National Music Council to Honor Musician, Songwriter and Music Advocate David Lowery at 38th Annual American Eagle Awards
Los Angeles, California, May 27, 2022 – The National Music Council of the United States will honor musician, songwriter, journalist, blogger, producer, and rights activist David Lowery at its 38th annual American Eagle Awards on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. The NMC honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made a truly significant contribution to American musical culture, music education, and the protection and advancement of creators’ rights both in the United States and around the world.
“For honored individuals, the American Eagle Award represents a very special category of peer recognition, celebrating a lifetime of dedicated work on behalf of music creators, music students, and the entire music community,” says NMC Board Chair Charles J. Sanders. “David Lowery is among those rare persons whose careers have personified that level of across-the-board commitment to his colleagues and followers everywhere in the world.” Adds NMC president and music education leader James Weaver, “we could not be prouder to honor Professor Lowery, a great and influential music creator who has demonstrated time and again his additional devotion to advocating for universal musical education for every child in every nation.”
David Lowery’s storied career began while studying mathematics and computer science at the University of California Santa Cruz in the early 1980’s. It was there that he founded the critically acclaimed ensemble Camper Van Beethoven, and the associated record label Pitch-a-Tent Records. With these two initiatives, Lowery played a prominent role in launching the global Indie Rock movement. In 1991, he moved on to the ensemble Cracker, which produced three top ten alternative/rock radio tracks and three platinum albums. During that period, he also produced a variety of recording artists, including albums for critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands such as The Counting Crows, LP and Sparklehorse.
Today, Lowery continues to be an active songwriter, recording artist, university professor, author and entrepreneur. He likewise remains dedicated not only to tirelessly championing music rights, but also to demonstrating to creators that entrepreneurial alternatives to Silicon Valley-based music distribution of music are available to counter the current, grossly unfair payment practices of the Tech giants. “David Lowery has been a leading voice for decades on issues concerning fair remuneration for artists, songwriters and composers,” states NMC board member Rick Carnes, president of the Songwriters Guild of America and a leading songwriter and global activist for creators’ rights himself. “It will be my great pleasure to present him with this honor, which he has earned through his longstanding, courageous advocacy — on Capitol Hill, in the courts and in print — on behalf of American creators and musical culture.”
NMC executive director Dr. David Sanders notes that Mr. Lowery joins a “who’s – who” of American musical giants whose have previously been honored by NMC. “Let me put into perspective the significance of the Eagle Award by reciting the names of just a few of the past honorees,” says Sanders,. “They include Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Dr. Billy Taylor, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Crystal Gale, George Clinton, Ervin Drake, Theodore Bikel, Vince Guaraldi, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Patti Smith, Sesame Street, and VH1’s “Save the Music” Foundation.
Tickets for this event are available to the general public. For more information on schedule, location details, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.musiccouncil.org or contact NMC Director David Sanders at sandersd@montclair.edu.
Proceeds from the event support the National Music Council’s music education advocacy efforts.
The National Music Council
The Congressionally-chartered National Music Council is celebrating its 82nd year as a forum for the free discussion of this country’s national music affairs and challenges. Founded in 1940 to act as a clearinghouse for the joint opinions of its members –and to work to strengthen the importance of music in our lives and culture– the Council’s initial membership of 13 has grown to almost 50 national music organizations, encompassing every important form of professional and commercial musical activity. Through the cooperative work of its member organizations, the National Music Council promotes and supports music and music education as an integral part of the curricula in the schools of our nation, and in the lives of its citizens. The Council provides for the exchange of information and coordination of efforts among its member organizations and speaks with one voice for the music community whenever an authoritative expression of opinion is desirable. www.musiccouncil.org
NAMM
The NAMM Show is the global gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its many member companies, representing the global music products industry, including music instruments and pro audio products, music retailers and educators and house of worship professionals. The awards are presented with support from The NAMM Foundation, a non-profit which works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan through scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.
