The Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter and Georgia Music Partners were privileged to be in attendance on May 30 at the Georgia State Capitol, where Governor Nathan Deal signed into law House Bill 155, the Georgia Music Investment Act.

Designed with the goal of creating music industry jobs throughout the state, the Georgia Music Investment Act will require a 15 percent refundable tax incentive to be offered for projects recorded or scored in Georgia and for tours that rehearse and start in the state.

Georgia Music Partners, cofounded by Michele Rhea Caplinger, Sr. Executive Director for The Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter, demonstrated back in 2011 that music's multiplier effect helps add billions of dollars to Georgia's economy. Having just celebrated Georgia Music Day in February, the Atlanta Chapter has been working hard to help bring this bill to fruition, which will go into effect in 2018.

(l-r) John Hopkins (Zac Brown Band), Tammy Hurt, Mala Sharma, Governor Nathan Deal, Michele Caplinger, Ed Roland (Collective Soul)
Photo: Courtesy of the Office of Governor Nathan Deal

"We boast a lush creative community with countless GRAMMY nominees and winners each year, yet we watch those same music VIP's leave the state to make a living elsewhere. By passing HB-155 we will retain and attract both talent and music projects, which will grow our music ecosystem," said Caplinger.

"I am very thankful to the lawmakers and specifically Gov. Deal for recognizing and encouraging the arts in the state of Georgia. This victory will help grow the music economy in our great state," added Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 

This victory precedes the Atlanta Chapter's Summer Member Celebration on July 20, which will provide the local music community with an opportunity to not only celebrate but acknowledge the many great public servants and artists who worked hard to make this goal a new reality.

More advocacy at The Academy: Go inside the 2017 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards

As we prepare to celebrate music's best and brightest at the 2022 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, we must also recognize those who are dedicated to serving our music community year-round.

The active participation of Recording Academy members makes a difference, whether it's voting in the GRAMMY Awards process, recommending peers for membership, or registering for the District Advocate advocacy movement.

The upcoming Chapter Board Elections are a pivotal opportunity to serve our local Chapter communities and to help launch the next generation of Recording Academy leaders. The results of this election will impact the future of the Academy from the local to the national level.

Here's everything you need to know about the Recording Academy's 2022 Chapter Board Elections before voting opens next week.

When are Chapter Board Elections?

The Chapter Board Elections are typically held in early April of each year. The 2022 Elections are open Tuesday, March 29, at 8 a.m. local time – Monday, April 4, at 11:59 p.m. local time.

What are Chapter Boards?

The Recording Academy's membership is organized into 12 Chapters nationwide. Each Chapter has a local Board of Governors that advises and supports the National Board of Trustees and collaborates with the Chapter President and Academy staff on local programming and Academy initiatives.

Who is eligible to vote in Chapter Board Elections?

Each Chapter's Voting and Professional membership vote in their respective Chapter Board Elections to elect their Chapter's Governors.

Who serves on Chapter Boards?

A Chapter Board is composed of Recording Academy members who are elected to the positions of Trustee; Chapter Officers, which include a President, Vice President, and Secretary; and Governors.

Why is voting in Chapter Board Elections important?

Voting is a right and a responsibility as a member.

While we love hearing creators' voices on stage and on recordings, it's our responsibility to listen to their concerns, ideas and recommendations in order to keep our Academy and our industry moving forward.

Your vote makes a difference.

Voting in this election is an opportunity to help drive the Recording Academy and our music communities forward by electing the best and brightest members to your Chapter's leadership.

Your vote helps ensure a diverse, inclusive and representative Board.

Recording Academy members elected to their Chapter Boards ensure the policies and procedures put in place by the Academy reflect the needs and aspirations of our vastly diverse music community.

Your vote is your voice.

As a member of the Recording Academy, your vote carries weight and is tremendously valued.

How can I vote in the Chapter Board Elections?

