Patti Smith accepts her 2017 American Eagle Award and speaks about the 5 Music Rights set forth by the International Music Council.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The National Music Council presented its prestigious American Eagle Award to music industry icons Crystal Gayle, Harry Shearer, and Patti Smith on July 13 at The Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, TN. National Music Council Director, David Sanders, hosted the awards ceremony along with presenters Paul Shaffer, Richard Leigh and John Ingrassia.
The honorees and presenters collaborated for an unforgettable finale performance of the song “People Have The Power,” written by Patti Smith and her late husband Fred “Sonic” Smith. The awards are presented each year to call attention to the importance of music education and respect of creator’s rights, with proceeds going to support the National Music Council’s advocacy efforts throughout the year. The Nashville event received support from The NAMM Foundation, which also works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan through scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.
Photos from the event can be found here.
About The National Music Council
The National Music Council is celebrating its 77th 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 opinion and decision 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.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 10,300 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit nammfoundation.org.
Nashville, TN – The National Music Council has announced that country music legend Crystal Gayle, singer, songwriter and poet Patti Smith, and comic, actor, writer, musician and creators’ rights activist Harry Shearer will be honored at the organization’s 34th annual American Eagle Awards on Thursday, July 13 at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville. The highly prestigious Awards are presented each year in recognition of long-term contribution to American musical culture and heritage, the importance of music education for all children, and the need to protect creators’ rights both locally and internationally.
“Each year, the National Music Council carefully chooses a very small group of music creators, artists, educators and advocates to honor for their truly remarkable contributions to American and global musical culture,” said NMC Director David Sanders.. “Those whose careers we have celebrated in the past are among the giants of American music, and Ms. Gayle, Ms. Smith and Mr. Shearer are worthy additions to the list of those whose long-standing excellence continues to make the US music community the world’s leader in musical arts innovation.”
Recognized as one of music’s most influential stylists, Crystal Gale was born in Paintsville, KY and raised in nearby southern Indiana. Gale was a teenager when she decided to follow her older sister Loretta Lynn to Nashville where she quickly charted with the hit single, “I’ve Cried (The Blue Right Out Of My Eyes).” As a true artist, Gayle followed her own career path, becoming a two-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and a crossover sensation with such hits as “Half The Way” and “Talking In Your Sleep,” becoming the first female artist in country music history to achieve platinum record sales. Earlier this year, the singer was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and celebrated the 40th anniversary of her signature hit, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” Later this year, she will release a new album produced by her son, Am I That Easy to Forget.
Patti Smith is one of the most revered recording artists and songwriters of the past forty years, with the likes of Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Morissey, U2, and others citing the impact of her music on their own. Born in Chicago, IL, she spent her formative years in Philadelphia before moving to New York City at the age of 21. There, she wrote several articles for Rolling Stone magazine before becoming a musical force on her own terms in the 1970s. Clive Davis signed her band, The Patti Smith Group, to Arista in 1975, and released the critically acclaimed album Horses, which blended punk rock and poetry. Her 1978 disc Easter contained one of her most popular titles, “Because The Night,” which she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen. Smith spent much of the 1980s in semi-retirement, but re-emerged in 1996 with the landmark album Gone Again. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and was the subject of the documentary film, Dream Of Life (2008).
LA-born Harry Shearer has carved out a successful acting career over the years, appearing on TV series such as Saturday Night Live and as a voice-over artist on the long-running FOX cartoon series, The Simpsons. Shearer co-wrote the film Real Life with Albert Brooks, and also wrote for Martin Mull’s successful Fernwood 2 Night. In 1984, Shearer would go on to co-create This Is Spinal Tap and star in the role of Derek Smalls alongside Michael McKean and Christopher Guest. The film, shot in twenty-five days, has become a cult classic. In 1989, he began his longest-running show business affiliation, voicing several characters on The Simpsons, including the villainous Mr. Burns and Dr. Marvin Monroe. He has also appeared in such television series as Miami Vice and Dawson’s Creek, and is an advocate for creators and artists.
As one of the highest achievements in the music industry, the three honorees will join a “who’s – who” list of past American Eagle Award recipients including cultural icons Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Van Cliburn, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Elliott Carter, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Leonard Slatkin, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café, and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.
The honorees and Awards will be celebrated the evening of Thursday, July 13 at The Summer NAMM Show at Nashville’s Music City Center and open to industry members and Summer NAMM attendees. The Summer NAMM Show is the annual gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its many members companies, representing the global music products industry. 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.
Tickets to the awards are available to the general public and the event is open to Summer NAMM attendees. 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.
About The National Music Council:
The National Music Council is celebrating its 77th 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 opinion and decision 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
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 10,300 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit http://www.nammfoundation.org.
