment Proposal Whereas, the Local 257 Funeral Benefit is governed by the fiduciaries of the Funeral Fund, and Section XII of the Local 257 bylaws that outline how the fund is to be distributed and funded, and; Whereas, Article XII, Section 8, defines a formula designed to replenish the fund through an annual assessment to all members, based on the total amount over $100,000 paid out by the Fund in the previous calendar year to beneficiaries of the Fund, and; Whereas, in recent years, this annual assessment has significantly increased Local 257’s annual dues, causing a hardship for the membership, and will continue to do so under this formula, and; Whereas, as of July 1, 2010, the Funeral Fund has been reconfigured as a term life insurance policy, and is now funded in such a way that the members of Local 257 need not bear as much of the burden for replenishing the Fund on an annual basis as in the past, Therefore; Be it resolved, that Article XII, Section 8, be amended as follows; (New language in bold) Section 8. If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payments exceed $100,000, $200,000, the local Fiduciary Trustees shall levy an additional Funeral Benefit Fund assessment upon each member, in an a minimum amount equal to of fifty cents ($.50) for each additional $1,000 in benefits paid. The exact amount of the assessment will be determined annually by the fiduciaries of the Funeral Fund, with the approval of the Local 257 Executive Board. —Submitted by the Funeral Benefit Fund fiduciaries - Dave Pomeroy, Craig Krampf, and Bobby Ogdin and the Local 257 Executive Board. Board Recommendation: Favorable
Announcements Minutes of the General Membership Meeting, June 25, 2012
Additions and Corrections for the April-June 2012 issue:
Attendees: Michael Poole, B. Ross Wellman, Phil Arnold, Brian Miller, Sam McClung, Don Pickert, Craig Krampf, Tom Wild, John Terrence, Ron Keller, Adam Beard, Tiger Fitzhugh, Vince Barranco, Kyle Stallons, Bill Poe, Vail Johnson, Teresa Hargrove.
In the Gallery section, Rufus Long was incorrectly identified as a 50-year member. He is actually a life member who joined the AFM in 1947.
President Dave Pomeroy was in China as part of the AFM delegation at the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Convention. The meeting did not achieve a quorum so no official business could be conducted. Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf conducted an informal meeting. Krampf gave a few reports, including one from Pomeroy, and various discussions took place. Krampf thanked everyone in attendance for their support.
“110 Reasons Nashville Is Music City” n
Special thanks to John Lomax III for his invaluable assistance and feedback on the cover story.
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In Early Studios (No. 19), we add for clarity that RCA Studio B was built in 1956, as stated, but was opened in 1957.
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Nashville Symphony Orchestra (No. 24), Local 257 initially donated $1,000 to the NSO — incorrectly listed as $5,000.
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In Jazz In Music City (No. 39), we add Bill Frisell’s album Nashville, a groundbreaking blend of jazz guitar, Americana and bluegrass sounds, which brought attention to the versatility and high artistic level of Nashville acoustic musicians.
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Bill Pursell, listed in Arrangers (No. 43), was incorrectly identified as Bill Purcell. In addition, Pursell played on many hit records, including a 1962 Top Ten instrumental as a solo artist, “Our Winter Love,” and is also a keyboardist, composer, NSO soloist, and longtime Belmont professor.
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Lastly, thanks to Daryl Sanders for his concept and hard work on the cover story. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.
—Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf, Secretary-Treasurer
Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting, March 15, 2012 Attending: President Dave Pomeroy, Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf, Andre Reiss (AR), Laura Ross (LR), Jonathan Yudkin (JY), Jimmy Capps (JC), Tim Smith (TS) and Tom Wild (TW). Not Present: Duncan Mullins (DM). President Pomeroy called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.
President’s Report Pomeroy reported on the following items: 1. Sony Video Games. Discussion followed. 2. Jimmy Adams, who still owes our members for 63 TV shows that were filmed. Discussion followed. 3. Change of personnel in the recording department. Steve Tveit has accepted the director of recording position, electronic media. MSC: (JY and TS) to approve hiring. 4. Encourage the committees to get active. The committees are: EducationCommunity Outreach, Legislation, Club and Road Musicians, Technology, and Recruiting-Marketing. Only the Club and Road Musicians committees have met recently. Discussion followed.
Secretary’s Report MSC: (AR, JY) to approve the minutes of Jan. 27, 2012.
Treasurer’s Report Copies of the financial statements were distributed. Krampf explained the report. MSC: (TW, LR) to approve the financial report. JY left due to prior commitment at 9:48.
New Business LR recommended Local 257 make a donation to the musicians of the Louisville Orchestra who have been locked out due to a contract dispute with management of the Louisville Orchestra. MSC: (LR, TW) to approve a $500 donation. MSC: (AR, TS) to accept new members. MSC: (AR, JC) to adjourn meeting. Meeting adjourned at 10:16 a.m. —Respectfully submitted by Craig Krampf
Do we have your current
email address?
Local 257 sends important advisories to members by email, including updates on our annual NAMM pass giveaway, and invitations to Local 257 events. Don't be left out of the loop! Notify the front desk of any changes to your contact information, including phone number, address and beneficiary. Call 615-244-9514 to make sure we have your correct information, or email kathyo@afm257.org THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 5
State of the Local By Dave Pomeroy to AFM agreements. This is another example of how union activism creates tangible results. This project is bringing in a lot of work for Nashville musicians, as well as actors and singers, and we look forward to seeing how Nashville portrays Nashville!
Negotiations — engaging the rank and file
In this 110th anniversary year of our local, we want you to know that your input and involvement are an essential part of our success. Please make plans to attend our birthday celebration on Oct. 17 at the local. We plan to begin about 4 p.m. with music, refreshments, and general fellowship, and we hope to see you here!
One of the signature elements of AFM President Ray Hair’s leadership style is to involve musicians in the negotiating process. I totally agree with that approach. It echoes the increased involvement RMA Nashville brought to the table a few years ago that changed the nature of Local 257’s interaction with its members. I flew to New York City and Los Angeles in July to meet with players who work under the TV/Videotape Agreement, which we will begin negotiating
China The AFM trip to China was a real eye opener for me. It underscored my fundamental belief that all people of the world are essentially the same. Our basic needs are simple – food, shelter, and clothing. Once we move past mere survival, music, art, and education are crucial to our social evolution, and have always played a role in moving society forward. It was amazing to be in a room with representatives of 131 countries who were all in agreement about the need to protect intellectual property. When we learn to respect each other’s differences while searching for common ground, there is a real chance of progress being made, and the Beijing Treaty is proof of that.
Nashville comes to town ABC Studios, Gaylord Entertainment and Lionsgate Television have combined to produce a new prime time series, called Nashville. Not long after Lionsgate’s very successful non-union cable show, Mad Men, was picketed in Los Angeles by the AFM, both that series and Nashville series were signed 6 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
in September. These meetings, which included members of the bands from Saturday Night Live, American Idol, and Dancing With The Stars, were very productive and revealing. I could feel the wall between leadership and rank and file crumble as trust and honesty were being rebuilt. We also had a TV/Videotape meeting with President Hair in Nashville. Many Local 257 musicians eligible to ratify the TV/Videotape Agreement were invited, but unfortunately, only a few showed up. The poor turnout was disappointing, but more importantly, when you don’t express your specific issues and concerns to us, we run the risk of being disconnected. These very important negotiations will be ongoing over the next few months, and I
will continue to keep you posted and solicit your opinions as we move forward to get a new TV agreement, which hasn’t had a raise since it expired in 2006. We tried the same approach with our recent CMT negotiations and had a bit more success in involving players. Thanks to those musicians who came to our caucus meeting, and to RMA Nashville President Bruce Bouton, who came to the caucus and the negotiations as well. It appears we have an agreement, with raises and new media protections in place, as well as progress on CMT’s compliance issues. I will let you know when the deal is confirmed.
A sense of community More and more, Local 257 has been getting involved in our schools. Recently, Craig and I had the great experience of working at Pearl-Cohn High School’s recording studio with middle school students taking summer music classes. Two 14-year-olds had written their own songs to be recorded, and two 12-yearold twins wanted to sing a cover of one of their favorite songs. Guitarist Gary Burnette and keyboardist Jim “Moose” Brown joined Craig and I as we backed up these young artists in their first recording experience. It was so rewarding to see the kids’ enthusiasm and even cooler to witness how quickly they adapted to the studio environment.
Looking ahead Among many planned initiatives, we will be reconstituting the member committees we set up last year. While we still have challenges to deal with, especially the issues of union members doing non-union recording sessions, and collecting money from deadbeat employers, there is also a lot to look forward to. I hope that all of you realize what an important time this is for the future of musicians around the world, appreciate the worldwide significance of Nashville music, and understand the absolute necessity of solidarity in our local and the AFM.
New Grooves By Craig Krampf
G
reetings, brother and sister musicians. I hope everyone is well and had a nice summer. It’s been a busy time for me this year. Along with the normal business of the local I’ve been involved with various clinics and seminars, traveling to the AFM Southern conference, preparations for a redesigned, updated website, and financial reports. Each day brings new challenges and it keeps the job interesting. We are working for you. It’s very rewarding to help our musicians, and makes me feel as happy as when I lay down a great drum track. As professional musicians, we all know how important it is to be responsible on the gig, and to be prepared in every way when we play. In like fashion, as adults we take responsibility for those who depend on us and who will be left with many tasks and obligations in the event of our passing. I feel it is very important to keep you up to date on our unique and valuable Funeral Benefit Fund, and how it can help you and your loved ones.
Funeral Benefit Fund Only a handful of locals have a funeral fund, and Local 257 has a generous one, a benefit that escalates over the course of continuous local membership: One to four years: $1,250.00, five to nine years: $2,500.00; 10 to 14 years: $3,750.00; 15 to 19 years: $5,500.00; 20 years and over: $8,000.00. In order to have continuous membership, as defined in our bylaws, a member must not have a lapse of membership for more than one year. After one year of lapsed membership, you will have to rejoin as a new member. After a member resigns he or she is no longer able to collect a funeral benefit. For some members, this is the only “insurance” benefit loved ones will receive, which is a good reason to keep your mem-
bership current. It is also important to keep your beneficiary information up to date; your loved ones are counting on you. The Fund is replenished yearly with a combination of a set $15 fee and a variable assessment that is calculated by a formula based on the total payout of the fund in the previous complete calendar year. A bylaw change will be offered Nov. 5 at the general membership meeting to adjust the way the Funeral Benefit Fund assessment is calculated. Following is some additional information about the changes that were made to the funeral benefit fund in 2010 to make sure it remains strong going forward, and why a revision in the bylaw will help sustain the positive growth of the fund and keep annual dues as low as possible.
Positive change When we took office, we learned that the financial condition of the fund was not good. The “graying” of our membership, the stock market losses of the last decade and the fact that for six years — 2002 through 2007 — there was no funeral fund assessment, all contributed to decreases in the fund. In that five-year period, members paid a building fund assessment for building improvements, and the thought was that an additional assessment would raise dues too much. The number of member deaths for the last ten years combined with the total monetary value of the fund led to the conclusion that the fund could potentially be out of money within five years. We met with several insurance brokers, took the best plan to the trustees and the executive board, and the local signed on with ING Insurance July 1, 2012.
How the ING plan works Local 257 pays the premium on a $15,000 life insurance policy for every member. There are no age, health, smoking or pre-existing condition restrictions. After a member passes, the named beneficiary will receive the funeral benefit based on the number of years the member was in the local. For example, if the member was in the local for 20 years or more, the beneficia-
ry will receive $8,000 after submitting an original copy of the death certificate to the local. After filing the necessary paperwork, the local receives a check for $15,000. The $7,000 that remains after the $8,000 payout goes straight back into the fund. We have had this plan in effect for two years now and it is truly working. The increase in the amount of money in the fund has helped shore up the fund’s dwindling finances. We hope that within a few years, a Funeral Benefit Fund assessment may not always be necessary.
Assessment bylaw proposal A mathematical formula contained in our Local 257 Bylaws, Article XII, Section 8, governs how the assessment is calculated: “If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payments exceed $100,000, the local Fiduciary Trustees shall levy an additional Funeral Benefit Fund assessment upon each member in an amount equal to fifty cents ($.50) for each additional $1,000 in benefits paid.” The fund’s fiduciaries and the local executive board met, and after discussion are proposing a bylaw change. The current language of “If during any calendar year Funeral Benefit Fund payout exceeds $100,000” would change to “If during any calendar the Funeral Fund Benefit payout exceeds $200,000.” See page four for the complete bylaw proposal.
Epilogue I hope this issue’s column gives you a better understanding of our unique fund, one of many benefits of Local 257 membership. I sat next to a gentleman from another local at the AFM convention in 2010. As we were having lunch he said, “Your local has one of those funeral benefit things, right? We used to have one, but it ran out of money.” I asked him about what they told their members. He said “All we could tell them was: ‘Too bad, guys.’” For us, that was never an option. With some of the adjustments that we have made and will continue to make, hopefully our fund will now remain intact for Local 257’s future generations of musicians. I hope you have a wonderful fall. THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 7
news
Babbitt Honored with star at Music City Walk of Fame
Calling for AFM Member Recordings! GoPro Tunes, the AFM’s new online music store, is now collecting singles, EPs and full albums from AFM members.