When the elections open on Tuesday, March 29, Voting and Professional members will receive an email from the Recording Academy with a direct link to their online ballot. This login will be different from each member's Recording Academy login.

Once you click on your ballot link, review the candidates' bios. Vote for the individuals who you believe will best represent your local music community.

Be sure to submit your Chapter Board Elections ballot before voting closes on Monday, April 4. If you have any questions or issues with your ballot, please reach out to elections@recordingacademy.com.

For more information about Recording Academy Governance or to view the current list of Elected Leaders, visit https://recordingacademy.com/Governance.

Recording Academy Bolsters Membership With 2,710 Music Creators And Professionals Invited

The Recording Academy has announced that it will continue giving credit where credit is due with its 3rd annual "Behind The Record" initiative, a global social media activation aimed at spotlighting the many producers, engineers, songwriters, composers, mixers, instrumentalists, and other creators who contribute to the music recording process. Taking place Friday, Oct. 15, the industry-wide conversation encourages artists across all music genres to celebrate their collaborators' incredible behind-the-scenes work on the tracks, records and albums loved by music fans around the world. This year's campaign features a short film, narrated by Recording Academy Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer Om'Mas Keith, illustrating that behind every hit song is an intricate dance of creativity that builds and builds to the final product.

A day before the social media activation's launch, on Thursday, Oct. 14, the Recording Academy will introduce Behind The Record Advocacy, a new virtual advocacy program to inform lawmakers about issues affecting the creators behind their favorite records. Building off the success of the Recording Academy's "Behind The Record" initiative, Academy members will meet virtually with members of Congress nationwide to discuss legislation that would have a direct impact on America's recording artists, songwriters and studio professionals, such as the HITS Act and the American Music Fairness Act. With nearly 200 meetings with congressional offices anticipated for Behind The Record Advocacy, members will focus on ensuring that the individuals behind the record are able to earn fair compensation for their work.

"It takes a village to create a recording, and as an organization that serves to support all music creators, we invite our peers to join us in spotlighting the many music professionals behind our favorite songs," Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "While we celebrate the music professionals behind the scenes, we also recognize the importance of fighting for fair treatment of creators. We're proud of the evolution of 'Behind The Record' to include an advocacy element this year as we continue our ongoing work to ensure all music creators flourish."

"Behind The Record" is supported by the Recording Academy's Advocacy Department, Producers & Engineers Wing and Songwriters & Composers Wing. Supporting all music creators—including the artists behind our favorite records—is an urgent initiative for the Recording Academy year-round. Within the past year alone, the Recording Academy established the Songwriters & Composers Wing to better represent the diverse community of music creators who provide the world with the gift of song. The Academy also reintroduced the HITS Act in the House and Senate, which would allow artists and record producers to deduct 100 percent of sound recording production expenses in the year they are incurred, and continued efforts to support women producers and engineers through its Women In The Mix initiative.

To help the Recording Academy further support creators working behind the scenes, artists can participate in "Behind The Record" by:

• Emailing givecredit@recordingacademy.com to request an access code to the Credit Cover Generator Portal.
• Posting your Credit Cover across social media channels and tagging those who worked on your project. Use hashtags #BehindTheRecord #GiveCredit #WeAreMusic.
• Artists can create Credit Covers for a single track or album, and covers will live in a gallery on the "Behind The Record" website for music fans to view and discover the roles of creatives behind some of their favorite records.

For the third year, Jaxsta, the world's largest public-facing dedicated database of official music credits, provided credits for Warner Music, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Merlin releases.

For more information, please visit the "Behind The Record" website. Follow and join the global conversation on social media using the hashtags #BehindTheRecord, #GiveCredit and #WeAreMusic.

Learn More About The Recording Academy's "Behind The Record" Initiative

It's been nearly 30 years since Beck began his career journey, which has taken him from the anti-folk scene of New York City to winning GRAMMYs and performing on the biggest stages in the world.