The members of the National Music Council, who together represent some one million individuals, are unified in a commitment to support music education because we know how much a balanced, sequential education that includes music can bring to the development of our young people. We have all, individually and collectively, seen the impact that music education has on the social, physical, and intellectual growth of students. We have all watched with growing interest the explosion of research that backs up our long-held belief in the essential importance of music education.
Sadly, we have also seen the growth of forces that stand in the way of every child receiving the benefits of music education. Sometimes these forces are political; sometimes they are budgetary; and sometimes they are simply administrative. In all cases, however, they can be easily overcome with a simple commitment (reflected in legislation and in funding) to providing our children with the benefits of music education.
In light of this, we ask your commitment for the following legislative recommendations:
• Complete the Appropriations Process for Fiscal Year 2017: If another stopgap spending measure is applied to finish the remainder of the Fiscal Year, Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) first year of implementation would be severely hampered
• Follow ESSA’s congressional intent, and ensure states, districts, charters, and local schools have the most flexibility to spend their federal dollars where needed. Robust funding for all well-rounded programs, including Title IV, Part A, must be a priority to protect this flexibility.
• Support Access to Music Education for the Most Disadvantaged Students by Fully Funding Title I, Part A
• Support Professional Development for Music Educators by Fully Funding Title I, Part A, Title II, Part A and Title IV, Parts A and F
• Support Access to Music Education as Part of a “Well Rounded Education” by fully funding Title IV, Part A
We will all benefit from these measures: the music industry, which contributes significantly to our national economy; professional performers, who add immeasurably to our communities; composers, arrangers, and publishers, who bring the riches of creation to our national life; and most of all, our children. We thank you for your consideration of these important goals, which will benefit not only our children, but will ultimately increase the creative output of American composers and musicians to the betterment of not only the social fabric of the United States, but also the economy.
Founded in 1940 and chartered by the 84th Congress in 1956, the National Music Council in a unique position to assist in these matters. We offer our collective expertise in providing you with any documentation or information that might serve you, and our gratitude for your support.
The National Music Council is a member of the Music Education Roundtable, whose constituents believe that all children, regardless of circumstance, should have access to high-quality in-school music programs. Intertwined with our great society, music is central to America’s history and how we share that history and tradition with our nation’s children.
Music education provides a variety of assets for our students, improving quality of life, and creating impactful and successful citizens within our society. We sincerely hope to work with the Trump administration to develop policies that support and enrich these essential school music programs.
The following are policy proposals the Music Education Policy Roundtable hopes the Trump administration takes into consideration on behalf of advancing music education in
America’s schools:
• Support and Continue the Proper Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Last year, the passage of ESSA marked a historic moment for public education. Through bipartisan support, the law includes a specific mention of “music” as a part of a “Well- Rounded Education, ”providing opportunities to increase access to music education for all students. We hope to see continued support for the law, and encourage active communication between the administration and authorizing congressional committees to ensure guidance and regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education reflect congressional intent, increasing state and local voices in decision-making regarding public schooling.
• Maintain Equitable Access to a Well-Rounded Education for All Students One of the integral missions of the Music Education Policy Roundtable is promoting the study and making of music by all, regardless of circumstance or background. Today’s educational culture emphasizes the great need for 21st century skillsets and by incorporating a well-rounded curriculum that includes music, we provide the essential professional skills students need to succeed in not only academics, but also in the workforce. Unfortunately, the access to a music education is not available in every American public school, be it district or charter, or for every child.
- Access to Music Education within Minority Populations According to the National Endowment for the Arts(NEA), Fewer than 30 percent of both Hispanic and African American students reported receiving any arts education, in comparison to 59 percent of white students. Crafting effective and inclusive policies will create pathways to lifelong achievement for all students.
- Access to Music Education within Charter Schools Studies from Arizona and California show that students within charter schools have substantially less access to music and arts education than students enrolled in district schools. As affirmed in ESSA, music education is an essential component to a well-rounded education, which should be embraced and made available to all students in all schools -charter and district.
- Collecting Accurate Data on Access to Music and Arts Education within our Nation’s Schools. Every decade, the U.S. Department of Education collects survey data on access to music and arts education through the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). The next FRSS arts survey should be administered in the 2019-2020 school year. We look forward to continuing this important data collection tradition to help us better understand access to music and arts education and how we as partners with the U.S. Department of Education can grow access to music and arts for all students.
- Collecting Accurate Data on student performance in music and arts education through the Nation’s Report Card, NAEP. This April, the U.S. Department of Education will partner with the National Assessment Governing Board to release the findings on the 2015-2016 NAEP Arts Assessment. This is an excellent opportunity for the administration to broadcast its support for a well-rounded education, including music and arts. In addition, the administration can work with the Governing Board and arts partners including the Roundtable to insure the continuation of the NAEP Arts Assessment next scheduled for 2024.