HELP IS AVAILABLE AT EVERY STEP! • Set your own prices, pay no upfront fees • Receive 100% of sales, minus credit card processing fees • Easy to use online interface
For more info reach us at WWW.GOPROTUNES.COM GOPROTUNES.COM Call us at 1-800-762-3444 ext 238 during normal business hours EST
8 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Steve Winwood, Mayor Karl Dean and Dave Pomeroy Bob Babbitt, iconic bassist and recipient of 25 gold and platinum records for his studio work, became the 60th member of the Music City Walk of Fame in a ceremony held June 5 in Nashville. The induction ceremony also honored Steve Winwood, and was held downtown at the Walk of Fame Park in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
B
abbitt, who died in July at age to let any of us put him on a pedestal, 74, is the first backing musiand right away he was simply one of cian to be honored with a star on the us. Bob’s groove could not be denied, walk. He was a Grammy-winning and it crossed all musical borders. That member of the Funk Brothers, a Mogroove was the glue that held thoutown studio band and was responsible sands of recordings together, and made for some of the most memorable tracks the whole world dance. in music history, including “Signed, “The late Harlan Howard called Sealed, Delivered,” “Mercy, Mercy Me,” country music ‘three chords and the and “Midnight Train To Georgia.” He truth.’ I would like to improvise on moved to Nashville in that, and say that Bob “Bob Babbitt the mid-80s. Babbitt was Babbitt changed the unable to attend the cerworld with four strings changed the emony in June due to a groove.” world with four and illness, and his award The induction cerestrings and a was accepted by Dave mony was sponsored by Pomeroy, President of Great American Coungroove." the Nashville Musicians try. “The sole purpose Association. The following is extracted of Walk of Fame is to honor the depth from Pomeroy’s remarks at the event: and breadth of Nashville,” said Butch “I can still remember the exciteSpyridon, President of the Nashville ment in the Nashville bass commuConvention & Visitors Bureau. “These nity when we heard Bob Babbitt had 60 stars represent all genres and ages, moved to Music City. What a pleasure and speak to how Nashville’s talent tranTNM it was to get to know him. He refused scends a genre.”
News
Local 257 scores big at
Music Row Awards Nashville Musicians Association members racked up the awards at the 24th annual MusicRow magazine ceremony in June.
Congratulations to the following winners of the award for Top 10 Album All-Star Musician: Ilya Toshinsky — guitar Charlie Judge and Gordon Mote — tie for keyboard Paul Franklin — steel Jimmie Lee Sloas — bass Shannon Forrest — drums Larry Franklin and Aubrey Haynie — tie for fiddle (L-R): Music Row’s Jon Freeman, vocalist Perry Coleman, keyboardist Charlie Judge, guitarist Ilya Toshinsky, Music Row’s Sarah Skates and Sherod Robertson
Carry-on
All-Star Musician awards are based on the number of top 10 albums on which each musician performed in the previous year. TNM
On Feb. 14, 2012 new regulations were signed into law governing carry-on luggage on flights. The legislation will allow musicians to stow their instruments in overhead compartments when the dimensions of the case match the allowable measurements for the airplane’s carry-on compartments. If an instrument does not fit in an overhead compartment, the law allows for passengers to purchase a seat for the instrument. Carry-on compartment size does vary from plane to plane, so travelers should check the size requirements for their particular plane before arriving at the airport. This information can be found on the carrier’s website, or you may call the airline for more information. The last step that remains is the actual implementation of the law. FAA regulations allow up to two years from the time the bill is signed for full implementation. Zack Marshall, senior legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, advised Local 257 in April that the Department of Transportation has started the process of economic analysis as part of the rule-making progress, so implementation is well underway. In the meantime, two major carriers have already changed their rules to include the new allowances for carry-on instruments. These two airlines are Frontier and Delta. If you will be traveling by air in the upcoming months, before final implementation of this law for all airlines, you may want to carry information on the passage of the legislation with you. Please contact Local 257 and ask for an electronic copy of AFM tips for making your flight pleasant for you and your instrument, as well as a copy of the new law.
update
Here is the pertinent section of the new law regarding bringing your instrument onto a flight:
H424/S713 Section 424 requires air carriers to permit passengers to carry a small musical instrument, such as a violin, guitar, onto the aircraft cabin if it can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or baggage or cargo storage compartment if the instrument can be stowed properly and there is space for such instruments. Air carriers are to permit passengers to bring a large instrument into the passenger compartment if the instrument can be stowed properly in a seat and the passenger has purchased a seat for the instrument. Air carriers must transport as checked baggage musical instruments that may not be carried on provided they meet certain weight and size limitations (i.e., if the sum of length, width, and height does not exceed 150 inches, weigh over 165 pounds, or exceed size and weight restrictions for that aircraft) and can be properly stowed. It directs, no later than two years after the date of enactment, the Secretary of Transportation to issue final regulations to carry out this section.
TNM
THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 9
news
AFM-EPF website
As
update
To register, go to www.afm-epf.org
many of you know, last year the AFM & Employers’ Pension Fund added a new area to their current website – a “Pension Estimator.” Participants can register on the website – it’s a quick process – then may access yearly contribution statements from the link “Covered Earnings Reports – Interim and Annual.” Here you will find covered earning reports – or what we sometimes think of as our annual statements – from 2000 through your most recent covered earnings report for 2011, which will be the same as the one mailed this August or September to more than 54,000 participants. You can also view the interim statement of contributions that have been reported to the Fund on your behalf for 2012 engagements for the quarter preceding the end of the next quarter – in other words, contributions through March 31, 2012 were posted on July 1. The entire schedule for interim statement posting can be viewed in the participant window once you have logged on. Should you have an address or phone number change, you can do this in “My Profile.” There is also an area to change your password. The Pension Estimator will allow you to estimate what your monthly benefit would be when you attain the ages of 55 – 65. It will also allow you to estimate the benefit based on whether you take your benefit as a Single Life Annuity — monthly payments for the rest of your
10 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Last year the AFM & Employers’ Pension Fund added a new area to their current website – a “Pension Estimator.” Participants can register on the website – it’s a quick process – then may access yearly contribution statements from the link “Covered Earnings Reports – Interim and Annual.”
life or take your benefits as a Joint/Survivor Annuity — monthly payments for the rest of your life and payments to your joint annuitant, generally your spouse, of either 75 percent or 50 percent of your monthly benefit amount. Understand these are only estimates so be sure to read the disclaimer on the estimator page, which you must agree to before using the pension estimator. This basic estimator will give you an idea of what you might receive upon retirement. Also, re-retirement and re-determination benefit calculations for those who continue to receive some contributions after they retire are not covered by the pension estimator but are described in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) which is available on the Fund’s website. The recent change to the pension estimator is in regard to covered wages earned during various time periods A through E – for which a $4.65 through $1.00 pension benefit multiplier applies – will now automatically be populated by the amount listed on your Covered Earning Report. This is a great enhancement, as previously it required you to write everything down and then enter it once you got to the pension estimator. Registering for the website is important for several reasons, two of which are in regard to the covered earnings report. First, you have three years in which to request corrections for either missing wages and contributions or underpaid contributions – notices have been sent to participants in regard to this three-year rule – so it is advisable to keep an eye on your annual statements to make sure you receive the correct amount of contributions you are due. Secondly, to receive a pension benefit you must be vested. To receive one
year of vesting credit you must earn $3,000 of covered wages in a calendar year, but you can earn vesting credits in increments – one-quarter when you reach $750 on covered earnings, another one-quarter when you reach $1500 and another quarter when you reach $2250. You can earn a maximum of one vesting credit per year. If you earn less that $750 of covered wages in a calendar year, those wages will not be counted and you will be considered to have a one-year break in service. Once you accumulate five vesting credits you are vested. Once you are vested you remain vested, even if you stop working in the industry. Other rules applied before 1985, but currently, if there are five consecutive years that are considered to be a break in service, the entire process restarts and all contributions made before that break in service are lost, even if you later become vested. All this information is found on the first page of your annual statement. “It saddens me as a trustee when a participant reaches retirement age and assumes they will receive a pension benefit but have not taken the time to double-check their statements. Please keep track of this,” Pension Trustee Laura Ross said. Finally, the third reason to register on the website is because the trustees and staff are looking at the option of electronic communication, thus cutting down on administrative expenses like printing costs and postage. “The government has been changing regulations so participants may soon be able to opt in to receive plan documents, communications, and statements. There are only a little over 6,000 registered users on the website so I encourage you all to sign up,” Ross said. To TNM register, go to www.afm-epf.org.
Heard on the Grapevine
Heard on the Grapevine
Calling Dr. Krauss Alison Krauss was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from The Berklee College of Music, bestowed during the school’s graduation ceremony held May 12 in Boston. Krauss is the most awarded female artist in the history of the Grammys, and is recognized as one of the artists who helped bring bluegrass into a wider prominence during the ‘90s, with the crossover popularity of her distinctive voice and proficient fiddle playing. Her success has continued for decades, most recently with Raising Sand, her duet album with Robert Plant; and a new offering with her band, Union Station. Also accepting honorary degrees were Ethiopian pianist Mulatu Astatke and the members of The Eagles.
Parton Tune in Library of Congress Congratulations to Dolly Parton, whose song “Coat of Many Colors” was added this year to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. The iconic singer was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986, and has been a member of the Nashville Musicians Association since 1967. The autobiographical song recounts her impoverished childhood in Tennessee as well as the sustaining love of her family. Parton has called “Coat of Many Colors” her favorite composition because of the attitude and philosophy it reflects. Each year the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings that are at least 10 years old and considered historically, culturally, or aesthetically significant. Including this year, the registry will now have 350 recordings. The goal of the National Recording Registry is to preserve these selections for future generations.
Mr. Zoro goes to Washington Nashville Musicians Association member and drummer Zoro was honored in Washington D.C. as part of an event designed to recognize individuals who have made significant strides in promoting responsible fatherhood and mentoring of boys. “Being invited to this event by the highest office in the land and getting a shout out for my work as an author and mentor from Special Assistant to President Obama Joshua DuBois was one of the great honors of my career,” Zoro said. “It was truly a privilege to be among such distinguished guests who are each doing their part to help strengthen American families.” In 2010 President Barack Obama announced the creation of the President’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, which was spearheaded by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Zoro, who played drums for Lenny Kravitz and other legendary performers, is also the author of The Big Gig, a book designed to motivate and inform readers who want to increase chances of success in their chosen endeavor, in or out of the music business.
Rock & Roll Hall of fame honors Sonny Curtis Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Sonny Curtis was inducted April 14 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Crickets by a special committee, aimed at correcting the mistake of not including The Crickets with Buddy Holly when he was first inducted in 1986. When Buddy Holly was offered a contract with Decca Records in 1956, he recruited three fellow musicians from his hometown of Lubbock, Texas to join him, including guitarist Sonny Curtis, who joined Holly on the road as lead guitarist. Following Holly’s death in 1959, he took over as lead vocalist for the group as well. In addition to his time with The Crickets, Curtis wrote many songs including the theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show — "Love is All Around," — which he also recorded, "More Than I Can Say,” recorded by Anne Murray, and “I Fought the Law,” recorded by a wide range of artists including Bobby Fuller, The Clash, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison and Hank Williams, Jr. Over the last six decades, Curtis, an AFM life member, has continued to record and perform as part of The Crickets, and has helped reprise many of their hits.
Jewel As June Carter Cash Singer-songwriter Jewel will play June Carter Cash in Ring Of Fire, a Lifetime channel movie about the late wife of Johnny Cash. The biopic is based on a book by June’s son, Local 257 member John Carter Cash, continued on page 12 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 11
Heard on the Grapevine continued from page 11
called Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash. Jewel will be transformed into June Carter Cash with the help of blue-tinted contacts, hair dye, and prosthetic straight teeth. The movie will follow the late singer from her early years in the mountains of Virginia to her rise to success with the Carter Sisters. It will also explore her tumultuous relationship with Johnny Cash. Jewel will star alongside Frances Conroy of the HBO series Six Feet Under as June’s mother Maybelle Carter, and Matt Ross of American Horror Story (FX) as Johnny Cash. Lifetime has not yet set a release date for the film.
Frizzell honors brother lefty Local 257 member David Frizzell has written a book about his brother, Lefty Frizzell. I Love You A Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story, was released in late 2011 and named one of the Top Music Books of the Year by CMT (Country Music Television). "This is my year of giving back," Frizzell said. "I've wanted to honor Lefty for a long time and writing the book was a painful but loving process." Still touring and performing at age 70, Frizzell has also launched an awareness campaign for Mothers Against Drunk Driving with his latest single, “Say Hello To Heaven.” Sadly, it is a story the Frizzell family knows well. David's own niece was killed by a drunk driver in 1998. "I could never repay MADD for the help and care when we lost my niece, but when I heard this song, I knew it may be the perfect way to shine a light on the tragedies that come from drunk driving," Frizzell said.