At Up Close & Personal With Beck, a program presented by the Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter with the Producers & Engineers Wing on May 1 at the W Atlanta-Midtown Hotel, the "Blue Moon" singer/songwriter participated in a fascinating career-spanning conversation.

Moderated by Tony Paris — who revealed that he saw Beck perform in the late '80s at the Sidewalk Cafe in New York City — the discussion delved into the L.A. native's idiosyncratic approach to the creative process.

"I think everybody finds their own way in music," said Beck. "I produce other artists as well [and] that's one of the things [I enjoy] — going into somebody else's world and their process and [learning] how they got into music and the rules they wrote for themselves. There's a million ways to make a song."

Of course, Beck's catalog features an abundance of musical elements and textures, from alt-rock and acoustic-based folk to pop, Americana and hip-hop. It turns out Beck's varied output is a direct result of is anti-formulaic approach to music.

"I think it would be more practical and pragmatic to have a formula," said Beck. "When I make records, I pretty much throw that out the window. I think what's interesting is that world that you construct and how the record is made becomes a part of the identity of the record. That's why [my] records are so different.

"There are certain records that I've recorded in a house with a producer — it's very kind of amateur in a beautiful way. The next record, I'll get some of the best musicians and one of the classic rooms in Los Angeles, record it to tape live, and bring in a live orchestra."

During the 60-minute-plus conversation, Paris peppered Beck on other topics such as his breakout hit "Loser," why music education programs are important and his creative mindset for popular albums in his catalog, including his stripped-down Sea Change album, 2006's The Information and his latest opus, 2017's Colors.

"['Loser'] went through all the record companies and I had a few meetings and nobody wanted to put [it] out," Beck recalled about his 1993 debut single. "So, a friend of mine put out 500 copies. And it was one of those freak things … it [went to] No. 1. I thought it would go away and that it [would be] just a novelty. It just had a life of its own."

"I heard Woody Guthrie and it was just so simple. It was just a human voice and a guitar. That was a real revelation for me."

Though "Loser" is a brilliant alt-rock pastiche featuring drum loops, rap rhymes and unforgettable phrases ("Get crazy with the Cheese Whiz"), Beck revealed that the initial inspiration for his career came in the form of an iconic folk singer/songwriter's pure approach.

"I heard Woody Guthrie and it was just so simple," he said. "It was just a human voice and a guitar. That was a real revelation for me. I kind of went down that thread of blues and folk music."

Digging further back, Paris touched upon the fact that each of Beck's parents come from artistic backgrounds. His father, David Campbell, is a master arranger/composer who has worked with artists such as Adele, Justin Timberlake and Dream Theater. His mother, Bibbe Hansen, is an artist, musician and actress who worked closely with Andy Warhol and was among those who frequented The Factory, a distinguished gathering place for Warhol and his artistic associates. While his parents' talents no doubt had an impact on Beck, his love for music was instilled through picking up a guitar on his own accord.
 
"It was the default thing that was accessible to me, which is the beautiful thing about music," said Beck, who added that he is a big believer in music education programs. "Having music programs for kids [is important]. That's like a lifeline. For a child, that's opening a whole world."

With 13 studio albums to his credit, Beck has initiated a left turn or two. His 2002 GRAMMY-nominated album, Sea Change, though lauded today as a modern folk masterpiece, hit a bumpy road right out of the gate.

"The record company rejected [Sea Change] when I turned it in," said Beck. "That was a record [where] I thought, 'This is just one I'm doing for myself. People who like my records aren't necessarily going to like this. Maybe it will be an interesting curiosity later on.'"

Curiosity is a through line in Beck's creative process. His musicologist leanings and a constant thirst for knowledge continue to inform his work as evidenced by his latest album, Colors.

"[For] a record like Colors, the ethos was those great records that are groundbreaking, sonically, but the compositions are experimental and also wildly popular," said Beck. "Thriller, Sgt. Pepper's and Pet Sounds — there's a particular thing about those records. They are very experimental but they are also so meticulous. 

