Melissa Etheridge is one of rock music’s great female icons. An AFM Local 47 member since 1984, the iconic singer-songwriter will headline and close out the 2019 Pride Festival at Marston Point in Balboa Park, San Diego on Sunday, July 14, 2019. Continue reading
June is Pride Month, and our AFM Local 47 musical community is proud to encompass a richly diverse and talented group of LGBTQ+ members and allies.
Our #AFM47 Pride Playlist highlights a mix of prominent artists who belong to the LGBTQ+ community, along with those who are outspoken allies. These songs feature empowered lyrics and danceable rhythms that inspire pride and equality for all! And of course, all of these anthems were recorded union.
Available as of May 10, 2019 is “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter for violin and orchestra, adapted and conducted by John Williams himself and recorded with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the 70-strong Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles at the iconic Sony Studios in Los Angeles. Continue reading
Raphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and member of AFM Local 47 since 2013. He has been a standard bearer for “old school” R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné!
He has also produced songs for such artists as Joss Stone, D’Angelo, TLC, En Vogue, Kelis, Mary J. Blige, Ledisi, Whitney Houston, Solange Knowles and John Legend. Continue reading
The Ellis Island Honors Society announces that AFM Local 47 member Peter Boyer will be among the recipients of the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Continue reading
Honorary AFM Local 47 Member Seth MacFarlane received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 23, 2019.
The multi-talented actor/composer/performer/producer is renowned in the musical community for his commitment to live music and musicians, in addition to his generous support of philanthropic causes. He has created some of the most popular content on television and in film today – Family Guy, American Dad!, The Orville, Ted, A Million Ways to Die in the West – all scored with AFM Local 47 musicians.
MacFarlane also works as an activist against climate change, is a supporter of Reading Rainbow, and serves with the Human Rights Campaign.
Nearly 50 years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality—winning protections that have made jobs safer and saved lives. But our work is not done. Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more suffer injury or illness because of their jobs. Continue reading
AFM Local 47 Life Member Abraham Laboriel has lived a life surrounded by music.
Born in Mexico City, his parents were Garifuna immigrants from Honduras. His sister is singer Ela Laboriel, and their brother was late rock singer Johnny Laboriel. Abraham is the father of drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and of producer, songwriter, and film composer Mateo Laboriel — both of whom are also proud members of the Los Angeles musicians union. Continue reading
In honor of Earth Day, see what these AFM Local 47 musicians are doing to save our environment.
In response to a laudatory article about the non-union Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra titled “This orchestra wants no conductor: How Kaleidoscope aims to move in different directions” published in the LA Times by Rick Schultz on Feb. 13, 2019, we share another view written by AFM Local 47 Director Vivian Wolf. Kaleidoscope refuses to sign onto an AFM contract and currently appears on the union’s Do Not Work For list for failure to pay musicians according to industry standards. Along with the entire Executive Board, Wolf is deeply concerned about this situation, and Local 47 will continue to reach out to Kaleidoscope in order to discuss organizing the orchestra and its musicians under an AFM agreement.
It was with great interest that I read the article by Rick Schultz describing the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. The article was highly laudatory and indeed, there is much to praise about the ensemble founded by Benjamin Mitchell. It is the only conductor-less orchestra in the Los Angeles area, it brings music to unique venues and champions new repertoire. What it doesn’t do, is pay the performers a fair wage. In fact, by refusing any involvement with the American Federation of Musicians Local 47, Kaleidoscope is exploiting the enthusiasm and energy of its young musicians. Even though the ensemble receives many large contributions, the orchestra does not have any kind of contract and certainly doesn’t offer the players any health or pension benefits — benefits that would be in play under a union contract. Continue reading