New Gospel Hall of famer AFM Local 257 member Ricky Skaggs was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in August at a ceremony at Trinity Music City Auditorium in Hendersonville. The GMA Foundation (GMAF) also inducted Aretha Franklin, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard. "For someone who has spent my entire career playing music in the marketplace, not in the church, this is quite an honor! I've always loved the Gospel, I sing about it in many different ways. I've never seen myself as a Christian artist, just an artist who is a Christian. I'm very grateful for this award," Skaggs said. The GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, established in 1971, has inducted more than 150 members since its inception. Previous inductees include Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Blind Boys of Alabama, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Pat Boone, and the Jordanaires.
Gibson nominated for emmy Steve Gibson, guitarist and member of the Nashville Musicians Association, has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Musical Direction on the show Country Music: In Performance At The White House. “Performing with a world class group of artists before the president, the first lady, and their invited guests demanded the very best in musicianship. As music director, I had no hesitation whatsoever about taking our Nashville guys to Washington for this event.To then be nominated for an Emmy Award puts it right at the top of lifetime achievements for any musician,” Gibson said. Several Local 257 members including John Jarvis, Stuart Duncan, Paul Leim, David Hungate, Kerry Marx, Paul Franklin, and Andrea Zonn participated in the Washington show. Gibson said the Nashville 12 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
players “are not only some of my dearest personal friends; they are musicians of the highest caliber anywhere. Their extraordinary contribution to this show is a testament to the amazing heart and soul of all the musicians who make Nashville such a special place. This nomination belongs to them as much as to me. Congratulations, guys, and thank you!"
Jan Grantt Benefit Raises more than $40,000
Nashville musicians, artists, and other members of the music community came out in droves to support Kevin “Swine” Grantt and family at 3rd and Lindsley with a benefit for Kevin’s wife Jan. The benefit was organized by Jim “Moose” Brown and Eddie Bayers, Jr. and featured a house band that included Mike Johnson (steel guitar), James Mitchell (electric guitar), John Willis (acoustic and electric guitar), Grantt (bass), Brown (keyboards) and Bayers (drums). Artists and songwriters who performed included Craig Morgan, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Ashton Shepherd, Josh Thompson, Darryl Worley, Josh Turner, and Incognito Bandito, also known as Toby Keith and band. Many artists and organizations contributed auction items including Brad Paisley, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack and the Country Music Hall of Fame. The June 19 event raised over $40,000. Grantt and his family sent thanks: “Words cannot explain how moved our family was. Thanks to y’all, the financial weight was not near as heavy. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued prayers and support. You have made this time more pleasant than it should have been.” Send contributions to Jan Grantt Fund at Bank of America.
Gallery Photo: Donn Jones
jimmy Capps
Nashville Cat Legendary guitarist Jimmy Capps, pictured here with his wife Michele, was honored as a "Nashville Cat" at the Country Music Hall of Fame on June 16.
Matt McKenzie
Eric Church
s
2012 CMA Music Festival
Eric Church performs at L.P. Field during the 2012 CMA Music Festival held in June. Big thanks go out to all the Local 257 musicians who took part in this hugely successful event that brings in millions of tourist dollars to Nashville each year.
Local 257 scale for CMA Fest went up 50 percent this year.
AFM 25-year pin s Bassist Matt McKenzie, currently touring with Don Williams and Olivia Newton-John, picks up his 25year pin from fellow bassist Dave Pomeroy, also a veteran continued on page 14 of Williams' band. THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 13
Gallery continued from page 13
NAMM Top 100 Dealers show The Jamie Hartford Band rocks the house with a smokin' opening set for the NAMM Top 100 Dealers show. (L-R) Jamie Hartford, Rick Lonow, and Dave Pomeroy.
Pat Flynn J. Fred Knobloch Photo: Mickey Dobo
Leon Russell
AFM Booth s
n, The legendary Leon Russell and guitarist Pat Flyn who are currently working on a project together, eroy stopped by the AFM booth to visit with Dave Pom and Craig Krampf during Summer NAMM.
14 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Summer NAMM s Singer/Songwriter J. Fred Knobloch joins Dave and Craig for the NAMM seminar "So You Want To Be A Session Player?" along with guitarist Troy Lancaster and violinist Jonathan Yudkin. (not pictured)
Gallery Jack Freckman
G.R. Davis
Life Member pin s
LOcal 257 25-year pin s
Banjo player Jack Freckman received his life member pin from Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf. Jack transferred to Local 257 on July 13, 1987 after being a long-time member of Local 193, Waukesha, WI. Jack brought along his one-of-a-kind, 22-fret, Plectrum-Tenor Hummingbird banjo built by Bill Sullivan.
Mike Doster
Bassist and tuba player G.R. Davis was presented with his AFM 25-year pin by Dave Pomeroy. G.R. received a master's degree in music from Indiana University and is currently an adjunct professor of tuba at Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music, and also a life AFM member.
nd award s ge Le ge in Fr e ll vi sh Na Legend award and Local 257 Bassist Mike Doster received the f. The annual Nashville Fringe proclamation from Craig Kramp ing music, dance, crafts, spoken Festival celebrates local art featur word and film.
C
huck
WAYNE KILLiUS
Congratulations s Craig Krampf congratulated drummer Wayne Killius when he stopped by the union office for his AFM 25year pin. Wayne joined Local 257 on Feb. 2, 1987.
Bradley
Drums/Percussion Live/ Studio/ Virtual 678-346-0032 AFM 257 Member chuck.bradley@hotmail.com myspace.com/chuckbradley
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The Nasville musician interview
Charlie
McCoy Harmonica virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Charlie McCoy is one of the most recorded musicians in history and a member of the fabled A-Team of Nashville studio players.
Born in West Virginia and raised in Miami, Fla., he discovered the harmonica at age eight, had his first rock band at age 16 — with Donny Young, later known as Johnny Paycheck — and after winning first prize in a band contest, came to Nashville at 18 on an invitation by Mel Tillis. Hired early on by Chet Atkins, his career as a session musician was fully launched after he was hired by Fred Foster to play on the Roy Orbison hit “Candy Man.” McCoy’s success as a solo artist led to a No. 1 song, “Today I Started Loving You Again,” and a Grammy for his record The Real McCoy. He has also garnered two CMA and seven ACM awards, and has played on thousands of recording sessions for artists like Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr and Ween. He was inducted into the West Virginia Hall of Fame and the International Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008, and in 2009 he was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He remains active as a session player, solo artist and bandleader, and still tours Europe regularly. McCoy sat down with Dave Pomeroy and Craig Krampf at Local 257 to discuss his life and career in music. 16 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
DP: What inspired you to start playing music? CM: When I was eight years old I saw an ad in a comic book, “You too can play harmonica in seven days or your money back!” for a box top and 50 cents. Later that year I got a guitar and I just kept playing. DP: What brought you to Nashville? CM: I first came to Nashville in 1959 as a singer, and I auditioned for both Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins. I had a guitar and I went in and sang “Johnny B. Goode” for them – I wish I had a video of that – and they both said ‘you’re pretty good, son, but we’re not doing that kind of music around here.’ I was crushed, of course but then Owen invited me to a session, so I went over to the Quonset Hut and watched Brenda Lee cut her first hit. I got there early, and Owen said “Sit up about halfway up this stairway and you’ll get a real picture of what we’re doing here here.” So I did, and saw the microphones and drums and everything. Then the musicians came in, and when you’re 18, everyone looks old, so I wondered who these old guys were, of course it was Buddy [Harman] and Bob [Moore] Floyd [Cramer] Grady [Martin] and the rest of the A-Team. Then Brenda came in, and I thought “She’s just a kid, who’s gonna record a kid?” They played the demo on an acetate and it looked to me like the players were barely paying attention, and I suddenly thought, “There’s no music – where’s the music?” Then they cut it, and when the first playback came on, it was magic, the greatest thing I ever heard, and at that moment I said “The heck with singing, I want to do this.” I came back to stay a year later. CK: What was your first master session? CM: It was in May of 1961 for Ann Margaret, produced by Chet Atkins. I had played on a demo for Jim Denny with Cedarwood Publishing for Kent Westbury and Marijohn Wilkin. I had played harmonica on a demo and Jim called me and said “Chet Atkins just called and he’s going to record that new song and wants you to play exactly what you played on the demo. Jim went with me to the studio, and introduced me to Chet, and he said “I know you.” And I said, “Yes, I auditioned for you a couple years ago,” and he said “Now I remember – black Les Paul custom, you sang Johnny B. Goode for me.” That knocked me out. So there I was in the studio with Chet and the A-Team, the Anita Kerr singers, and an 18 year old Ann Margaret. At the end of the session, Bob Moore walked up to me and asked me if I was busy that Friday. I said “no” and he said, come back to this same studio Friday morning, we’re recording Roy Orbison. I was a big Orbison fan, and the first thing we cut was “Candyman,” which was a huge hit. DP: As the new guy, how did you learn how to fit in with the A-Team’s way of doing things? CM: Early on, I was on a session at the Quonset Hut, and I noticed that Grady [Martin] was giving me dirty looks, and I thought, “Oh, I’m in so much trouble.” We stopped and listened to a playback, and I walked over to Grady and asked if there was something wrong. He said “Yeah, man you’re playing too much! Listen to the lyrics – if you can’t hear ‘em all and understand them, then you’re playing too much.” So that was a wakeup call. So I thought about it and I listened to him play and went, “That’s what it is. Less is more.” That became my trademark – thanks to Grady.
Charlie Mccoy CK: How old were you when you started playing so many different instruments? CM: I already played guitar and harmonica, I could play a little piano and fooled with the sax, all during high school. Not long after I got here, Wayne Moss called me to play a rock & roll gig at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and asked me if I could play bass guitar. I said I played a little upright bass in high school orchestra, and he said, “this is just the bottom four strings of the guitar, you can do it!” So I started playing bass. Then one day I was doing a session for Chet and he said, “I’m not hearing any harp on this song, why don’t you go play some vibes on this one?” I said I can’t play vibes!” and he said “Aw you can do it, go on.” And it was fun, so I started going to sessions early and practicing vibes. And it just went on from there.
DP: The A-Team played on all kinds of records—what were some memorable dates you remember? CM: One time Shelby Singleton produced three number one hits in one day with three artists in totally different styles with the same musicians. “Ahab the Arab,” “Walk On By” and “Wooden Heart,” all completely different. When things got really busy and we were doing three and four sessions a day, I remember being really tired and looking at Harold Bradley, Grady and Bob and think, ‘These guys are the real pros – their work ethic was amazing and the bottom line was excellence.’ DP: What are the keys to success as a session player? CM: The main thing is to check your
ego at the door. People who don’t learn how to do that don’t last very long. The best I ever heard it put was, “the song is the picture, we’re just the frame,” you know? We want to make a frame that makes the picture look good. CK: What was it like working with Elvis in Los Angeles? CM: I went out there for a few of the Elvis movie soundtracks. He loved the studio; that was his safe place. He was away from the public and surrounded by people he respected. Even though some of the music was dreadful, and he knew it, he was a pro and he gave it his best. He’d say, “I’m sorry about this music but let’s get it done and do it the best we can.” Every night, at the end of every session, he came over and thanked every musician individually
for helping him. The biggest star in the world thanking me for helping him. That’s big, man. DP: Can you talk about your parallel career as a solo artist? CM: Once I decided to be a studio musician, I put the artist thing on the shelf. I didn’t care about it, but it kept following me around. Fred Foster asked me to record for Monument. I said no, I’ve already done that, but he talked me into it. I asked him what he wanted me to do, and he said, “I don’t know, whatever you want.” I did some vocal stuff with the Escorts, and we couldn’t give it away. Eventually I started recording instrumentals, and then we had a hit single, and it was off to the races. So I got back into the artist thing, and it was another way to be
creative outside of being a studio musician. I had learned how to play melodies on the harp like a singer, and if I don’t already know the words, I always keep the lyrics in front of me when I record instrumentals. I just made my 38th solo album. DP: When did you start touring as an artist over in Europe? CM: There was a French artist, a big star named Eddie Mitchell, who started using me as a special guest on his tours around 1975. I played the Wembley festival in England a few times with him. In 1987 I did a session with a Danish artist. I played Wembley with him and a couple of tours in Denmark, and the steel player asked me if I wanted to work in France, and that’s how it got started. I‘ve been working with that same band
ever since. One thing I know, American music is still the most popular overseas. It’s everywhere. We may be the only industry in our country that doesn’t have a trade deficit! CK: Any final thoughts? CM: One great thing the music business does is, it makes the age gap go away. When we come together and work on something, it just goes away. I can hang with Little Jimmy Dickens or a kid who just came to town. I love that. You know, I am the most blessed man in America. All my life I’ve done nothing but what I wanted to do. I’ve been paid well for it, and I’ve been awarded for it. I’ve made a lot of friends, seen a lot of places. If someone asked me if I would do anything different, I can say “No.” It all worked out. THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 17
Great Wall of China
The AFM Goes to by dave pomeroy As a country with a centuries-long tradition of theater, dance and music, the Chinese government is finally recognizing the importance of the issues of copyright and intellectual property. As they continue to be one of the world’s strongest economies, the Chinese appear to be eager to be a partner in the international movement towards protecting the rights of performers.