"[I thought], 'How do you do something very experimental that has sophistication but is accessible [with meticulous] production?' It was a very different approach than how I usually approach making records."

'Morning Phase': Beck Wins Album Of The Year

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees is attuned to the calls to action that have resonated ever since the 60th GRAMMY Awards. We recognize the impact of the unfortunate choice of words from our President/CEO, Neil Portnow, in a post-GRAMMY interview. In the many letters and statements that we and our Board have received from some of our most respected artists, as well as prominent female and male music business executives, the message is clear: Our Academy and our industry must do a better job honoring and demonstrating our commitment to cultural, gender and genre diversity, in all aspects of our work. 

The Recording Academy is a membership organization, first and foremost. Like all Academy members, our Trustees live and breathe music, and are embedded in the fabric of our industry. Our Board members - many of whom are women - include independent artists, songwriters, touring musicians, producers and engineers, visual and audio entrepreneurs, A&R executives, and music publishers.  Our Vice Chair and former Chair/Chair Emeritus are women, and our National Awards and Nominations, Membership, Advocacy, and Producers & Engineers Wing Steering committees are all chaired or co-chaired by women. We honor the Academy, and we expect nothing less in return than strict adherence to musical excellence, an inclusive and diverse philosophy, meaningful outreach and communication, a purity of purpose, and an eagerness to embrace change as our musical culture and society evolve

The Academy’s commitment to our community resonates far beyond the nominations, winners and performers on the GRAMMY Awards. MusiCares, the GRAMMY Museum Foundation, and our Advocacy presence in Washington, D.C., speak to how much we care about all the people in our music family, whether they are Academy members or not. Our 12 Chapters nurture new generations of professionals in recording and business, and mentor Governors on our local boards to ally themselves with the issues they are most passionate about. At the heart of what we do, there is mutual respect and the belief that each of us has something unique and valuable to offer. The more diverse we are as an Academy, the better equipped we are to champion our members and our community.

The GRAMMY Awards have always been a positive and negative flashpoint and will likely continue to be because of the ever-changing nature of our world. We are constantly striving to reflect genre, gender, and ethnic diversity in our categories and fields. We welcome proposals from our members to make changes, and we debate all worthy ideas at an annual meeting dedicated solely to this purpose. Likewise, we have worked hard to ensure that our eligibility requirements reflect changing distribution methods. The advent of online voting and the ability to offer audio streams of nominated titles has been designed to make the voting experience convenient, while not compromising security.

The Academy is a thriving, fluid environment. It has a powerful agenda to do good work intended to improve the lives of those who create music, and to ensure that we respectfully participate in a culture where creativity can flourish.  We look to our industry partners to provide opportunities for music creators to maintain their professional careers. We embrace the idea that with the help and support of dedicated artists and professionals, we will undertake a fresh, honest appraisal of the role of women in all aspects of our Academy and the industry at large, with the hope of inspiring positive change.

Our Board of Trustees is committed to creating a comprehensive task force that will take a deep look at these issues and make material recommendations on how we can all do better. We are pleased that our task force announcement has been well received, with many people offering to participate in work that will yield tangible results. As we continue to take the appropriate time needed to ensure that this action is well-conceived and properly developed, we ask you to remember what this is about: improving our community and creating opportunity for all.  If we achieve this goal, we will all look back at this moment as one that has helped reshape the fabric of our industry. 

Please be assured that the Executive Committee and our Board of Trustees holds all the Academy’s leadership to the highest standards. We respect and deeply appreciate the opinions of the artists and industry leaders who have spoken up since the GRAMMY Awards. We cherish the trust that you have in the Recording Academy, and pledge to honor this transformational moment of gender equality as we continue to recognize musical excellence, advocate for the well-being of music makers, and ensure that music remains an indelible part of our culture.

Respectfully,

The Executive Committee on behalf of the Board of Trustees
The Recording Academy