State of the Local

2022 will be our 120th year of serving Nashville musicians. I have never been prouder of our organization, our mission, and our accomplishments.

BY DAVE POMEROY

The past few months have been challenging for many of us, but also rewarding in various ways. There is no doubt that we are not yet back to whatever used to be called “normal,” a word that now seems almost meaningless. All things considered, our respect-based Music City business model is functioning pretty well under the strain. Among the many lessons we have learned are that nothing should be taken for granted, and that every day presents new opportunities to explain, listen, and when needed, adjust and/or reinvent what we do and how we do it.

More money in musician pockets

Thankfully, we have been able to help keep musicians working, and the recording business has picked back up, albeit in several new ways. The legalization of home studios in 2020 made home recording more of a viable business model than ever before. Pay-per-view concerts and other streaming engagements have allowed musicians and artists to reach a much wider audience and still get paid. Since May 1, the AFM Music Performance Trust Fund has paid more than $60,000 to AFM 257 members who are playing shows in senior centers, schools, parks, and other communityoriented venues. We also got 50 percent late-fee payments for musicians who worked for the Outdoor Channel after waiting more than five months for the original payment. We have worked closely with the CMA, ACM, and the Americana Music Association to make sure that their recent and upcoming awards show and tv tapings are handled correctly from a safety standpoint, as well as making sure everyone is compensated properly for their work.

Fox signs "Monarch" AFM contract

I am also very glad to report that Fox has signed the AFM Television Film Agreement to cover their new series Monarch. This will ensure fair wages, pension payments, residuals, and New Use payments when soundtrack songs are released as audio recordings. The initial response was “We are not working with the AFM for this show,” but I was able to change their mind. I simply explained to them how we do things here in Nashville, and that it would be very disrespectful to the musicians to do a show based in Nashville and ignore Local 257’s role in creating the Nashville music business model. This is one of the first times Fox has signed an AFM agreement. This demonstrates once again that the Nashville Way —mutual respect between employers and musicians — is more powerful than we realize.

Protecting your intellectual property

Several of our previously-negotiated agreements have manifested in some very positive ways. The “back-end” revenue sharing for TV and YouTube exhibition of the Grand Ole Opry we negotiated in 2017 have resulted in the first ever distribution of the 3.6 percent residuals we now receive, totaling more than $170K in payments to Opry musicians. These ongoing payments will be distributed twice a year once we complete our ongoing negotiations with Opry management. We are also about to distribute more than $25,000 in payments for the CMA Time/Life DVD set, and another round of payments for the Ryman Auditorium’s “Soul of Nashville” archival film as well. These back-end residual and royalty payments illustrate the power of the AFM contracts under which you work.

When you agree to work nonunion, what you make that day is all you will ever make, and employers get to keep the money that should be going to YOU. It may be legal in a right-to-work state to work without a contract and give away your intellectual property, but that doesn’t make it right. This is a huge issue for Nashville musicians, and as long as there are companies like Electronic Arts and others who choose to ignore the intellectual property rights of the Nashville musicians they hire for substandard wages while making billions in profits, we will continue to stand up for the rights of those who are being taken advantage of.

Recalling legacies as the future beckons

In addition to all the other challenges we face, we have lost numerous iconic and influential musicians over the past few months. The legendary drummer Kenny Malone was a great friend, musical hero and bandmate of mine whose positive influence on me and many other musicians will live on, as does the memory of fiddler Byron Berline, a longtime member of Local 47 who also inspired many Nashville musicians over the years. It is so hard to say goodbye to our musical friends, but we can try to take comfort in knowing they are no longer suffering and appreciate and enjoy their legacies of great music that will live on. At the same time, we have had many great musicians of all descriptions become AFM 257 members over the past several months, and we welcome you with open arms as we look to the future. Next year, 2022, will be our 120th year of serving Nashville musicians. I have never been prouder of our organization, our mission, and our accomplishments, which we ALL create together, by standing up for what’s right — respect for musicians and their intellectual property. That’s our job, and I am proud to represent you.