• Increase State and District Flexibility by Supporting Funding in Critical Well-Rounded Areas The inclusion of “music” as part of a “Well-Rounded Education” provides a significant number of opportunities for increasing access to music education for students at the state and local levels. The specific enumeration of music in statute further articulates music’s eligibility for Title I-A, Title II-A, and Title IV-A funding. In order to make these opportunities a reality for students, the Trump administration must follow ESSA’s congressional intent, and ensure states, districts, charters, and local schools have the most flexibility to spend their federal dollars where needed.
• Robust funding for all well-rounded programs, including Title IV, Part A, must be a priority to protect this flexibility. Reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA)& the Student Debt Crisis Throughout the recent election cycle, candidates have recognized the prevalent student loan crisis within the United States. With ESSA the law of the land, the long overdue reauthorization of HEA represents the next step in reforming federal Education policy, through a thorough examination of the post-secondary education landscape. The Roundtable is devoted to serving the future of the music education profession. In light of ESSA’s commitment to providing all students with access to a well-rounded education, we hope HEA is reauthorized to support music and well-rounded educators through teacher preparation programs, teacher recruitment and retention opportunities, and student loan forgiveness eligibility.
• Reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act As education and economic needs change in the 21st century, the educational environment must be prepared to adapt and incorporate innovative programs to fulfill those demands. We hope that the next reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act integrates a well-Rounded curriculum, so that schools can pioneer innovative courses, such as music technology and recording arts. Through revising this legislation, we give students the opportunity for success in non-traditional careers that consist of high-skill and high-wage occupations.
• Support Military Readiness of Armed Forces One of our nation’s most important assets are our servicemen and women. Unfortunately, in recent years, our public education system has failed to sufficiently prepare young Americans for military service. According to The Education Trust, more than 1 in 5 high school graduates aspiring to join the Army could not score high enough on the military entrance exam to enlist. Studies have shown that schools with music programs demonstrate significantly higher graduation and class retention rates than those without such programs. By delivering robust funding to key well-rounded programs, like music, we strengthen our nation’s national security through providing educated, able, and qualified personnel.
• Support U.S. Military Music Ensembles With dedication and integrity, U.S. military music ensembles connect American citizens of all generations through our country’s musical heritage. These service-men and women set one of the highest examples of musical achievement, pride in nation, and further the aspirations of all citizens, including young American music students across the nation. In addition, members of these ensembles uphold a significant role in music education by contributing countless hours of service each year, through special student outreach in a variety of demonstrations, clinics, and students. As ambassadors for the Armed Forces to students, citizens, and other countries, we ask that the Trump administration continue to support funding for U.S. military music ensembles.
Join the National Music Council on Capitol Hill as arts advocates from across the country convene in Washington, D.C.
Arts Advocacy Day brings together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with more than 500 grassroots advocates from across the country, to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts.
For more information on attending Congressional visits with the NMC, please contact NMC Director David Sanders by March 10th.
The NMC and Music Publishers Association are pleased to announce the winners of our 2016 Copyright Awareness Scholarship!
First prize went to Tara Troiano for her simple and heartfelt message about the difficulty of building a future as a musician when people are illegally downloading content online. Tara is a sophomore at Frisco High School in Frisco, Texas, and hopes to attend college to study film, music, and business.
Second prize went to Kathryn Keller for her concise video comparing online theft to stealing money directly from a busker. Kathryn is a student at Columbia College Chicago where she studies television writing and producing.
Third prize went to Lexus Jackson for her submission Working for Free which poses the question to the viewer: if you wouldn’t work for free, why would you expect the same from artists and musicians? Lexus is a graduate student at Eastern Michigan University in Lansing studying business and entrepreneurship.
With so many exceptional submissions this year it was hard to select just three winners. The National Music Council and the Music Publishers Association would like to extend an honorable mention to finalists Jules Iradukunda and Blake Derksen.
We are certain that each and every one of these students have a bright future in whatever field they chose.
And to all of the students who took the time to tell us why copyright and intellectual property are important, we commend them! We know how much work goes into these projects and look forward to viewing the creative and fantastic things that come from the minds of our applicants. Our goal in having this scholarship opportunity available is not only to provide a few students with a little assistance for their studies, but also to educate students of all ages about the importance of protecting intellectual property and the myriad of diverse industries that are affected when copyright laws aren’t respected.
The Copyright Awareness Scholarship was created in 2010 by the Music Publishers Association to help students learn more about intellectual property and copyright. The MPA has since joined with the National Music Council to help cast a wider net and reach a larger audience of students.
For more information please contact scholarship@mpa.org.
In addition to the Copyright Awareness Scholarship, the NMC & MPA offer award winning curriculum ideas for the classroom to help students understand copyright and intellectual property and how imperative it is to support the creation of new work. For more information on that, including educational resources, please visit www.iMadeIt.org.
Please contact David Sanders at NMC for graphics to post on your organization website: sandersd@montclair.edu