June a delegation from the AFM attended the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Diplomatic Conference as part of a coalition of artist organizations determined to ensure that intellectual property concerns of professional musicians were addressed in the new WIPO treaty. On the final day of the conference the treaty was approved unanimously and prepares a pathway for the AFM to finally capture and distribute overseas performance royalties to American musicians. Local 257 President and AFM International Executive Board member Dave Pomeroy was part of the delegation that traveled to Beijing, for WIPO’s Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances. 18 18 july—september july—september 2012 2012 || THE THE NASHVILLE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN MUSICIAN
hen the subject of an AFM trip to China initially came up, I was somewhat skeptical. It took a while to wrap my mind around the idea that a trip to a U.N.- sponsored conference could have a positive effect for AFM members. The more I learned about the WIPO conference, the more I began to understand that giving intellectual property issues an international forum for mutual agreement on the rights of musicians and creators could and should be an essential part of moving this discussion forward, especially given the lack of action in Congress on this issue due to the powerful lobbying of the broadcast industry. The 13-hour flight to China gave me plenty of time to reflect on why the AFM trip was so integral to achieving one of our longstanding goals: getting American musicians paid royalties for recordings that are played on terrestrial radio. It is no secret that American music is played everywhere around the globe, and the bottom line is this is a simple balance of trade issue. In other words, American musi-
cians are owed much more for their music that is aired overseas than foreign musicians would ever be paid for their music being on terrestrial radio here. In the vast majority of cases, our American musicians never see the money they generate overseas. Our frustration with this inequity, combined with the lack of action by Congress to pass reciprocal performance rights legislation was the key reason for our presence in Beijing.
History of WIPO WIPO was established by the United Nations, and is charged with establishing and coordinating international recognition of the rights of creators, performers and content producers of all types, including musicians, actors, authors, and composers. I was there to represent Nashville as part of a seven-member AFM delegation that included President Ray Hair, Secretary-Treasurer Sam Folio, Vice President from Canada Alan Willeart, Local 802 (NYC) President Tino Gagliardi, Local 47 (L.A.) President Vince Trombetta, and inhouse counsel Jennifer Garner. The purpose of this important sevenday diplomatic conference, or “dip-con” in
international relations lingo, was to complete, finalize and approve a new treaty to protect intellectual property rights of performers in audiovisual works. This new treaty completes a long process that began in 1961 with the Rome Convention treaty, the first international agreement establishing performance rights across international borders. The United States did not sign the Rome treaty in 1961 because of pressures from the broadcast industry who did not — and 50 years later — still do not want to pay performance rights royalties to musicians and singers whose work is played on AM and FM radio. As many of you are aware, performance rights for radio airplay is an area where the United States lags behind the rest of the world. There are only a handful of countries that do not pay these royalties besides the U.S. These include China, North Korea, Turkey, Iran, and Rwanda. All of these countries were at the conference as well as the U.S., and their presence showed that this conference and treaty were an important step forward in recognizing the rights of musicians. continued on page 20
Beijing Street Market
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uring the ‘90s, there were a number of developments that paved the way for this historic event. The World Trade Organization’s TRIPS treaty in 1994 provided worldwide validation of the concept of intellectual property in international business. The 1996 WPPT (WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty) reinforced the concept of performance rights for sound recordings, but the lack of a reciprocal performing rights agreement in the U.S. has thus far prevented American musicians from getting airplay money they deserve, unless they are registered with an overseas collective for works that qualify due to international content. The U.S. eventually ratified the WPPT in 2006. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 finally provided performance royalties for Internet and satellite radio play, but still excluded AM and FM “terrestrial” radio. This royalty split gives the copyright owner 50 percent, the featured artist 45 percent, and backing musicians and singers 2.5 percent each of the net income. The royalty split is administered through Sound Exchange and the AFMAFTRA Fund, and is a rapidly growing revenue stream. The year 2000 saw an unsuccessful attempt to establish an audiovisual performance treaty at a conference in WIPO’s home location of Geneva, Switzerland. 19 out of 20 articles were passed, but the negotiations broke down due to an inability to agree on certain terms and language. The past twelve years have seen laborious work from many parties around the world to try and resolve these issues for another attempt at a worldwide treaty, which is how the Beijing WIPO conference came to be.
AFM President Ray Hair addresses the WIPO Convention. Canadian V.P. Alan Willeart, Tino Gagliardi, and Vince Trombetta in background.
Why China? Why hold a conference in China, arguably the world’s center of unauthorized bootlegs of CDs and DVDs? I had my doubts, but it does appear that at long last the Chinese government is attempting to take meaningful action to curb this terrible problem. As a country with a centuries-long tradition of theater, dance and music, the Chinese government is finally recognizing the importance of the issues of copyright and intellectual property. As they continue to be one of the world’s strongest economies, the Chinese appear to be eager to be a partner in the international movement towards protecting the rights of performers. The hotel’s conference center also simultaneously hosted the fourth annual China International Copyright Expo, and the message of the exhibitors was clear in their attempt to correct the problems of the past. Conducting this meeting in Beijing showed the Chinese government’s willingness to address the issue publicly, which is a start. This is not to say they have it all worked out. There are still a few people here and there selling counterfeit watches and bootleg DVDs. Time will tell, but I believe the intention is there, which is an essential first step.
Building essential connections and making new friends The AFM had a strong presence in Beijing and our input and support to the U.S. diplomatic delegation, led by Justin Hughes, helped ensure that essential principles of the treaty negotiated in 2000 which affect AFM musicians were not compromised as the final details and language were negotiated. We also strengthened relations with our labor union counterparts from around the world, and reached out to the representatives of the 131 countries in attendance. We were able to achieve these goals, and make sure that the world knows the AFM is fully engaged in protecting the intellectual property of our members. Dozens of labor organizations that represent performers were there, including the International Federation of Musicians, (FIM) — of which the AFM is a member — the newly merged SAG/AFTRA, content producers such as the Motion Picture Association and collectives from around the world who receive royalties from radio and television airplay. The AFM was able to lay groundwork for new relationships with the international organizations that collect money from airplay and performances of audio and audiovisual works we have not previously been able to access, to create a long overdue revenue stream from American recordings and movies exhibited overseas. President Hair spoke eloquently in his opening and closing statements and the new relationships we forged will bear fruit for years to come. It was amazing to be in a room 20 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
The AFM delegation with Francis Gurry, world renowned intellectual property expert and Director General of WIPO.
Dave models a traditional Chinese hat at a Beijing street market with Local 47 (L.A.) President Vince Trombetta and Local 802 (N.Y.) President Tino Gagliardi.
A helpful salesman in a Beijing music store demonstrated a variety of traditional Chinese instruments.
with countries large and small, some of whom who are often in conflict with one another, including Egypt, Iran, Syria, Turkey, North Korea, China and Russia, and to see that everyone in the room shared a common goal of protecting the rights of artists. Beijing is a city of nearly 20 million people, and has been the political center of China for centuries. Although there are many ideologically-themed statues and imagery, and references to Mao are ever-present, at no time did I feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Beijing is also a city of contrasts, where 21st century technology sits side by side with ancient buildings. Opulent hotels and modern skyscrapers transition to neighborhoods of extreme poverty in just a few blocks. The people are friendly, and approachable and capitalism has definitely taken hold in many ways. Like any big city, street hawkers are everywhere, and the price of goods in the marketplace is always negotiable. I will admit that I was a walking, talking, meeting and greeting advertisement for Music City. I made new friends with many people, and I must tell you that Nashville, Tenn., gets a lot of respect around the world. We should never take that for granted. I also had plenty of opportunities to pitch Nashville as a destination for recording, film, and more. I made sure that all those I spoke with understood that we record every kind of music here with quality, efficiency and soul. Hopefully we can continue to generate more international business for Nashville musicians in the global economy. One of four "Worker's Statues" at Tiananmen Square, the scene of infamous protests in 1989 that changed the course of Chinese history.
Looking ahead
After much debate, important and essential language endorsing the concept of “no collection without distribution,” agreed upon in 2000, remained in the treaty, which is huge, and gives us a mechanism to get the money we are owed. The AFM has recently started receiving money from Spain’s collection society, five million so far, which is distributed by the AFM-AFTRA Fund. This is a huge first step in the right direction, and we made every effort possible to reach out to the collectives and enlist new allies in our quest to get musicians what they rightfully deserve. I must commend everyone in our delegation for their hard work, dedication and teamwork on behalf of all American musicians. I am very pleased and proud to say that we made huge progress towards our very ambitious goal of creating a new revenue stream for AFM musicians from international exploitation of American music. On the sixth day of the conference, after much internal and external debate about critical areas of language and interpretation, the treaty was unanimously approved by all 131 countries, 41 of which had the authority to not only approve, but also ratify the treaty of behalf of their governments. One can only imagine how much more income for musicians could have been generated if the U.S. broadcasters were paying performance rights all these years, instead of fighting against proposed Congressional legislation intended to give U.S. musicians and singers the same rights they enjoy all over the world. Hopefully this will happen soon, but in the meantime this historic treaty gives the AFM an opportunity to work around the inaction of Congress and create our own revenue stream. The governments of the remaining 90 countries, including the U.S., will now have to ratify the treaty, a process that will begin immediately around the world. When the time comes, we will urge all of you to reach out to your representatives in Congress and get them to sign off on this very important international initiative. This treaty is a game changer for American musicians, and gives us an avenue to collect new revenue streams from the use of our music around the world. It was very exciting to be a part of this historic event, and I cannot tell you how proud I am of the music we create in Nashville, the solidarity and strength of our community, and how much it means to me to be your representative as president of the Nashville Musicians Association. Thanks to all of you for your support. THE THENASHVILLE NASHVILLEMUSICIAN MUSICIAN| |july—september july—september2012 201221 21
The Nashville Musician
Reviews From the opening cascades of mandolin and pulsing bass of the first song, “Movement and Location,” it’s clear that Punch Brothers third album release, Who’s Feeling Young Now? is an ambitious artistic leap for a band already known for its adventurousness. Rich acoustic tones seamlessly melt into electronic effects and bandleader Chris Thile’s breathy vocals float over the band and collide with stirring instrumental interludes, leaving the listener breathless. Top to bottom, the band’s third album incorporates a myriad of contemporary and traditional influences into its own unique blend and succeeds in going where few bands have gone before. Bluegrass, pop, funk, to classical, jam band and alternative rock — it’s all here, and it all works. A mandolin prodigy since his early teens, Local 257 member Thile first came to prominence with the long running neo-bluegrass group Nickel Creek, which also included Sara and Sean Watkins. Thile has grown into a prime visionary of the progressive acoustic movement, and his various collaborations and tours with the likes of bassist Edgar Meyer, including the recent Goat Rodeo project with Meyer, cellist YoYo Ma, and Nashville fiddlemandolin virtuoso Stuart Duncan, have met with critical and commercial success. With Punch Brothers, Thile has surrounded himself with four of the finest acoustic musicians of his generation, Noam Pilkeny (banjo), Chris “Critter” Eldridge (guitar) and Paul Kowert (acoustic bass) — all Local 257 members — and Gabe Wichter (fiddle), a longtime Local 47 (Los Angeles) member. Thile’s 2006 solo CD, How to Grow A Band and subsequent tour was the genesis of the group, which quickly coalesced into a “real” band with the release of Punch in 2008. A true collaborative band, they all share writing credit on the 10 original compositions, and Wichter trades lead vocals with Thile on the bluesy “Hundred Dollars.” Produced by Jacquire King, of Tom Waits and Kings of Leon fame, Who’s Feeling 22 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Photo: Danny Clinch
PUNCH BROTHERS
“Who’s Feeling Young Now?” (Nonesuch)
Young Now? was recorded at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio and breaks new sonic ground with its use of electronic effects on acoustic instruments. The performances, arrangements and textures keep the listener attentive and stimulated throughout. Standout tracks include “This Girl” which starts out as alternative pop-rock and suddenly builds into an upbeat bluegrass feel for the chorus, with evocative layered vocals throughout. “No Concern Of Yours” features a mysteriously dark lyric, remarkable group dynamics and impeccable arco bass from Kowert. The title track defies easy description, but with repeated listening, the choppy chording, fuzzed out bass, banjo madness, and vocals that range from wistful to snarky, it becomes apparent that the Punch Brothers are tapping into Led Zeppelinesque levels of dynamics and energy— and without drums! “Flippen (The Flip),” one of two instrumentals not written by the band, starts out as a blazing mandolin-guitar duet, dissolves into an atmospheric middle section, then follows Eldridge’s solo flatpicking guitar back up to tempo and concludes with an odd time fiddle-banjo jig that roars to a finish. “Patchwork Girlfriend” has an old-time vaudeville feel with a hilarious lyric. Pikelny’s chromatic, slippery banjo fills are a perfect counterpoint to Thile’s
