Congratulations to everyone whose work can be heard on these GRAMMY-nominated tracks and albums, recorded under AFM union contracts filed with AFM Local 47! (2/7/2023: List updated w/ winners)
Violinist and bandleader Babe Egan was a vaudeville superstar. In 1929, she was one of the highest paid women in vaudeville, earning $50,000 that year (equivalent to $880,000 today). She performed for tens of millions of theatergoers in the U.S., coast-to-coast, in Canada, and in Europe, and her band was regularly featured on radio. Continue reading
Red Hot Chili Peppers Heat Up the Charts With Two #1 Records in the Same Year
Beloved SoCal rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers were on fire in 2022! Helmed by frontman Anthony Kiedis, AFM Local 47 members Michael “Flea” Balzary (bass), Chad Smith (drums) and John Frusciante (guitar) released 12th album “Unlimited Love,” which notably marked the return of Frusciante, who left the band in 2009 and rejoined in 2019. The first single, “Black Summer,” became the Peppers’ 14th number-one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and the album debuted at number one in 16 countries, including the United States. Continue reading
On Dec. 14, 2022, striking UAW academic workers at UCLA saw an impressive display of support at a morning rally, where LA County Federation of Labor President Yvonne Wheeler delivered words of encouragement, and union activist Tom Morello performed his signature protest songs. Continue reading
Black members of more than 40 orchestras have launched the Black Orchestral Network (BON), a collective of Black orchestral musicians dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for Black people in the orchestral field. Continue reading
Throughout his career as an accomplished composer and pianist, Canadian-born Evan Wish has traveled all over the world. But his most recent trip to Italy proved to be among the greatest highlights of his life.
In October 2021, Wish was knighted by the Order of Saint George de Bourgogne in Italy for the merits in the international music category and humanitarian gifting thorough the years. Continue reading
by Susan Chatman, AFM Local 47 Diversity Committee
Congratulations to the music production team of the 94th Academy Awards for their hard work and superb artistry.
The music production leaders should also be applauded for their diverse representation of musicians, music styles and performances.
There were close to 120 musicians who performed at the 94th Academy Awards. What is notable was the cultural diversity, blend of musical styles, ages and genders from all over the world. Continue reading
February is the annual celebration of the lives, work, and influence of Black Americans to U.S. history and culture. This Black History Month we celebrate Black musicians whose groundbreaking music helped change the world of music. Continue reading
Congratulations to all of our AFM Local 47 members who worked on the music for the following 2021 Emmy®-nominated projects! Continue reading
Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Bruno Mars began to find success in the early 2000s by writing songs for popular artists. After several years as one of pop music’s premier songwriters, Mars broke out as a singer in his own right with the 2010 hit “Nothin’ On You.” Continue reading