processed “megaphone” vocal. The aforementioned “Hundred Dollars” brings the funk, and the stopstart arrangement has light and shade that matches the contrasting vocal textures of Thile and Wichter to a T. “Soon or Never” is a beautiful lullaby and song of hope to a love that may or may not be possible. The rollicking “New York City” pays tribute to their adopted hometown while lamenting the slim chance of finding the needle of love in the proverbial haystack. British alt-rock icons Radiohead’s song “Kid A” is covered as a spacious instrumental with arco bass taking much of the lead while mandolin, banjo, and guitar criss-cross in broken percussive rhythms and the fiddle drones, building to an intense climax. The album closes with “Don’t Get Married Without Me,” another roller coaster ride that shows off the amazing synergy of vocal and instrumental ideas that flow from this band of stellar instrumentalists, composers, and arrangers. Punch Brothers’ star continues to rise, and solo projects and collaborations with the likes of Elvis Costello, Dierks Bentley, and Steve Martin plus near constant touring continue to add to the considerable legacy they are building. They are all masters of their instruments, but together they have created a cohesive whole even greater than the sum of their considerable individual parts. Who’s Feeling Young Now? captures the incredible stylistic range of this band of virtuosos without leaving the audience behind. A rare feat, indeed. —Roy Montana
Out Of The Shadows Etta Britt (Wrinkled)Reviewed by Kent Burnside
It’s fitting that Etta Britt’s debut release for Wrinkled Records contains “Leap of Faith.” Her story — now well known, courtesy of the Huffington Post — can perhaps be summarized in two lines from that song: “When I went ahead and spread my wings / I found out I could fly.” At a point in life when so many other singers would have abandoned their dreams of making a record, Etta delivers the goods. Bob Britt’s slide/wah guitar kicks off the seriously grooving opener, “Dog Wants In.” Britt and Tom Bukovac split the guitar duties throughout, with Local 257’s Greg Morrow and Steve Mackey laying down drums and bass, respectively. Harlan Howard’s classic “The Chokin’ Kind” gets a slower treatment than usual, which allows Britt to savor each line. Several outside writers contribute songs (including two from Michael McDonald), with Britt writing four, including the stirring “She’s Eighteen,” inspired by an experience with her own daughter: “She’s eighteen, she’s ready to go / She wants to leave this house, to where, I don’t know / She’s not a woman, not a child.” The moving “Quiet House” explores the pain of “living life without my life” until they return for weekend visits. Best single line in this collection? “I should have picked on a love my own size” (from “The Bigger The Love”). With Chad Cromwell’s fat snare, John Jarvis’ B-3 and the Mingo Fishtrap horns, this is old-school soul the way it’s supposed to sound. Just like Etta Britt. Analog Man In A Digital World Bill Wence (615 Records) Reviewed by Kent Burnside
Veteran country pianist/songwriter Bill Wence worked his Rolodex hard, and what a band he got for his efforts: Becky Hobbs, Jonell Mosser, Gretchen Peters, and The Jordanaires. And that’s only
the backing vocals. Charlie McCoy’s and each one sounds as though it was harmonica is featured prominently written just for this record. throughout the album as well. Sonically this album is a real breath of The title is appropriate for the fresh air, ironically so because it’s a throwback material here — Wence understands the to an earlier era. The instrumentation, kind of songs best suited to his voice, and the mixing and the mastering all work to he sticks to them faithfully. “Borderline support Williams’ laid-back vocal style. No Crazy” laments the pace of modern life, slamming drums, no screaming guitars, yearning to head south and escape. In and no overcompression. Would that more “Thirty Years” he looks back ruefully at Nashville records still sounded like this one. missed opportunities, yet never succumbs The opener, “Better Than Today,” to the bitterness those might bring, always is a heartfelt hymn to optimism: “I looking ahead to the next thirty. know it’s dry, but that’s gonna change / Wence finds new possibilities Lord, I ain’t felt a drop, but I can smell in “Unchained Melody,” recasting it the rain.” The lyric gently emphasizes in a midtempo 4/4 groove. Another that we must choose to be hopeful, classic, Buster Brown’s “Fannie Mae,” is even in the face of adversity. pure roadhouse shuffle, with McCoy’s “I Just Come Here For The Music” harmonica and Dean Hall’s electric guitar tells the tale of a broken-hearted cowboy providing just the right amount of grease. taking his first tentative steps back into “I Like Your Kind Of Love” is a duet of the disorienting world of new romance. sorts with Local 257’s Becky Hobbs. There’s Alison Krauss provides luscious backing a tongue-in-cheek sexiness that keeps this vocals, and the tasteful pedal steel work one on the fun side. “Fortunate Man” looks of Local 257’s Russ Pahl wraps up the at the good things that come our way in whole package perfectly. spite what’s not so good: “I never made any The real standout here is “She’s With money, fame was a Tuesday night stand / In Me,” written by Don and Tim Williams. It’s spite of all this I am a fortunate man.” a simple meditation on the maturation of Four songs come from Wence’s a love affair, accented by the unmistakable own pen: “Missing Millie,” “Lookin’ For guitar of Vince Gill. Powerful stuff. You,” “Kathy Please,” and “Love Ride.” All are solo writes; in fact, only two of � �� �� the songs in this collection are cowrites. � (The beginning of a trend, perhaps?) PRESS & LABEL PRESS &Company LABEL A Union Label PRESS & LABEL “Love Ride” closes the album, and The A Union Label Company PRESS PRESS & LABEL &Company LABE A Unionneeds! Label For all your printing needs! For all your printing Jordanaires really bring this one to life as For PRESS & LABEL Aall Union Label A Union Company Label Company your printing needs! For your printing needs! Call us if youall or your company needs... ForA all your printing needs! Union Label Company only they can. ifyour youFor or your company needs... �us Letterhead �Yard Signs ForCallall printing all your needs! printing needs!
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� us Envelopes � Banners Call if you or your company needs... � Forms Design Work And So It Goes Don Williams� Letterhead �NCR �Yard��Signs Signs �Letterhead Envelopes ��Yard Banners � Business Cards Newsletters � Labels � �Yard Contract Signs Books � Letterhead � Business Cards Forms � Design� Work (Sugar Hill) Reviewed by Kent Burnside � Envelopes� NCR � Envelopes � Banners �Newsletters Banners � Silk Screening �� Folding �� Envelopes Banners Labels Contract Books �Business NCRStickers Forms �� Design Work � ��Spiral Binding Business �Bumper Newsletters A Don Williams album is like� dinner � Cards Business Cards Cards � Newsletters �Folding Newsletters � Silk Screening � Lapel Stickers ��And much�more! �NCR Labels Contract Book � NCR Forms � Forms � Design Work � Design Wor NCR Forms Design Work at a great meat-and-three: It’s warm, � � Bumper Stickers ��Spiral Binding �Labels Silk Screening ��Folding 2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211 � Labels � � � � Contract Books Contract Bo Labels � Contract Books Lapel Stickers Stickers � And much more! Binding unpretentious, and good for the�soul. � Bumper � Spiral Silk Screening Silk615.726.2820 Screening � Fax � 615.242.2443 Folding � Silk�Screening � Folding� Folding �2711-A Lapel Stickers � And much mo Landers Avenue � Nashville, Tennessee 37211 For his first collection �ofBumper new �Stickers � Bumper Stickers � Spiral�Binding � Spiral Bindi Bumper Stickers Spiral Binding 615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443 2711-A Landers Avenue � Nashville, 37211 � Lapel Stickers � AndTennessee much more! music since 2004, Williams teams upStickers � Lapel � Lapel Stickers � And much more! � And much m
615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443 once again with veteran producer Garth 2711-A Landers Avenue �Tennessee Nashville,�Tennessee 2711-A Landers Avenue 2711-A � Nashville, Landers Avenue 37211 Nashville,37211 Tennessee 37211 Fundis. Most of the songs come from615.726.2820 615.726.2820 � Fax 615.242.2443 � 615.726.2820 Fax 615.242.2443 � Fax 615.242.2443 outside writers (alas, no Bob McDill), THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 23
Live Review
THE NUTTY Professor
Musical Reinvents a Classic Comedy By Dave Pomeroy
A
fter a couple of deafening explosions rock a student assembly at mythical Korwin College, the setting of The Nutty Professor, amid the smoke and debris, a trap door opens, and up comes a disheveled Professor Julius Kelp, looking for all the world like a young Jerry Lewis, buck teeth and all. This summer, Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Polk Theater was the scene of an exclusive world premiere of The Nutty Professor, a new musical inspired by the classic 1962 movie starring Jerry Lewis. With evocative music by Marvin Hamlisch, a smart and snappy book and lyrics by Rupert Holmes and directed by Lewis himself, the show’s producers hope to get a shot at a Broadway run. Hamlisch’s untimely passing in the middle of the show’s Nashville performances gave it an extra poignancy, as this will be his last musical score. I was lucky enough to catch some rehearsals, as well as the premiere and closing show, and it was a great experience to see some of our finest musicians doing what they do best. I had a chance to speak briefly with Jerry Lewis and Rupert Holmes, both of whom were very complimentary of our musicians and the experience of working in Nashville. The show is nothing short of a star turn for Michael Andrew, who plays the 24 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
"This summer, Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Polk Theater was the scene of an exclusive world premiere of 'The Nutty Professor', a new musical inspired by the classic 1962 movie starring Jerry Lewis."
Photo: Rick Malkin
title role to the hilt and absolutely nails the dual roles made famous by Lewis 50 years ago. Whether playing the eccentric Dr. Julius Kelp or the ultra hip Buddy Love, Andrew, who originated The Nutty Professor stage show concept, is totally believable and hilarious as the surrogate Lewis. Other standout acting and singing performers are Marissa McGowan as the lead female role Stella Purdy, Klea Blackhurst as the hilarious Miss Lemon, and the versatile Mark Jacoby, playing four completely different characters to great effect. The show was produced by Mac Pirkle, co-founder of the Tennessee Repertory Theater, along with Ned McLeod; and all aspects of the production were visually and sonically first-rate. The sets were innovative and versatile, providing a lot of different looks through a variety of staging techniques and lighting. The choreography was outstanding. The entire cast was up to the challenge of playing multiple roles; and singing and dancing at a high energy level in the ensemble pieces. The script and the songs are full of one-liners zinging by at the speed of a chemical reaction. The 14-piece orchestra, conducted by keyboardist Stephen Kummer, sounded excellent throughout the show, playing everything from show tunes to dream sequences to swing and Latin
dance numbers flawlessly, often stopping on a dime and changing rhythms perfectly in sync with the onstage action despite spending most of the show offstage and in isolation booths. The band, contracted by trombonist Barry Green, included Local 257 members Jimmy Bowland, Matt Davich, Robbie Shankle and Doug Moffett on woodwinds, Jennifer Kummer on French horn, Steve Patrick and Jeff Bailey on trumpet, Pat Coil on keyboards, guitarist Paul Carrol Binkley, percussionist Ron Sorbo and Local 802 members Bobby Brennan on bass and Danny Young on drums, a recent Nashville transplant. The mix was excellent, and at times it was easy to forget that the music was a live band — not a recording. However, there was no doubt towards the end of the show when the “Buddy Love Band” came out from the shadows to play in full view, much to the delight of the audience. To my eyes and ears, the show is on a level with productions in New York and London, and with the recognition factor of one of Jerry Lewis’ finest moments turned into a high energy, well written and performed show, one can only hope it will get a fair shake in the Broadway theater world. TPAC and Nashville have a lot to feel good about with the conclusion of this successful run of 32 shows. Hats off to everyone involved.
RMA Corner Bruce Bouton
T
his month’s column will be short and sweet, as there’s not much to report from the frontlines of the RMA. Fortunately, we have great leadership and a great staff at Local 257. In addition, we now have Ray Hair running the national Federation, along with an exceptional IEB. All of these folks have tremendous respect for recording musicians, and they spend many hours and dollars working on our behalf. For the first time in the ten-plus years I’ve been with the RMA, there is an inclusiveness and coopera-
tion between the Federation and the recording musician player conference. In the past Nashville musicians had a tendency to lay back and not get involved until there was a “call to arms.” Yet in my opinion, now is an excellent time for Nashville musicians to be heard and to help create opportunities to establish new business models for the future of our industry. Even as we were having a leadership crisis a few years ago, both nationally and locally, RMA Nashville had almost 200 members. This enabled us to have a strong voice and a strong treasury. We were able to send RMA representatives all over the country, and we were able to donate thousands of dollars to help Nashville musicians who were suffering losses from the floods. We still need to have a strong RMA
to ensure our place at the table. Not only do we need to expand our membership roles, we also need to have new leaders step up and take the reins. No one understands the business of sound recording better than recording musicians. I have proudly served this organization for many years. During this time we have had great leaders who have sacrificed their careers and families for the benefit of recording musicians. I have come to a point in my life where I feel like I need to focus my energy on other things. It’s time for me to step away and let the next generation take over. RMA Nashville will have elections within the next 90 days. I’m hoping we can have our membership back up towards 200 so that we can elect some good people to continue a great institution. —Peace and respect, Bruce Bouton
How to use the AFM Single Song Overdub Scale This “per-song” scale is intended for musicians overdubbing, usually in a home studio, via hard drive or sending audio files back and forth over the Internet. This simple, all-in rate is primarily designed for independent projects on non-signatory labels, but also can be combined with Limited Pressing projects. It’s easy to use. Here’s how it works:
Set the rate Once you’ve heard the song, negotiate your “per-song” rate. There is a $100/song minimum, with all “extras” — H&W, Pension, etc. —included. The scale goes up in $50 increments ($150, $200, $250, etc) and the breakdown can be found on the Single Song Scale Worksheet included with the agreement. Different songs can have different per-song rates depending on difficulty, number of parts, etc. It’s your call.
Execute the agreement Download the Single Song Overdub Agreement from the Local 257 website and email it to the Employer before you do the work. They can sign it online and email it back to you. Then email a copy to steve@afm257.org.
If you have any questions, call us at
Do the work and get paid
this agreement and a more detailed
Do not send an isolated track until you’ve been paid the agreed amount. When you have received the payment, send the employer the separate files. Up to 12 songs can be recorded under one agreement for one artist or employer in a six-month period.
explanation — including the SSOS
File the card and pay the pension
615-244-9514. All paperwork for
Overview and Guidelines — are on our nashvillemusicians.org website.
After you get paid, come to the union and file the completed SSOS time card, which we will turn into an AFM contract. The scale worksheet will give you the amount of pension due. Write a personal check to the AFM-EP Fund for your pension contribution. We will send it in for you. This is the ONLY AFM recording scale that allows you to do this. Multiple musicians can work under one agreement if all musicians appear on all songs at the same rate. Each musician pays his own pension amount. THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 25
Symphony Notes By Laura Ross
IN
my last column, I shared highlights from Norma Grobman Rogers’ 40-year career as she prepared to retire from the Nashville Symphony. I’d like to share one final noteworthy event during the evening celebrating her retirement. Following her wonderful performance of the Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto in C Major, her son Alex announced that he and his wife have endowed the piccolo chair in perpetuity – it will be named the Norma Grobman Rogers Chair. This kind of gift is something donors in many orchestras do to support orchestras. Some orchestras do this very effectively – The Cleveland Orchestra donors have endowed and named 51 musician and three conducting chair positions. As Alex said, the endowment will allow Norma to be a part of the Nashville Symphony forever.
the evening before our concert and shared a New York Times review; the reviewer noted that both orchestras had flourished under Kenneth Schermerhorn’s direction. Rehearsal Saturday afternoon included practicing our entrance for the concert. Imagine a single door opening with chairs, wires, and stands with music crammed onstage. Suddenly you realize that no one is sitting where they normally sit, and there are 115 of you trying to line up backstage, which is narrow and jammed with recording and instrument storage equipment. It took over three minutes for everyone to get to their designated seats for the concert that evening, as the audience clapped and waved green bandanas provided by Spring for Music. Then the concert began, not with tuning, but with an eight-minute radio interview with the Maestro before the concert, which was broadcast live. The Ives Universe Symphony certainly had people talking afterward, whether they loved or hated the piece. Terry Riley’s concerto for electric violin performed by Tracy Silverman was our best performance and, I think, benefited from the earlier performances in
Nashville and Carmel to find its groove. Grainger’s The Warriors was also well received, as was our encore, “Finale” from Roberto Sierra’s Sinfonia No. 4. Sarah Jones, the assistant to the general manager & VP of operations, has a great sense of humor in addition to her amazing organizational skills putting together our tour materials, because our tour books had photos of the four venues where we would be playing while “on tour.” The first was a picture of Laura Turner Hall at SSC, the second was Carmel, the third was Carnegie Hall and the fourth was Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville where the majority of the orchestra performed a runout concert following our return from NYC two days later!
The season comes to a close The rest of our regular season went off without a hitch and ended with a wonderful performance of Carmina Burana, where the antics of the singers during some of the solos became more animated as the week progressed. On the final evening they elicited loud laughter from the chorus and orchestra, in addition to the audience.
The road to Carnegie The highlight this spring was our trip to Carnegie Hall May 12. On our way to New York City we bussed to Carmel, Ind., and performed in a hall designed by David Schwartz, the architect who designed the Schermerhorn Symphony Center (SSC). The colors were different (blues and reds), the “window” was in the ceiling, and the building was oval rather than shoebox shape, but it felt very familiar. The acousticians at Carmel used clouds – adjustable clear disks suspended over the stage from above – so the sound was different. Colleagues from the Indianapolis Symphony who attended the concert were very complimentary. The next day was a gorgeous day to fly to New York. We arrived around dinnertime, which allowed time to explore and meet friends and family. My family was in the same hotel as the Milwaukee Symphony, which performed 26 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Ind., was designed by David Schwartz, the architect who designed the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Symphony Notes
A view of Carnegie Hall from the second violin section during rehearsal of the Terry Riley Electric Violin Concerto on May 12. The orchestra added a number of special concert presentations this summer, the first of which was Willie Nelson as CMA Week began. Then, wanting to be as far away from downtown as possible the rest of the week, we performed concerts in East Park in East Nashville, Bicentennial Park and Crockett Park in Brentwood. Thankfully the weather was temperate. Beethoven was back as the focus of our three Festival concerts, and we added a new venue this year: The Woods at Fontanel, a beautiful area for concerts off White’s Creek Pike. We had a wonderful return engagement with Idena Menzel and a smaller orchestra played with Earth, Wind and Fire the next weekend. I was at the Southern Conference (of AFM locals), so I could not perform. The final two weeks of the season, which ended July 6, were a mixed bag of concerts and problems. Sarah McLachlan was a delight to work with in another special concert at SSC, Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony No. 9 was a hit as always, and our final concert for the American Guild of Organists (AGO) National Convention showed the orchestra in a very favorable light. Many compliments have been passed on to me from Nashville’s AGO members and their colleagues. The problems, unfortunately, were due to the excessive heat, with no available alternative indoor sites. The orchestra’s runout to Glasgow, Ky., loomed large as measures were
discussed to bring the temperature down to the maximum outdoor performance temperature ceiling of 94 degrees. Firemen hosed down the pavement twice before the orchestra seating was set up, huge fans – a couple of which blew air over ice – were brought in, and water and popsicles were provided. Even so, the concert was delayed for more than 30 minutes because the temperature was still 100 degrees when we arrived at the concert site. July 4 had its own issues, and though the city provided air conditioning vents directly on the stage, it was still too hot to perform a sound check. Another concern for the orchestra committee was the sound of the fireworks, but happily by moving the stage to its new location on the other side of the Shelby Avenue Bridge – on the site of the old Thermal plant – we were actually able to hear at least portions of our colleagues, and Stars and Stripes ended together! After hearing 109 piccolo audition candidates to replace the retiring Rogers; 20 semifinalists and 3 finalists, the position has been offered to
Kathryn Ladner. Meanwhile, we are losing second-year third French horn player Kelly Cornell, who leaves us for the Fort Worth Symphony.
50th anniversary of ICSOM In August Brad Mansell and I travel to Chicago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) in the city where it began. In 1962, only one orchestra – Boston – had musicians at the bargaining table; most did not have ratification rights. There was no strike fund or symphony department at the federation. All this changed in the past 50 years thanks to the formation and persistence of ICSOM and its members. More will be written in the International Musician in August about the accomplishments of ICSOM. It is worth pointing out that the Nashville Symphony enters the final year of its agreement this coming season and will be negotiating a new contract beginning next spring. Now it’s time to rest and prepare for Mahler Eight in September. Stay cool!
at Schermerhorn Symphony Center
OCTOBER
4-6 CLASSICAL - Beethoven’s Fifth 12 JAZZ - Charlie Haden and Quartet West 25-27 POPS - Michael W. Smith 27 PIED PIPER - Halloween in the Wild West 29 ORGAN RECITAL - Halloween Movie Night: Nosferatu with Tom Trenney
NOVEMBER
1-3 CLASSICAL - The Power of Imagination 5 SPECIAL EVENT - Gilberto Gil 8-10 POPS - Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies 15-17 CLASSICAL - Fairy Tales and Fate 29-DEC. 1 CLASSICAL - All That Classical Jazz
DECEMBER
2 ORGAN RECITAL - Thomas Murray 20-22 SPECIAL EVENT - Handel’s Messiah 22 PIED PIPER - A Spirit for the Holidays
BUY TICKETS: NashvilleSymphony.org | 615.687.6400 Mention promo code AFM for 10% off classical series tickets! THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 27
Jazz & Blues Beat By Austin Bealmear
Chris Walters’ Yay! Everybody Yay! City Lore Music New Orleans born musician Chris Walters is an independent artist who has resided in Nashville since 1989. Chris can usually be seen gigging with the likes of J.D. Souther, Peter Mayer, Bela Fleck, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and the Jeff Coffin Mu’tet. Walters’ third album further explores his unique and compelling sound, offering nine new tracks ranging from jazz trio excursions to fully orchestrated original songs featuring an eclectic mixture of musicians from Nashville and around the globe. This is music that makes you want to write poetry, not a review, but I won’t try to compete with Danny Coots remarkable liner notes. Walters’ pallet is so colorful it’s like a stroll through the world’s largest museum, or cocktails at a sidewalk café. Six tunes are by Walters, and three of the nine are instrumentals. The tour starts with a sardonic love
28 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
song about a fat cat who’s got everything but “He Ain’t Got You,” then cuts to a tortured soul in a haze of absinthe and despair hearing the voice of “La Chanteuse Josephine” — a haunting musical saw played by Natalia Paruz over Denis Solee’s string and woodwind arrangement. “Bootsoles” is an earthy drone with guitar and harmonica that to me somehow combines Paul Simon, Mose Allison, and the Dali Lama. The title tune is a celebration, with tuba, kazoos, and solos by Solee and Rod McGaha. A gypsy fortuneteller’s lair is created with help from Peter Mayer on mandolin, a Romanian poem, and a bit of the pop hit “Que Sera Sera” while Walter’s vocals ask “Do You Really Want To Know.” Walters reflects on the eternal tug of war between men and women with a chant-like rhythm from mother Africa in “Woman’s Greatest Weapon.” His piano chops get a workout on “Malambo” and “Panama” and the album ends with what sounds like a phone call from the twilight zone using Cole Porter’s classic “Every Time We Say Goodbye” lyrics over a string quartet. Chris is also a graphic artist and award winning animator. You can see some of his animations set to his original music — and check out the record — at www.cityloremusic.com
The Kelli Cox Collaborative Kelli Cox Music Female pianists in early jazz may have been rare, but there was no shortage of virtuosity. In the 1920s it was said that Lovie Austin from Chattanooga, Tenn., could play for singers and dancers in vaudeville theaters, and write a chart for the next act at the same time! A century later, one can name a number of excellent lady keyboardists, some here in Nashville. Pianist Kelli Cox has been a fixture on Music City’s jazz scene for well over a decade, fronting her own ensembles and playing everything from jazz to choral concerts, to country and rock & roll. Cox formed the Collaborative in 2008 as a creative outlet for herself and a band of local jazz veterans who often
work in genres other than jazz. The band’s first project was recorded in April at Hot Haus Studios in Nashville, Tenn., by Mike Holmes and features Cox on piano, Tisha Simeral on acoustic bass, Ted Tretiak on drums, Steve Herrman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Greg Cox on trombone and Mark Douthit on tenor and alto saxes. Special guests are John Birdsong, acoustic bass, John DiModica, electric bass and Willie Cantu, percussion. The record includes four original compositions as well as new arrangements of four jazz standards. You could call this a progressive jazz group that blends modern bebop with blues and Latin influences. Of the originals, Cox has “Gotcha!” which sounds like something the old Jazztet might have done, waves of shifting harmonies in the horns over a bolero rhythm and lovely solos, plus “Saying Goodbye” — a hymn-like ballad for trombone and piano. Greg Cox’s “Constant DeTayl” is a Latin-ish groove in honor of saxist Dennis Taylor with a wicked tenor solo by Mark Douthit. Herrman’s “Winter’s Solace” is a modern workout for the horns over a piano riff, and a cool coda for bass and drums that ends the album. Standards include an old hardbop line by Hank Mobley with Cox on B3, a clever acoustic trio version of the Rodgers-Hart classic “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” that puts the melody in 5/4 — it works so well I wonder why Rodgers didn’t think of it — and an arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s 1964 classic “Cantaloupe Island” that uses the horns, electric bass, funky fusion drums, and Cox on Fender Rhodes, to make it sound like Hancock wrote it for his Fat AlbertMwadishi bands five years later. I don’t know if that was her intention, but it really works. Jeff Clayton’s “Blues on Parade” is in the Bobby Timmons “Moanin’” bag, complete with funky horns and a shuffle backbeat. This is solid, modern jazz all the way with a great sound and groove. Look for it at www.kellicoxmusic.com
Final Notes
Kitty Wells
1919-2012
C
ountry music pioneer Kitty Wells, 92, a life member of the Nashville Musicians Association, died July 16, 2012, in Madison, Tenn. Wells, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, was country music's first female superstar. In 1952, Wells, who was 33 years old, was ready to give up her musical career when she decided to do one last session for Decca Records. She commented later that she was persuaded to do the session because it offered union scale, which was $125 at the time. The song she sang, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” went to the top of the charts, where it stayed for six weeks, and Wells became a star, as well as the first female solo artist to garner a No. 1 record. It was the beginning of a country music reign for Kitty Wells, who joined Local 257 in 1953. She stayed at the top of the charts throughout the 1950s with solo hits and duets, and continued recording and performing for much of her long life, hitting the Billboard charts again at age 60 with "I Thank You for the Roses." Awarded top female vocalist for 14 years running, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976. She was also awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 1991. Wells was often called the “Queen of Country Music”, and singer Marty Stuart said this nickname was undisputed. “There's more to being a queen than just calling yourself a queen — it's a title
that goes with an entire lifetime of service and influence. You check the careers of anyone in [Nashville], and you won't find anyone with a more spotless career than Kitty Wells," Stuart said. Born Muriel Ellen Deason in Nashville in 1919, Wells was part of a musical family. Her father was a country musician, her mother a gospel singer, and Wells embraced music at an early age. As a teenager, she learned to play guitar and began singing with her two sisters and a cousin as the Deason Sisters. It was her husband, Johnnie Wright, who gave Mrs. Wells her stage name, which came from a folk song recorded by the Pickard Family in 1930. Wells sang with Wright in several bands: first with her sister as Johnnie Wright and the Harmony Girls, and later with Wright and Jack Anglin as Johnny & Jack. The latter’s performances on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio program led to a deal with RCA Records, and before her career break Wells made a few solo recordings for the label in 1949 and 1950. She was one of the few country superstars born and raised in the Nashville area, and throughout her career and 74-year marriage to fellow country star Wright, Mrs. Wells provided a model to which future generations of female country stars aspired. “She was my hero,” Loretta Lynn said in a press release. “If I had never heard of Kitty Wells, I don’t think
I would have been a singer myself. I wanted to sound just like her, but as far as I am concerned, no one will ever be as great as Kitty Wells.” WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs, who worked for a time as a fiddle player for Wells and Wright, once spoke to Wells about her historic career. “I asked her how it felt to be the first one to have that breakthrough success.” Stubbs said. “She said, ‘Somebody had to be the first. I was the one that was just fortunate enough to be put in that position.’” “Kitty Wells was the epitome of class and understatement, despite the fact that she was a true pioneer of country music. She was influential in so many ways, but never let it go to her head, and the 74-year love story of her and Johnnie Wright is one for the ages. The Queen of Country Music will never be forgotten – or replaced,” said Dave Pomeroy, President of Local 257. Mrs. Wells was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie Wright. Surviviors include one son, Bobby Wright; one daughter, Sue Wright Sturdivant; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held July 20, at the Hendersonville Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Goodpasture Christian School in Madison, Tenn., by way of the Kitty Wells/ Johnnie Wright Scholarship Fund. THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 29
final notes continued from page 29
Doug Dillard 1937-2012
B
anjo virtuoso Doug Dillard, a life member of the AFM and a longtime member of Local 257, died in Nashville May 16, 2012, after a long illness. Dillard was a founding member of The Dillards, a bluegrass band that moved from the Ozarks to the West Coast to seek fame — and found it — as part of the developing ‘60s Southern California folk scene. After being signed by Elektra, the band made multiple appearances on the iconic Andy Griffith Show as the hillbilly band the Darlings, which led to other guest spots on television, as well as appearances at virtually all the wellknown folk festivals of the era. They later toured with Elton John, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Carl Perkins and many others, and played on acclaimed records with Glen Campbell and Byron Berline. Dillard was born March 6, 1937 in Salem, Mo., into a musical family. One of three sons of Homer and Lorene Dillard, Homer played fiddle, Lorene was a guitarist, and his older brother Earl played keyboards. Dillard started first on guitar, and then got his first banjo at 15. He recounted the first time he heard Earl Scruggs playing: “I was driving down the road with the radio on. All of a sudden I heard this incredible banjo music. I got so excited that I drove off the road and down into a ditch. I had to be towed out.” The new banjo prompted Dillard to write Scruggs to ask if 16 was too 30 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
young to learn the instrument, a letter to which Scruggs graciously and encouragingly replied. This milestone event is said to have sealed the deal between Dillard and the banjo. Not long afterwards, Dillard persuaded his parents to drive to Madison, Tenn., to Scruggs house, where he rang the bell, introduced himself, and asked Scruggs to install his famous tuners on Dillard’s banjo. Scruggs not only did so, he let Dillard inspect his own banjo, gave him some finger picks and showed him some techniques for using them. By the age of 19 Dillard was performing on local radio stations, and by 1956 he and his brother Rodney, who played guitar, were members of the Ozark Mountain Boys. In 1958 Dillard and his brother joined the Dixie Ramblers, a band that included John Hartford, and shortly thereafter the two brothers recorded for Mario Records, a St. Louis based label. Billed as the Dillard Brothers, the brothers added a mandolin and bass player, and The Dillards were formed. They moved to the West Coast in 1962, and their recurring appearances on the toprated Andy Griffith Show brought bluegrass music directly to a large audience. After parting ways with The Dillards, Doug performed live with The Byrds, and released a critically acclaimed record with Gene Clark, Banjo Album. Other solo projects followed in the ‘70s, as well TV work as a cast member of Music Country USA, guest appearances on The Dean Martin Show, and a reunion with his brother and old friend John Hartford for recording projects. He
recorded as a solo artist in the late ‘70s and then formed the Doug Dillard Band in 1982. The 1988 release, Heartbreak Hotel, was nominated for a Grammy. Dillard played a plethora of sessions over the years, including work with Hoyt Axton, Johnny Cash, Arlo Guthrie, Vassar Clements, Harry Nilsson, Linda Ronstadt, Kay Starr, The Monkees, Tom Pacheco, Michael Martin Murphey, Woody Guthrie, Don Davies, Doug Kershaw, The Beach Boys, and Ginger Boatwright. He also worked in motion pictures, scoring and performing in many, including Bonnie and Clyde, Junior Bonner, Vanishing Point and Popeye. The Dillards received many professional accolades over the years, including induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, singer-songwriter Vikki Sallee-Dillard; two brothers, Homer Earl Dillard, Jr., of St. Louis, Mo., and Rodney Adean Dillard of Branson, Mo.; stepdaughters Kelly Snead of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., and Kristi Ritson of Peachtree City, Ga., nieces, nephews and grandchildren, as well as numerous cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews; and his beloved dog, Venus. Funeral services were held May 24 at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home, with burial following in the Harpeth Hills Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Douglas Dillard Legacy Fund, P.O. Box 90537, Nashville, Tenn., 37209.
Robert Lee Crigger 1942-2012 Robert Lee Crigger, age 69, died July 21, 2012 at his residence in Johnson City. Crigger, a life member of Local 257, was a guitar player. He joined the local in 1986. Son of the late Robert and Roby Onks Crigger, he was born Nov. 28, 1942, in Baltimore, Md. Crigger performed with many artists, including Bobby Bare, Tom T. Hall, Donna Fargo and Jean Shepard, and also played thousands of shows at the Grand Ole Opry. He toured extensively, and performed at the White House, as well as at festivals in Great Britain and Ireland. He was also a member of the Citizens Police Academy in Johnson City, Tenn. Survivors included one son, Robert Austin Crigger, of Huntington Beach, Calif., one daughter, Darla Rose Loflin of Columbus, Ohio; three brothers, Rex Crigger, of Flagpond, Ronald Crigger of Johnson City, and Ralph Crigger of Nashville; and two sisters, Karen Kimes of Gray, and Sherry Toothman of Lerna, Ill. Funeral services were held July 26 at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home with Rev. Lenny Smith officiating, with interment following July 27 at Fairview Cemetery.
Final Notes
Bob Babbitt 1937-2012 Legendary session bassist Bob Babbitt died July 16, 2012 at age 74 in Nashville. He was a 25-year member of Local 257, having moved here in 1987 after a long studio career in Detroit, where he was a member of the Motown house band, The Funk Brothers. Babbitt was wellknown for his unforgettable bass lines on a host of hits including “Tears of a Clown,” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Mercy, Mercy, Me” by Marvin Gaye, and Robert Palmer’s “Every Kinda People.” He was born Robert Kreinar in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1937. His musical influences ranged from the gypsy music of his Hungarian heritage to jazz bassists like Ray Brown and Charles Mingus, and especially the R&B and soul music of the day. At the age of 17, he traded his upright bass for an electric, and never looked back. Babbitt moved to Detroit in the mid-‘60s and soon became an in-demand studio bassist, playing on hits like The Capitols’ “Cool Jerk,” and before long doing sessions with the top Motown studio players. In 1966, he got the call to record with Stevie Wonder, and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” the second song they cut, was the first of
many Motown hits Babbitt played on. Motown house bassist James Jamerson was known for his unpredictable behavior and occasionally failing to show up, and Babbitt was one of the few Detroit bassists with the chops to fill those big shoes. Lesser men would have been intimidated by the mere presence of Jamerson, and it is a tribute to Bob’s sense of self, his confidence and his abilities that he was able to not only fill in ably for Jamerson when needed, but earned his respect as well. They even played together on “Agent Double-O Soul” by Edwin Starr, a Nashville native. Babbitt also worked extensively in New York and Philadelphia studios, cutting hits like “I’ve Got A Name” by Jim Croce and “Rubberband Man” by The Spinners. All in all, he played on more than 200 top 40 hits, including Dennis Coffey’s “Scorpio,” a 1971 instrumental hit that featured the longest bass solo in the history of pop music. He later gained greater recognition through the award-winning 2002 film about the Funk Brothers, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. President of Local 257 Dave Pomeroy, who spoke on Babbitt’s behalf during his induction at the Nashville Walk of Fame June 5, commented on his move to Nashville, and his impact on players here. “The entire bass community was excited to have him here. He was friendly and accessible and refused to let any of us put him on a pedestal. His musical influence cannot be overestimated. He was a bass icon.” Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf also commented on Babbitt’s passing. “I will always remember Bob’s sense of humor, the smile and hardy laugh, the gentleness, and of course, his oneof-a-kind musicianship. He played every take with passion, drive and a sense of commitment. I will treasure, like so many other people who worked and got to hang with him, every single moment. Rest in peace Bob, your legacy lives on.” Funeral services were held privately, and a memorial concert is planned for later this year.
Everett Lilly 1924-2012 AFM life member Everett Lilly died May 8, 2012 at age 87, in Clear Creek, W.Va. The mandolinist was born July 1, 1924, the son of a carpenter. He and his brother worked first in the coal fields of West Virginia, but formed a band in the early ‘50s, known as the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover. The band was one of the earliest groups to introduce bluegrass to various venues in the Northeast, including a standing gig for more than two decades at the famous venue Hillbilly Ranch in Boston, Mass. For a period of time in the 1950s Lilly also played mandolin and sang tenor in the Foggy Mountain Boys, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ band. He appeared with them on the Grand Ole Opry, and also on several of the band’s recordings in the early ‘50s, including “Earl’s Breakdown” and “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.” With his own band, he appeared regularly on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree, and made records for the local Page label, as well as Folkways, Prestige and other record companies. In 1979 the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover’s career was chronicled in a documentary called True Facts in a Country Song, and the band was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 2002 and the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Lilly continued to perform with his sons Daniel and Mark in a group called the Lilly Mountaineers until his death. Lilly was preceded in death by one son, Jiles Lilly. Survivors in addition to his two sons Daniel and Mark include his wife, JoAnn; four daughters, Karen Pierangelino, Diana Tomah, Ann Lilly and Laverne Wheeler; a sister, Flossie Williams; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held May 12 in Clear Creek, W. Va. continued on page 32 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 31
final notes Jess Wayne “Woody Wayne” Whitacre 1943-2012 Jess Wayne “Woody Wayne” Whitacre, 69, died July 13, 2012. He was a life member of AFM Local 257 who joined in 1969. He played guitar and banjo. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Darlene Whitacre; one daughter, Jessica Whitacre; five sisters, Loretta Delli-Pizzi, Joan Muse, Betty Whitacre and Anne Whitacre; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held July 18 at Christ Church Wallace Chapel, with burial following at Christ Church Memorial Gardens.
David Nye 1959-2012 Guitarist David Nye, 53, died June 14, 2012 in Antioch. Nye played in the ‘80s with Little Jimmy Dickens, and on the Grand Ole Opry for over 20 years. He joined the Nashville Musicians Association in 1975. Born in Ellwood City on Aug. 30, 1958, to the late Victor and Margie Olzak Nye, he started playing guitar in the first grade. He was also a skydiving instructor in the Nashville area.
Survivors include his brother, Kim V. Nye, of Ellwood City, and his longtime companion, Anne West. A celebration of life service will take place in the fall.
Velma Lee McEnery 1929-2012 Life AFM member Velma Lee McEnery, 83, died June 13, 2012 in Texas. She was born March 18, 1929, to Charles Franklin and Lora C. Woodruff in Tishomingo county, Miss. The guitarist and vocalist worked in radio in Pleasanton, Texas, and also wrote a column in the local Atascosa County News. She joined Local 257 in 1975. McEnery was preceded in death by two husbands: John E. Reynolds and David McEnery (Red River Dave); her parents; one brother, one sister, and one grandchild. Survivors include two sons, Lawrence Reynolds of Mexia, Texas, John Reynolds of San Antonio, Texas; seven great-grandchildren; eight grandchildren; and two sisters, Theda Cannon of Detroit, Mich., and Oveda Felix of Rogers, Ark. Funeral services were held in the Camero Funeral Home in Von Ormy, Texas.
Local 257 members: Please check to see that your funeral fund beneficiary is listed correctly, and up to date. We can't stress the importance of this enough. Your loved ones are counting on you. Take a moment and ask the front desk to verify your funeral benefit beneficiary information. Please also check to see that we have your correct email address.
Next Membership Meeting A Funeral is Not a Day in a Lifetime. It is a Lifetime in a Day.
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Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 George Cooper Rehearsal Hall Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.
Call us today to ask how we can help you plan a Life Celebration for you or a loved one.
Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center 646-9292
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32 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
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Member Status New members Arthur Victor Alligood GTR 225 Oakdale Dr White House, TN 37188 Cell (615) 708-2465 Muriel Anderson GTR 865 Forest Acres Drive Nashville, TN 37220-1804 Cell (615) 691-0287 Hm (615) 332-9878 Michael David Ball DRM 109 Drake Ct Franklin, TN 37064 Cell (617) 359-6574 David Thomas Bond PIA ORG KEY 3703 Dickerson Pk Lot 24 Nashville, TN 37207 Cell (615) 479-2725 Victoria Rae Brewer VOC 15 Sunline Dr Petal, MS 39465 Cell (601) 788-4083 Hm (601) 544-7671 Darrell Royce Brown GTR PIA 4117 Hillsboro Pike # 103257 Nashville, TN 37215 Josh Randall Brown BAS DRM 431 Hogans Branch Rd Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Cell (615) 944-2356 Hm (615) 851-0989 Christopher Charles Campbell BAS DRM GTR KEY VOC 6931 Noffke Dr Caledonia, MI 49316 Cell (616) 706-7205 Gregory Scott Daugherty (Doc Maxroy) BAS DRM GTR PIA PRC 483 Old Salem Church Rd Horse Branch, KY 42349 Cell (270) 256-3113 Hm (270) 274-5891 Joseph Barnett Davidian PIA KEY BAS 3432 33rd Ave South Nashville, TN 37212 Hm (802) 922-5255
Tim Edward Easton 406 Scott Ave Nashville, TN 37206 Cell (323) 428-7611
Mark Jovanovich (Mark Johanson) GTR DRM 2131 Elm Hill Pk Apt S332 Nashville, TN 37210 Cell (412) 818-2555
Stephen Jacob Palmer PIA PRC 2002 15th Street South Nashville, TN 37212 Cell (540) 850-5485
Travis Anderson Vance BAS 2610 Traughber Drive Nashville, TN 37206 Hm (615) 598-0903
Daniel Kassteen TPT 1239 S. 2nd St. Unit A Louisville, KY 40203
Joshua David Pantana (Josh Pantana) 4810 Darby Dr Nashville, TN 37215 Hm (615) 974-9879
Luke S Witchger VLN 1711 N. 52nd Street Omaha, NE 68104 Cell (402) 218-6284
Chester J Kowall (C.J. Kowall) BAS GTR DRM VOC 508 Sanders Drive La Vergne, TN 37086 Cell (615) 594-9306
Walter E Ferguson, Jr KEY ORG 202 Grandview Drive Dickson, TN 37055-1524 Cell (615) 268-0013 Hm (615) 446-4978
Hyram Lee Posey FDL PIA GTR MDN 198 Farrar Lane Dickson, TN 37055 Cell (915) 637-6021 Hm (615) 441-4144
Kevin Ray Lawson PIA ORG KEY GTR BAS SAX 1030 Latimer Lane Hendersonville, TN 37075 Cell (615) 429-6756
Adrian Flores DRM 348 Stones River Cove Nashville, TN 37214 Hm (512) 698-4590
Colleen Lynnette Lloy GTR VOC PRC 9016 Rigden Mill Dr Nashville, TN 37211 Hm (615) 294-9574
William D Rigby (Will Rigby) DRM KEY PRC VOC PIA 141 Berry Patch Lane Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Cell (919) 672-0977 H m (919) 443-1443
David Keith Fowler BAS GTR 1508 Elm Run Court Nashville, TN 37214 Cell (615) 977-2277 Hm (615) 889-7027
Jason Peter Massey BAS GTR 1225 Shelton Ave Nashville, TN 37216 Cell (615) 336-0915
Reinstated Stephen H Bassett Paul Carrol Binkley William C Cook, Jr Troy Anthony Engle Benjamin Lain Graves Daniel Lenwood Groah James Edward Johnson Michael G Joyce Glenn D Keener Ronald D Levine Raul Malo James A Nalls, III Holly C Rang Charles Lloyd Rose Robert Eddy Ross Wilson B Sharpe James Travis Tritt James A Whiting Leonard S Wolf
Mark David Elting DRM PRC BAS VOC 3505 Jackson St St Joseph, MO 64507 Cell (816) 261-3419 Mark Steven Evitts (Mark Evitts) FDL VLN 3020 Soaring Eagle Way Spring Hill, TN 37174 Cell (615) 974-1368
Brian Scott Goldberg (Brian S. Goldberg) DRM PRC 4100 Central Pike #313 Hermitage, TN 37076 Cell(615) 497-4570 Elizabeth Radock Gottlieb (Beth Gottlieb) PRC DRM 230 Gardenridge Dr Franklin, TN 37069 Hm(321) 217-5511 Trevor G Hill BAS 125 Vintage Circle Hendersonville, TN 37075 Cell(954) 464-1069 Jonathan F Hull DRM VOC 930 Swaney Rd Chillicothe, OH 45601 Cell(740) 703-4347 Timothy Allen Hull GTR BAS 930 Swaney Rd Chillicothe, OH 45601 Cell(740) 703-4334 Hm(740) 993-4068
Joey Dee Wayne McNew (Joey McNew) DRM 871 Rodney Drive Nashville, TN 37205 Cell (615) 415-1611 Martin Anthony Ochoa BAS DRM KEY SAX GTR PRC 381 W Main St Hendersonville, TN 37075 Cell (210) 378-6524
Zachary Simon Shumate (Zak Shumate) DRM 101 Spade Leaf Blvd Apt 1124 Hendersonville, TN 37075 Hm (615) 300-4049 Andrew Michael Sovine MDN BJO GTR LPS 427 Patterson St Nashville, TN 37211 Hm (931) 622-1061 James Michael Sweeney (Mike Sweeney) STL 1330 Williamson Rd Lot# 135 Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Cell (615) 207-3590 Hm (615) 851-1062
Application revoked Terry Alford Gage Garry Lloyd Murray Resigned Hubert W Knight, Jr Martin S Young Expelled James B. Johnston Jason Howard Anderson John Michael Nichols Mark Andrew Miller Seth Daniel Gangwer
In Memoriam The officers, staff and members of Local 257 extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of our members who have recently passed away. You are in our thoughts, hearts and prayers. Name
Born
Joined
Died
Life Member
Bob Babbitt
11/26/1937
01/12/1987
07/16/2012
Robert Lee Crigger
11/28/1942
05/23/1977
07/21/2012
Yes
Douglas Flint Dillard
03/06/1937
07/12/2002
05/16/2012
Yes
Velma Lee McEnery
03/18/1929
10/06/1975
06/13/2012
Yes
David Allen Nye
08/30/1958
12/22/1975
06/14/2012
Jess Wayne Whitacre
02/25/1943
06/12/1969
07/13/2012
Yes
Muriel Deason Wright
08/30/1919
01/23/1953
07/16/2012
Yes
THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN | july—september 2012 33
Do not work for The “Do Not Work For” list exists to warn our members, other musicians and the general public about employers who, according to our records, owe players money and/or pension, have failed to sign the appropriate AFM signatory documents required to make the appropriate pension contribution, or are soliciting union members to do non-union work. TOP OFFENDERS LIST RecordingMusicians.com - Alan and Cathy Umstead are soliciting non-union recording work through this website and elsewhere. Do not work for them under any circumstances without an AFM contract. These are employers who owe musicians large amounts of money and have thus far refused to fulfill their contractual obligations to Local 257 musicians. Positive Movement/Tommy Sims (multiple unpaid contracts – 2007 CeCe Winans project) Terry K. Johnson/ 1720 Entertainment (unpaid contracts/unauthorized sales - Jamie O'Neal project) Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country/Josh Gracin Eric Legg (multiple unpaid contracts) Ray Vega/Casa Vega Quarterback/G Force/Doug Anderson Rust Records/Ken Cooper (unpaid contracts and pension) J.A.M. Jimmy Adams Media (multiple unpaid contracts/pension – now making payments) Revelator/Gregg Brown (multiple bounced checks/ unpaid contracts) UNPAID CONTRACTS AND PENSION Accurate Strategies, Inc. Adagio Music/Sam Ocampo Wayd Battle/Shear Luck Beautiful Monkey/JAB Country Big Three Entertainment Bottled Lightning/Woody Bradshaw Bull Rush, Inc/Cowboy Troy (unpaid demo upgrade – making payments) Casa Vega/Ray Vega Cat Creek Publishing Chez Musical/Sanchez Harley Compass Productions - Alan Phillips and David Schneiderman
Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Kayoko Dan Music Director & Conductor Announces auditions for Sub/Extra Musicians for All String Sections Auditions to be held in Nashville on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 Send resume to: Personnel Manager Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Association 701 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402 FAX (423) 265-6520, e-mail: csoactingpm@aol.com For more about the CSO visit www.chattanoogasymphony.org The CSO is an equal opportunity employer 34 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
Daddio Prod./Jim Pierce (making payments) Summer Dunaway Field Entertainment Group/Joe Field Goldenvine Prod./Harrison Freeman Golden Vine/Darrell Freeman Greg Holland Home Records/David Vowell Hot Skillet/Lee Gibson (unpaid contract/limited pressing signature) Mark Hybner Kyle Jacobs Katana Productions/Duwayne “Dada” Mills Kenny Lamb King Craft, Inc./Michael King Ginger Lewis Line Drive Music Lyrically Correct Music Group/Jeff Vice MC Productions/Mark Cheney MCK Publishing/Rusty Tabor MPCA Recordings/John Titta MDC Productions/Michael Clute Mark McGuinn Marty McIntosh Miss Ivy Records/Bekka Bramlett (unpaid upgrades) MS Entertainment/Michael Scott Matchbox Entertainment/Dwight Baker Multi-Media Steve Nickell One Shot Management Anthony paul Company Quarterback/G Force Music/Doug Anderson RLS Records-Nashville/Ronald Stone Region One Records RichDor Music/Keith Brown River County Band/SVC Entertainment (unpaid demo conversion/pension) Robbins Nashville Round Robin/Jim Pierce (unpaid contract – making payments) Roxanne Entertainment Shaunna Songs/Shaunna Bolton Shauna Lynn Shear Luck Productions/Wayd Battle Shy Blakeman Singing Honey Tree Sleepy Town/David Lowe Small Time Productions, Inc./Randy Boudreaux Sound Resources Prod./Zach Runquist Mark Spiro Spangle 3/Brien Fisher Sterling Production Mgmt/Traci Sterling Bishir Tin Ear (pension/demo signature) Tough Records/Greg Pearce (making payments) Adam D. Tucker We 3 Kings Eddie Wenrick UNPAID PENSION ONLY Travis Allen Productions Audio RX Blue Canyon Music/G. Randolph Compton John Bunzow Dave Cobb Productions Jimmy Collins Comsource Media/Tommy Holland Conchita Leeflang/Chris Sevier Ricky D. Cook Coyote Ugly/Jeff Myers Data Aquisition Corp./Eric Prestidge
Daywind Records Derrin Heroldt FJH Enterprises First Tribe Media Matthew Flinchum dba Resilient Jimmy Fohn Music Rebecca Frederick Goofy Footed Gospocentric Tony Graham Jeffrey Green/Cahernzcole House Randy Hatchett Highland Music Publishing Honey Tree Prod. Howard Music Group Engelbert Humperdinck In Light Records/Rick Lloyd Little Red Hen Records/Arjana Olson Malaco Pete Martinez Maverick Management Group Mike Ward Music (pension/demo signature) Joseph McClelland Tim McDonald Joe Meyers Missionary Music Jason Morales (pension/demo signature) O Street Mansion OTB Publishing (pension/demo signature) Tebey Ottoh Steve Pasch/SB21Music LLC Reach Ministries Ride N High Records Ronnie Palmer Barry Preston Smith Jason Sturgeon Music Nathan Thompson Veritas Music/Jody Spence Roy Webb Wildfire Productions/Donna Phillips Write It Lefty/Billy Davis Michael Whalen AFM NON-SIGNATORY PHONO LIST We do not have signatory paperwork from the following employers — pension may have been paid in some cases, but cannot be credited to the proper musicians without a signatory agreement in place. If you can provide us with current contact info for these people, we will make sure you get your proper pension contribution for your work. 604 Records Chris Lindsey Heaven Productions Haun and Ward Entertainment Hi Octane Records MCM Universal Productions Stonebridge Station Entertainment Stowtown Records Straight Shooter Music Studio Works Productions Word Farmer Music
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36 july—september 2012 | THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN