Women Crushing Washington Panel

Women Crushing Washington Panel 

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4 Key Takeaways From Women Crushing Washington, A Month-Long Celebration Of Women In The Music Industry

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From engineers to music industry marketing managers and executives, women shared their expertise and advice that women of all ages can learn from
Pamela Chelin
Membership
May 11, 2021 - 3:01 pm

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the Recording Academy’s D.C. Chapter presented Women Crushing Washington, a month-long event that featured weekly panels highlighting female artists and executives in conversation with each other about the music business. From engineers to music industry marketing managers and executives, women shared their expertise and advice that women of all ages can learn from.

The event, which featured welcomes and introductions from Elise Perry, Washington D.C. Chapter President and Sharon Ingram, Washington D.C. Chapter Membership & Project Manager, may be over but below are some take away from the four panels featured throughout the month.

Women Crushing Washington: 60-Second Recap

Don’t Put Pressure On Yourself To Have All The Answers Right Out Of College

The first panel, Jump-Starting Your Career in Music, featured a lively talk with Tamar Dayanim, Digital Marketing and Strategy Manager, Spirit Music Group; Honor Williams, Contract and Procurement Analyst Events D.C.; Kennelia Stradwick, The Recording Academy’s People & Culture Generalist; and vocalist Halo Wheeler. The ladies opened up about their individual career journeys, each sharing their unique path to where they are now. Whether it’s being an artist or an executive, what these especially driven women share is the belief that you can never go wrong following your heart. That’s where you find your greatest reward. "Go where the energy is matched," said Williams succinctly. 

Stradwick pointed out that times have changed and "we’re moving out of that era where you get a job and work towards retirement, and that’s it" so it’s important to find the job or role that brings excitement.

"Find your passion and push towards that," she said. "We’re in an age where you can align the things you are really passionate about and care about with your work and career and your day to day..."

To get to that desired career, it is important to be open, Wheeler said. "Your first job doesn’t define you...the first couple of years out of college are about exploring different sectors of the industry and figuring out what you want to be doing," she explained. "So don’t put that pressure on yourself to know exactly what you want to be doing at this point in time because you have your whole career to figure that out."

Williams, whose first job out of college was real estate, agreed and added that everything will work out in the end.

"It truly doesn’t define what you want to do. You’re so young, graduating from college, and your passion may change but do it and enjoy it [at] this age," she said. "Everything will eventually figure itself out … be patient and don’t put pressure on yourself to have it all solved by age 22."

While everything will fall into place, Wheeler noted it is crucial to use your instincts to decide which opportunities to pursue. "From an artist standpoint, I would just definitely say to use your discernment when people are trying to book and hire you for gigs," she shared. "Going with your gut, knowing what feels good and what doesn’t feel good, and knowing when to say, 'No' has a lot to do with knowing your worth as an artist."

RELATED: 5 Career-Making Takeaways From The GRAMMY U Industry Insights: Navigating Entertainment Law Panel

One Of The Biggest Lessons Of The Pandemic: Learn To Make the Most of Challenging Circumstances

The next session, Live Programming: From the Pandemic & Beyond, was a fascinating exchange between Anshia Crooms, CEO, Founder & Chief Booking Agent, Briclyn Entertainment, and Kelly Flanigan, President DC/MD/VA U.S. Concerts at Live Nation. The discussion focused on the necessary changes to adapt to the pandemic amidst all the uncertainty, and the constant need to evaluate and re-evaluate at every step along the way.

"This has been a very tough period in terms of routing because no one knows when it’s going to end, so people have had two three or four or five different routings......it’s been a learning curve for the industry as a whole," Flanigan said.

Crooms said she began to treat her time like her clients were recording and began to make her own events in order to adapt to the new circumstance: "The way we made it through this pandemic was shifting our mindset and narrative and catering to the times to figure out the best way to get to our fans and the best way to bring them into our homes at the same time."

Using Social Media As A Place To Get Instant Feedback For Music

Spicing the week up with a little music, Engineering Techniques featured Grammy-winning audio engineer and music producer Ebonie Smith (Cardi B, Janelle Monáe), founder of Gender Amplified (a non-profit organization supporting girls and women in music production). It was a treat to watch Smith playing her music live and building a song up layer by layer. At the same time, she described her artistic process in real-time and outlined her editing process while discussing her favorite features of the programs she uses to make music. Throughout the pandemic, Smith has been enjoying performing on Instagram. "It has been cathartic and therapeutic on so many levels, and it’s great to get that instant feedback," she said. 

RELATED: GRAMMY U Industry Insights: Mary Jo Kaczka, Ina Jacobs & Ashley Lomax Share 7 Tips For Landing A Job In Touring

The Pandemic Has Been a Blessing and Curse

Lastly, Vocal Techniques & The Creative Process was an inspiring talk with Imani Grace, Washington National Cathedral Solo Jazz Vocalist, & R&B singer/songwriter/pianist Alex Vaughn, both of whom have taken a cup half full approach to the pandemic, finding inspiration wherever possible to get through it.

Vaughn and Grace were candid about their struggles while remaining grateful for being able to find solace in their music. "I can’t imagine how many viewers we’ve had, but every service has like 10,000 15,000 30,000 people across the globe watching live, so it’s been a huge blessing to reach all those people in a way that’s encouraging and uplifting," said Grace.

The jazz singer said the challenging part has been getting used to the new rhythm of things. "The top of the pandemic was rough because it went from working like at least on average three, four nights a week with some awesome opportunities coming up that just stopped,” she shared. “The amount of energy and effort we put in as artists on a day-to-day basis, just to prepare for the next day, the next month, the next year, and then what you were preparing for is not happening, so, what?"

What helped her adjust was finding a new approach to things:

"Once we started getting back into figuring out a way we could safely maneuver, that helped things, and the virtual world has been quite gracious for me and to me with people realizing how instrumental music is in their everyday lives, so it’s a blessing and a curse, for sure. The fact that we had to endure a plague for people to long for music is a little sad, but that’s kind of how human nature works, unfortunately."

Vaughn shared her struggle was due to the lack of inspiration. "I didn’t feel that inspired because of the climate of our country and so on," she said. At the same time, the pandemic has taught her to look elsewhere for the inspiration she had been missing: "It showed me different ways to kind of tap back into myself and different ways to appreciate what is around me and just to find new ways to get inspired."

Taking road trips helped her find new perspectives again, ultimately fueling her creativity. "I’ve been super productive. I’ve made so much more music. I really have to thank the pandemic for squeezing this all out of me," she said. "It’s been interesting. I’ve been appreciative of the process. I’m excited to see what other things I’ll create out of our situation."

Meet The Recording Academy D.C. Chapter's First Black Female President, Elise Perry

Donnie Simpson

Donnie Simpson

Photo: Aaron Davidson/Getty Images

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Radio And TV Legend Donnie Simpson On The Key To His Decades-Long Career: "I Don't Have To Be Great––I Just Have To Be Me"

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In honor of his recent induction into the Radio Hall Of Fame, GRAMMY.com highlights the broadcasting icon's celebrated career, his impact on media and culture, and his ongoing advocacy for Black representation in radio and TV
Eliza Berkon
GRAMMYs
Jan 6, 2021 - 3:43 pm

About five years ago, Washington, D.C., DJ Donnie Simpson emerged from retirement after a little coaxing from his wife, Pam.

"She framed it really [nicely]. She said, 'Donnie, everywhere you go, all you hear is how much people love you and they wish you'd do something else. And God has given you a gift that you should be sharing with people,'" Simpson tells GRAMMY.com over a Zoom interview. "That's what she said, but what I heard was, 'Get out.'"

The affable radio and television icon ultimately returned to the airwaves in 2015. Five years later, he received one of the highest accolades in the radio industry: Last October, he was inducted into the Radio Hall Of Fame, an honor recognizing his contributions to the radio medium over the last half-century. 

The honor is the culmination of the legend's celebrated, decades-long career in radio, which launched in the '70s when a teenaged Simpson got his start on the Detroit airwaves. At the time, he looked to a handful of local DJs as mentors, including the high-spirited Ernie Durham. 

"I did not adopt his on-air style, but I try very much to adopt his off-air style. He always carried it with class," Simpson said of Durham. "And that was the example to me: to always be kind to people, to look people in the eye, no matter who they were."

It wasn't until Simpson left Detroit, in 1977, and logged his first few years at WKYS 93.9 in D.C.––a station he would reformat and lead to No. 1 as program director––that he found his stride on air, he says. 

"It's something I always say, and it's so true: I don't have to be great––I just have to be me," Simpson says. "Being you always works because that's the spirit that connects us. That's the thing that makes you real to people; they feel you when you are you. When you're trying to be something else, they know that, too."

Simpson says he's long avoided listening to recordings of himself for fear that the inevitable analysis would disrupt the "magic" of what he'd helped create. That approach also extended to his TV career, which started—not counting a role he now laughs about on a short-lived dance show in Detroit—when he served as backup sports anchor for WRC-TV in the early '80s. Not long after, he began hosting a relatively new show on the then-burgeoning BET network. Simpson had concerns about whether the show was the right fit for him.

"BET, in its infancy, wasn't a very pretty baby. The quality wasn't there. I've always been protective of image, because that's all I have," Simpson says. "But after thinking about it for two days, I decided this: This is our first Black television network. If you have something to offer it, you have to do it."

The two-hour show, "Video Soul," which spotlighted Black artists at a time when MTV was almost exclusively focused on white musicians, became BET's highest-rated program at one point.

Jeriel Johnson, executive director of the Recording Academy's Washington, D.C., chapter, remembers watching "Video Soul" as a teen in his Cincinnati home. Simpson, he says, was a "steady presence of Black excellence."

"He was the face of BET," Johnson says. "He was just a staple, and he had such a calming voice and he was super smooth. I just looked up to him as a young, Black kid who loved music ... And I remember seeing him and being like, 'Wow, I could be on TV, too. If he can, I can.'"

On the program, Simpson interviewed artists who were already riding the waves of success or were well on their way: Jodeci, SWV, New Edition, En Vogue, Mariah Carey, Take 6, Whitney Houston. Regardless of the star who graced the couch each night, Simpson took the same approach.

"For every guest I ever had on 'Video Soul,' they would bring me a bio with all this information on the artist … I wouldn't even read it," Simpson remembers. "That's the point of the interview, for me to get to know you."

Elise Perry, a producer and the president of the Recording Academy's Washington, D.C., chapter, worked behind the scenes on "Video Soul" in the '90s, a pivotal decade for both R&B and hip-hop, she notes.

"All of these different subgenres of R&B really started to have an uptick in the '90s, and the fact that BET was present visually at that time, representing Black music in that way—it was a very special time," Perry says. "There were a lot of Black folk there, and it was just like a party. It was where I got my 'master's degree,' I call it. Everybody was family … It was just like a mecca."

Read: Meet The Recording Academy D.C. Chapter's First Black Female President, Elise Perry

Simpson treated the crew like family and has continued to provide unparalleled support for the D.C. community over the years, Perry, a D.C. native, says.

"He's our family. He's our brother. He's our uncle. He's that dude next door. He's our neighbor. He's our friend," she says.

"Family" is also how GRAMMY-nominated producer Chucky Thompson describes Simpson, who had a big impact on him when he was growing up in D.C.

"I've learned so much about people from him, just the way that he's been excited about their careers," he says of Simpson. "It transcends to you. It's like, 'Wait a minute, Donnie's excited? Now I'm excited.'"

For Thompson, who helped craft hits for Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige in the '90s, "Video Soul" was formative.

"It was almost like another version of what 'Soul Train' meant," Thompson says. "But [Simpson] got even more personal with you because he was able to talk to the artists and give you a little bit of insight on what their journeys were … He gave me a lot of information on how to make it in this business."

"Donnie Simpson is the standard," Joe Clair, comedian, radio personality, on-air veteran and host of "The Joe Clair Morning Show" on WPGC 95.5 FM in Washington, D.C., adds. "My mom and dad loved him, my siblings love him and people from a generation after me love him. That is a testament to who he is as a broadcaster and what he means to us as a voice for our community. I've worked with him throughout  the years, and he's given me valuable advice both for career moves and for negotiating my worth. He is a shining example for a life in radio and television on your own terms."

Yet becoming successful in the business, including achieving financial success, wasn't an easy journey for Simpson. The DJ has been vocal about the need for equitable pay for Black DJs. In recalling his own path to multimillion-dollar contracts, Simpson turns to a lyric from Elton John's "I've Seen That Movie Too": "It's a habit I have / I don't get pushed around."

"I've walked out [on deals], because you're not going to get me for half [the] price because I'm Black; those days are over," Simpson says, adding that in Detroit, he made one-fifth of what white DJs were making. "That was a very significant part of my career, to be able to be a part of changing that narrative, to letting them know you have to pay Black talent."

Simpson has also advocated for stations to put more of the DJ back into DJing. In the past few decades, he notes, many DJs have watched their curated playlists and airtime drift away due to technological advances and the consolidation of station ownership.

"So much of its personality has been stripped from it," Simpson says of the art of DJing. "I play whatever I want to play every day, but that's the magic of it to me … I don't want a computer programming music for me, because every day feels different. And I like to be tapped into that feeling."

In 1974, Simpson played Elton John's "Bennie And The Jets" on his show in Detroit, a decision he says he fretted about because "Black folks didn't know Elton John." He played the song twice that evening and got an overwhelming response from callers. John himself was soon on the phone with Simpson to discuss the record's success in Detroit; he handed Simpson a gold record for the single six months later.

"It's music that you wouldn't traditionally associate with Black radio; it's Elton. But that was a lesson to me," Simpson says. "It's all music to me; I don't care who made it. I just care what it sounds like [and] if it fits what I'm doing."

The fact that most DJs no longer have the latitude to craft their own playlists is a big loss for radio, Simpson says.

"You have young people out here with great ears that will never get the chance to express themselves musically because it's all programmed for them," he says. "I used to love it when wheels would touch down in Atlanta or New Orleans [or] L.A.—wherever it was. I couldn't wait to pull out my little transistor radio and hear what they were doing in that city, because it was always different."

After Simpson learned he'd be inducted into the Radio Hall Of Fame this year, he took a look at its roster of honorees over the past three decades. When he didn't see New York DJ and “Chief Rocker" Frankie Crocker and other Black radio icons on the list, the announcement gave him pause.

"These are voices that you should know about, some great talents through the years ... legends that have gone largely ignored," he says. "But I also, in my acceptance speech, acknowledged that the [Radio Hall Of Fame] is trying to correct that. You look at the list of inductees this year, with Angie Martinez, The Breakfast Club, Sway Calloway and me––man, it's like #OscarsTooBlack. It's a lot of people of color that went in this year. So they have recognized that, and I applaud them for that."

At a time when systemic racism and police brutality against Black people have come to the forefront of the national dialogue, Simpson says he feels compelled to speak out.

"If I were not on the radio, if I didn't have a microphone, I think I would still feel that responsibility to whatever people I encounter that I could talk to, to tell them how important this moment in history is for us," Simpson says. "I am so honored that I have had a platform for, now, 51 years to allow these voices to come on the radio or on TV and talk about these matters that make a difference to our community."

In 2010, Simpson retired from WPGC, where he'd hosted a morning show for nearly two decades, after contending with a "toxic" environment. But five years later, he was back at the other end of the dial on D.C.'s WMMJ Majic 102.3. Now, another retirement seems like the furthest thing from his mind.

"What's there not to love about it? I sit there kicking it with people I love. We have all the fun we can stand," Simpson says.

As praise continues to roll in from industry A-listers for his Radio Hall Of Fame induction, Simpson has advice for the many artists and listeners who now look to him for guidance as he once looked to his own mentors: "Be kind."

Each morning, Simpson takes a walk or run beside the Potomac River. While he says there's a health benefit to the ritual, he's got an additional reason to step out of his door.

"What I'm really doing is collecting smiles," Simpson says. "That's kind of my purpose: to bring warmth and joy."

Tune in for a special Up Close & Personal conversation discussing Donnie Simpson's career and life in broadcasting. Moderated by Jimmy Jam, the event premieres Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 4:30 p.m. PST/7:30 p.m. EST via the Recording Academy's official Facebook page.

Beyond The Beltway: A Closer Look At Washington D.C.'s Vibrant Music Community

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Kelley Purcell

Photo: Ashley Stewart of ANS Photography

 
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VP Of Member & Industry Relations Kelley Purcell On How Recording Academy Members Can Make A Difference

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Purcell talks to GRAMMY.com about her new role and why it's so important for Recording Academy members to vote in the upcoming Awards cycle
GRAMMYs
Nov 5, 2020 - 7:00 am

The Recording Academy has announced the appointment of Kelley Purcell as Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations. The appointment follows the Recording Academy's restructure, which aims to streamline the organization and sharpen focus on its service to music. Reporting to Chief Industry Officer Ruby Marchand, Purcell will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of membership outreach, peer review, member account services, and the Academy's Chapter systems, including regional and local teams, Chapter events and programming, and all facets of Chapter service. 

"We are pleased to have Kelley as our Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations," said Marchand. "Her expertise and history of being a driving force within the Membership & Industry Relations department make her a great asset to this organization. This is yet another step towards the Academy's transformational commitment as we strive for greater inclusivity and work to ensure our membership reflects the diverse individuals who make up our music community."

Purcell joined the Recording Academy as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chapter in 2013. She later transitioned to Senior Director of Member Outreach, leading industry outreach efforts across the Membership & Industry Relations department. During her tenure, she project managed a cross-department team of IT, Digital Media and Communications colleagues over a two-year period and successfully implemented historic changes to the Academy's membership systems. She also led the recruitment efforts to diversify Academy membership and was the liaison to the Academy's first-ever Peer Review Panel, responsible for training this body and serving as its point person.

Below, Purcell talks to GRAMMY.com about her new role and why it's so important for Recording Academy members to vote in the upcoming Awards cycle.

Can you tell us a little about your professional background and what led to your new role at the Recording Academy?

I have loved music since a young age but I think the power of music, and the arts in general, was cemented for me in college. I was an Economics major, but throughout my college career I was also very involved in lots of arts-focused extracurricular activities that gave me purpose and helped me develop a stronger sense of self. During that time I realized that if my career was going to mean something to me, it had to center around the arts in some way, and I committed to using all of my business skills to further something that had real meaning to me.

After building my career in arts administration in various positions, I was thrilled to join the Recording Academy as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chapter where I could focus my professional energies in support of music makers, specifically. Since joining the Academy I have held several roles within the Membership & Industry Relations team and am honored to now become the Vice President, where I can apply everything I’ve learned thus far for the greater good of the department as a whole.
 
What specifically do you hope to bring to your new role in Membership?

I want to ensure that every member of the Recording Academy understands that their membership can make a difference. Whether that’s participating in the GRAMMY Awards process, advocating for the rights of the music community in Washington D.C., or raising money for MusiCares or standing up for music education, this membership body plays a huge role in shaping the music industry that we want to see. Every member's voice counts and we are stronger together.    
 
Why is it so important for current Recording Academy members to vote in the upcoming Awards cycle?

The GRAMMY award represents what professional music creators decide are the best musical works of the year. Because it’s the only award that is peer-to-peer, it is ideal when all peers are reflected in the process.
 
What can you tell us about the benefits of membership at the Recording Academy?

Membership is the lifeblood of the Recording Academy and the foundation of all that we do. Recording Academy members have the opportunity to play a part in creating a better world for music and its makers. In addition to advocating for the rights of music makers, supporting the next generation of the music industry and helping fellow music people in times of need, members can submit projects for GRAMMY Awards consideration, propose amendments to GRAMMY Awards rules, run for a Recording Academy Board, participate in member-only programs and more. The Recording Academy is a very special community of people who are united by how much they care about the music industry and want it to thrive.
 
What can you tell us about how all 12 Chapters engage RA members on a year-round basis?

Each of the 12 Chapters are a great resource for members to learn more about the best ways in which to get involved in all the Recording Academy does. Board members are elected at the local level to represent their communities and provide connective tissue between each member and the organization as a whole. In addition to producing local events and programs, Chapters help members become aware of all Academy initiatives and how each person can be of service to the greater mission.
 
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

To learn more about how to join the Recording Academy, please visit grammy.com/join!

Recording Academy Invites & Celebrates Its 2020 New Member Class

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Elise Perry 

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Meet The Recording Academy D.C. Chapter's First Black Female President, Elise Perry

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Learn more about the Washington D.C. producer and engineer as well as her vision for the chapter serving the nation's capital, Maryland and Virginia
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 18, 2020 - 4:55 pm

Elise Perry, the newly elected president of the Recording Academy's Washington D.C. Chapter, won't just be empowering and supporting artists, producers and other music professionals in the nation's capital, Maryland and Virginia—she'll be showing young Black women they can break boundaries as the chapter's first Black woman to hold the role. "If a young Black woman or any person even is motivated by me just doing what I do, I will have accomplished a lot," Perry says. 

The producer and engineer, who also creates programming on platforms like YouTube and Facebook Live and has been a broadcast specialist for NBC, BET, National Geographic, PBS, and more, says the fact that she is the first is "daunting but I’m ready to do my best and make people, especially Black people proud." 

Passionate about her hometown's music community and culture, she's ready to continue supporting and celebrating the music creators in the city that has shaped her in and out of her professional career after years of being active in the D.C. Chapter. Highlighting her community is a mission that she has felt strongly about since she was young. "I always felt D.C. deserved the focus and the shine," she says. 

The Recording Academy interviewed Perry about her journey to her new role, what she hopes to accomplish as new D.C. chapter president, the work she's been doing in the chapter to highlight women, the projects she's working on as a music and TV/Film creator, her state of mind during the pandemic as well as our current racial climate, and much more. 

Tell us about your road to the Recording Academy. Where did you grow up and what inspired you to work in the music industry?

A young producer heard I wrote some good music and suggested I join the "D.C. GRAMMY Chapter." Like many, I thought, at the time, I wasn’t accomplished enough to consider that. After some time, I was approached again. I received a proper nudge, which I needed, but at least now I quietly felt like "If I’m in the Recording Academy I could be a part of the changes I wanted to see." Eventually, there was a lot of [time in] committee membership, Board of Governors service, and [there were] years of co-chairing different committees. After a few tries at Vice Presidency, I have landed here as the President. It’s a tad surreal. 

I grew up in Washington D.C. I’m the third child of two musician parents. They were both educators and singers in public chorales and church choirs. On any given day in my home, especially a Saturday, I heard everything from orchestral and choral classics to The Modern Jazz Quartet and Ramsey Lewis, Roberta Flack to The Delfonics, Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic, etc... it was vast over the years. Those were my early musical influences before I played an actual instrument at 7 years old. 

I wanted to play music until I found out I wanted to write music. My instrument of choice leading to college however, wasn’t what I wanted to build my career on. I became a Mass Media Major, did well and set out to be in broadcast media. I played the bassoon in concert band and marched with tenor sax and planned to be done with playing after college at Hampton University. But a last-minute audio recording elective and meeting a guy with a sequencer after I got back home changed things. I then wanted to write music and run a record label in D.C. I always felt D.C. deserved the focus and the shine. So, one down with one to go.

What does it mean to you to be the first Black female president of the D.C. Chapter? What do you hope to accomplish in your role at the Recording Academy? 

It was really something I never thought about until it was brought to my attention… pretty much after I won. It’s truly an honor. I’m humbled. I have often been the only [Black woman]… but never the first. It’s daunting but I’m ready to do my best and make people, especially Black people proud and then, perhaps, excited to be in this Chapter. I do understand I'm an image that needs to be seen. We have a lot to be proud of. If a young Black woman or any person even is motivated by me just doing what I do, I will have accomplished a lot. It’s scary but as the saying goes, "To whom much is given, much is required." So here I go.

What do I hope to accomplish? Well, from us as a chapter, expect more! Expect more engagement between members and the musical community in general. Expect that every area that the Academy celebrates will be unearthed and uplifted with fresh dynamic programming virtual or otherwise hopefully. Beyond that, we will continue our active consistent federal and local advocacy and support of music creators' rights and strengthening of music education.

Rare Essence brings go-go music to NPR 

What is one thing about the D.C. or the DMV music community you love?

I love my city. It’s a creative diversity haven. My home was filled with all genres of music. I went to D.C. public schools when music programs were still rich. Even the (D.C. Metropolitan) Police Band played assemblies and they were hot! They still are! I learned music history and played clarinet and bassoon in the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program from 6-12th grade. With them, I traveled abroad. I, as well as many other kids who played in marching and concert bands in high school, competed at a high level for scholarships. Every neighborhood in D.C. cranked go-go or had a go-go band. When I decided to become a writer/producer/composer, I folded all of these flavors and more into whatever I did while having similar experiences with my peers that had similar as well as different musical backgrounds, be it church, youth chorales, dance crews, rap groups, performance groups, neighborhood go-go bands, sidewalk, singers, drummers, and brass ensembles. EVERYONE had unparalleled talent. That’s not even mentioning those that have settled in D.C. from other parts of the country or the world. All of this talent is active in one city. Every nook and cranny has a soundtrack! There is brilliant musicianship in D.C. on the corner and in the concert hall.

We are living unprecedented times as a pandemic and protests around justice and racism have simultaneously taken place. What is the role of the music industry now? What does support look like to you?

Music is a healing balm. When there is no hand to hold, there is the warmth of the word and the comfort of the chords. When the truth of our hearts is revealed in song, that’s the kind of love that we hope touches someone where they need the connection. 

The music business must shift and pivot to serving the creators so they may continue to create and be paid. We need spaces and perhaps now a new business model that considers all involved. I don’t have all of the answers to business but you go down the right path when you consider the needs of those that consume your products…our art. People want to pray, cry, dance, shout, scream, preach through music, it’s their truth. The industry has to see itself as a service provider like essential personnel and work it out. It’s happening. We are all shifting.

Have you seen the landscape around women working in music production change? If so, how? What work is left to be done?

It’s changing. What's interesting to me is that women have always been actively working in music production. What I always noticed is that some women that are in production are just doing what they do. When we are done, they go on about their lives. We take the good with the bad and make it happen because this is who we are. …And we are exceptional because you can’t be one stitch less. It's not necessarily celebrated and many don't need the celebration. But there came a time where respect needed to be more outwardly present. Respect was needed for talent and skills, credits and fair compensation. That's what’s needed always. We should be seen, heard and properly acknowledged in those spaces. Women have a special approach to creativity. We just have to do our thing and turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to anything that stops the forward motion. We have poignant stories and soundtracks to create. Our chapter has put the spotlight on women creators for a long while, especially producers and engineers. We continue to do that. Before the pandemic, we were in the midst of a series spotlighting women creators. Women Crushing Washington (WCW) We were to showcase women in the forefront of the Music industry every Wednesday in March, Womens History Month. We had to shut it down after week two. 

How have you been dealing with everything going on? How are you taking care of your mental health?

I’m fine. I’m quiet. I’m more intentional. I have faith. I'm eating clean. I keep my body moving and strong. I talk to my family and friends. I garden. I cook, I listen to music. I study new technology. Monitoring my mental health is important in times like these. I have a lot of hope but there are days where creating or just doing anything is the last thing on my mind. Those are days to just listen to other people's music or just chill all the way out and let nature be your music. Self care works.

When the pandemic began, I worked on a meditation project. I'm so glad I was part of it because the way I prepared to compose the pieces was downright spiritual. I made space to create something pure. It gave me an emotional blueprint for staying peaceful during this pandemic and then the civil unrest that followed. There is a lot that one can/could have gathered from the pause that the pandemic has given us. I have more focus. Moreover, I hope that the cries of Black Lives Matter and the exhaustion and anger and demands for justice don’t time out or fall on deaf ears.

What are some current projects you're working on?

I have two careers. I am obviously a music producer/engineer. I also am a TV/Film Director/ Content Creator. I am producing music projects for a few artists. I hope to release an Elise Perry project later this year. I am directing a few web-based performance shows currently. I’m developing music-based visual content for various platforms while developing my own. Wish me luck and good fortune!

J. Ivy Talks Making Music For Social Change, Leading With Love & The Importance Of Supporting Black Artists

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Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: East Region

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The Recording Academy's Illinois, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. chapters are committed to sharing resources for music creators and professionals affected by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic
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Mar 19, 2020 - 2:25 pm

In the current coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, music creators and many of the professionals who support them have been greatly affected. The Recording Academy’s Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. chapters are committed to creating, amplifying, and sharing resources that will provide some form of comfort.

While The Academy’s MusiCares has set up a COVID-19 Relief Fund available as a safety net for music creators in need, below you will find resources available to those in the music community who live within states that make up the Academy’s East Region. Please visit regularly for updates.

INDIANA

Arts Council of Indianapolis COVID-19 Impact Survey for Individual Artists
The Arts Council is collecting data about the known and anticipated impacts of COVID-19 on arts organizations and individual artists. The data provided will be used to help inform future emergency relief efforts including funding, services, and support.

Indy Service Worker VENMO Listing
Donate directly to Indianapolis area servers, bartenders, bar backs, front of house restaurant workers, cooks, dishwashers, delivery personnel, and security guards who have been impacted by COVID-19 related closures of music venues, bars and restaurants. 

ILLINOIS

Arts for Illinois Relief Fund
The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund provides financial relief to workers and organizations in the creative industries impacted by COVID-19. This includes all artists and artisans, including stage and production members and part-time cultural workers, and large to small arts organizations in all disciplines. Donations to the fund will go directly to artists and arts organizations throughout Illinois. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Individuals are encouraged to apply for one-time grants of $1,500, which are awarded expediently and based on a lottery system. Arts organizations grants are likewise based on a combination of need and lost revenue from the crisis.

Chicago Service Relief
A directory of fundraisers for Chicago bars, venues and restaurants that can use our help to support their staff during the state-mandated shutdown.

Chicago Artists Relief Fund
This fund was created by Chicago-area artists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their aim is to support persons in the greater Chicago arts community who are experiencing financial repercussions due to pandemic-related cancellations. Priority will be given to BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] artists, transgender & non-binary and queer artists, and disabled artists. However, the fund aims to help as many Chicago-area artists in need as possible.

Pay the Musicians
Chicago Blues Revival has created this website that houses links to live performances by some of Chicago’s great blues musicians. The goal is that fans listen and enjoy, then, take the money that they would spend on going out to see that concert, and give it directly to the musicians. Paypal IDs for the lead musicians and supporting musicians are listed.

3Arts Emergency Resources
Digital index of COVID-19 relief resources for Chicago area artists

COVID-19 Resources for Theatre Artists in Chicago
The Chicago Artist Guide has created a list of funds, online mental/health and wellness outlets, volunteer opportunities and locations offering free food available to those negatively impacted by COVID-19.

The Dancers’ Fund
Chicago Dancers United’s dancers’ fund provides short-term financial assistance to Chicago dance professionals in times of critical health need.

League of Chicago Theatres – Chicago Theatre Workers Relief Fund
The League of Chicago Theatres has developed a Chicago Theatre Workers Relief Fund. This Fund is available to Chicago area theatre professionals who have had to stop work and are not getting paid---including those who were on contract, part-time employees and those working on a stipend that was not paid--- due to COVID-19. Grants of up to $500 are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund
Led by NJ’s First Lady Tammy Murphy, the state has established the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund to collect donations and distribute funds. One hundred percent of donations received online by NJPRF will be used to fight the medical, social, and economic impact of COVID-19 on New Jersey’s most vulnerable, supporting organizations that provide essential services and aiding those on the front line of the pandemic. Popular New Jerseyans Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny DeVito, Carli Lloyd, and Charlie Puth are actively endorsing the fund and soliciting donations.

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Artist Relief Fund
In partnership with the Boston Center for the Arts, the City of Boston has established an artist relief fund that will award grants of $500 and $1,000 to individual artists living in Boston whose “creative practices and incomes” are being negatively affected by the pandemic. Priority will be given to lower-income artists as well as those who have not received funds from city-led grants during the current fiscal year.

Boston Music Maker Relief Fund
The Record Co. has established a fund to provide financial relief to music makers living in Boston who have lost revenue due to gig cancellations over the coronavirus. Grants of up to $200 will be made available to applicants who meet the criteria.

Boston Singers’ Resource COVID-19 Emergency Relief
The career services nonprofit is offering one-time grants of up to $500 for New England-based classical singers who have lost income due to coronavirus-related cancellations. The deadline for the first round of grants is April 1.

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MINNESOTA

Twin Cities Music Community Trust Entertainment Industry Relief Fund
The widespread cancellation of group events has a disproportionate impact on the music and event industry workforce and local musicians—individuals who rely on gigs to pay their bills. All funds donated will directly impact someone who has lost a gig due to COVID-19 and its effect on the industry. This includes night staff, door staff, bartenders, security, stage crews, tour managers, merchandise sellers, photographers, local musicians and more.

Springboard for the Arts Personal Emergency Relief Fund
Nonprofit Springboard for the Arts has committed an additional $10,000 to its emergency fund and expanded guidelines to include lost income due to coronavirus-related gig cancellations. Artists based in Minnesota can request up to $500 to compensate for canceled work that was scheduled and lost.

MICHIGAN

The Detroit I Love Artist Fund
The Detroit I Love was created as a platform to promote the music and arts community in Detroit. In an effort to offer financial assistance to the local DJs and musicians, this fund will pay out $100 per artist on a first come basis.

City of Detroit Resources for Artists
The Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship has compiled a list of resources for artists and entertainers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Michigan Music Relief Fund
Established by the Michigan Music Alliance, this fund will plan to disperse funds raised to members of the Michigan music community.

NEW YORK

Musicians’ Assistance Program (MAP)
The Musicians’ Assistance Program (MAP) provides support so that Local 802 members can perform with the highest artistry and productivity while minimizing any interruption to their work. This service is provided by Local 802 for its members and their families and is administered and professionally staffed by The Actors Fund. All of MAP’s services are strictly confidential and are free of charge.

Local 802 Musicians’ Emergency Relief Fund
ERF is a non-profit charitable organization that provides financial assistance and support services to musicians in need and is run through the Local 802 Musicians Assistance Program administered by the Actor’s Fund. ERF assistance is provided in the form of a direct grant to the musician’s service provider. For example, the funds are sent directly to physicians, landlords, and counselors.

Max’s Kansas City Project
Max’s Kansas City Project provides emergency funding and resources to professionals in the creative arts. Individuals who have made their living through their art form either professionally or personally and demonstrate a financial need for medical aid, legal aid or housing can apply for assistance.

Musicians’ Foundation Aid
Musicians Foundation is formed to foster the interests and advance the condition and social welfare of professional musicians and to provide voluntary aid and assistance to professional musicians and their families in case of need.

NYC Covid-19 Musician Resources and Support
This Facebook community group is a hub for sharing ideas, financial tips and resources for New York City area music creators

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants Program
New York Foundation for The Arts has partnered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to administer a new emergency grant program that will provide one-time grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies. The grants are available to visual and media artists and choreographers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.

Dramatist Guild Foundation
It is vital to support writers in times of need so that they can get back to doing what they do best. DGF provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and book writers in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.

Lost My Gig NYC
This site keeps a running list of NYC freelancers working in the events industry who are in need of financial assistance due to the crisis, allowing people to donate directly to those individuals through their Venmo, CashApp and Paypal accounts. Apply to have your name added.

NYC Low-Income Artist/Freelancer Relief Fund
as of March 18, this fund has raised more than $36,000 for NYC-based low-income, BIPOC, Trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary and queer artists and freelancers whose livelihoods are being effected by the pandemic. Update: In order to meet demand, the fund has temporarily paused applications for funding. Those who have already applied will be informed about fund distribution by March 20.

New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
The MOME website offers information and services including a survey for nightlife workers, freelancers and businesses impacted by COVID-19; and a link to Small Business Services, which is offering assistance and guidance for local businesses.

OHIO

Columbus Artists Relief Fund
The Columbus Artists Relief Fund is raising money to help offset the financial impact felt by Columbus artists through lost work. This is open to individual artists in central Ohio. Priority will be given to artists who are black, indigenous or people of color, transgender or non-binary or disabled, but the goal is to try to help as many artists with need in the greater Columbus-area as possible.

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PENNSYLVANIA

City of Philadelphia Mental & Physical Health Updates
Text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive updates to your phone. Call our helpline 24/7 to speak with a health care professional: 1-800-722-7112.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Map of all locations offering food resources to adult aged persons in the city of Philadelphia

Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund
If you are a musician who has lost income due to a canceled gig as a result of the Coronavirus / Covid-19 outbreak, you are eligible for funds. Disbursements will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

PENNSYLVANIA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) is a statewide nonprofit organization of over 4,500 members, dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. To support local music educators who might be in need, the association is extending resources.

#HomeMadeMusic Online Concert Program
The Morning Call’s GO Guide is introducing a new Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania music spotlight. As Coronavirus control measures have forced entertainment venues to cancel countless regional shows, musicians and audience members have been unfortunately cut off from each other. This program is hoping to change that. If you’re a Lehigh Valley musicians/singer-songwriters, play and record a song to post on Twitter with the tags #HomeMadeMusic and @GOGuideLV.

Philadelphia Performing Artists' Emergency Fund Application
The Philadelphia Performing Artists' Emergency Fund was created amid the COVID-19 outbreak to assist performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, and/or low turnout during this pandemic. We are coming together as a community to lift each other up, and ensure we all make it through this together. Emergency Funds can be requested by any Cabaret, Drag, Burlesque, Theater, or performance artists facing a financial hardship caused by COVID-19.

30Amp Circuit COVID-19 Relief Fund
This fund will help local Philadelphia artists and musicians with $1000 cost of living grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
If you are out of work without pay, you are eligible to receive food sourced from the state and federal government from a food bank or food pantry in Pennsylvania. This includes service workers who are unable to get shifts or hourly wage employees of non-essential businesses that have voluntarily closed due to COVID-19 mitigation.

PGH Artists Emergency Fund
This fundraiser is hosted by a group of artists and community organizers based in Pittsburgh responding to the urgent need of our friends and community who have been put in compromised positions due to the cancellation of entire tours, all of their gigs, and jobs in the nightlife and events industry. The fund provides payments of up to $250 per artist, to help abet the costs due to canceled gigs and jobs. This can go towards helping people pay their rent, pay their bills, purchase food and other essentials.

PHL COVID-19 FUND
The PHL COVID-19 Fund will provide grants to Greater Philadelphia organizations with a successful track record of serving at-risk populations such as the seniors, people with disabilities, and those who are experiencing homeless or are economically disadvantaged, in order to continue community safety nets such as food pantries and health services, and help with preparedness and protection such as hygiene supplies, access to accurate current information, and available services.

Pittsburgh Arts Council Emergency Fund for Artists
The Emergency Fund for Artists will now provide up to $500 in assistance to artists in the Greater Pittsburgh area experiencing loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Emergency Fund also remains available for other unforeseen emergencies that may impact your ability to work, such as flood, theft, or fire.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Washington, D.C.’s DC Act 23-247
Recently passed by the D.C. council, this legislation provides that nonprofits and self-employed individuals not eligible for unemployment compensation could apply to the Mayor for a grant if they suffer “financial distress caused by a reduction in business revenue due to the circumstances giving rise to or resulting from the public health emergency.” Grant money could be used to continue employee wages and benefits, pay operating costs (including taxes and debt service) or repay loans obtained through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals could use the grants to continue to pay themselves for revenue lost as a result of theatre shutdowns due to the coronavirus."

United Way of the National Capital Area
If you or someone you know needs emergency assistance, contact 2-1-1. 2-1-1 is a non-emergency telephone number. This free service helps individuals and families access emergency services in their local community. Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Jose Andres Community Kitchens
In response to the increased risk of the COVID-19 coronavirus and to help encourage social distancing to stop its spread, all Jose Andres owned restaurants in the Washington, D.C., and New York City areas are temporarily closed. However, the company has repurposed most of them as “community kitchens” with affordable plates of the day available for takeout purchase.

Free Meals for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia Kids
Several meal sites have been announced in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, where students who rely on school lunches can receive food while schools are closed during the coronavirus crisis.

Maryland Extension of Business Tax Filing Deadlines
The Comptroller of Maryland has extended business tax filing deadlines to June 1 for some businesses with March, April and May due dates.

Mutual Aid Project
The D.C.-based arts platform and network is assisting black and non-white Trans and gender-expansive artists by offering a “voluntary exchange of services and resources.” With musicians and other artists continuing to lose gigs during the pandemic, the organization is building an artist directory to showcase the work of those affected. Once the directory is complete, the organization will extend a "call to action" to the larger community for support.

GENERAL RESOURCES:

Crew Nation
Live Nation has committed $10 million to Crew Nation – contributing an initial $5 million to the fund, then matching the next $5 million given by artists, fans and employees dollar for dollar. Crew Nation is powered by Music Forward Foundation, a charitable 501c3 organization that will be administering the fund.

NEW MUSIC SOLIDARITY FUND
The New Music Solidarity Fund is designed to help new/creative/improvised music freelancers whose livelihood has been threatened as a result of performances which have been canceled during the COVID-19 crisis.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Disaster Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration notes small business owners in the following designated states are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.

Creative Capital’s List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Creative Capital has created a list of resources for artists working in all disciplines, as well as arts philanthropists, and arts professionals.

Foundation for the Contemporary Arts Emergency Fund
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts has created a temporary fund to meet the needs of artists who have been impacted by the economic fallout from postponed or canceled performances and exhibitions. For as long as the foundation’s Board of Directors determines it is necessary and prudent to do so, the Foundation will disburse $1,000 grants to artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed because of the COVID-19 virus.

Jazz Foundation of America
The Jazz Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund provides housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief and direct financial support in times of crisis.

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants Program
New York Foundation for The Arts has partnered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to administer a new emergency grant program that will provide one-time grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies. The grants are available to visual and media artists and choreographers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation COVID-19 DISASTER FUND
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation and the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund (MPPWF) have created the COVID-19 Disaster Fund that is now available to eligible SAG-AFTRA members who have been impacted by this pandemic.

Sound Girls
Sound Girls, an organization that supports women working in professional audio and music production, is compiling a list of resources to utilize during this forced downtime and unemployment. From best business practices, career development, continuing education, and side hustles to get you through this trying time.

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.

Resources for Writers in the Time of Coronavirus
As writers, teachers, publishers, and booksellers in local, national, and international communities “grapple with how to proceed in their creative, financial, professional, and personal lives during this time of uncertainty,” POETS & WRITERS has compiled a list of resources.

Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund
Started by Luther Hughes, founder of Shade Literary Arts, this relief fund seeks to “help at least 100 queer writers of color who have been financially impacted by the current COVID-19. Priority will be given to queer Trans women, and queer disabled writers of color. The minimum disbursement is $100, and the maximum is $500.

The New Music Solidarity Fund 
This fund is an artist-led initiative that aims to grant emergency funding to musicians impacted by COVID-19. The Fund has raised over $130,000, primarily from fellow musicians, composers, and music professionals. At least two hundred and sixty, $500 emergency assistance grants will be made available to applicants who meet the criteria.

American Guild of Musical Artists Relief Fund
Any AGMA member in good standing is invited to apply for financial assistance under the AGMA Relief Fund, which has temporarily doubled the amount of assistance available to those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

AudioAssemble.com Online Resources For Musicians The website has compiled a list of online remote opportunities that are available for U.S.-based musicians during the COVID-19 outbreak. Their financial resources page has short-term and long-term job opportunities, as well as governmental resources to help musicians generate revenue. 

Coronavirus: Resources for Property Owners
National Association of Realtors has compiled an online hub of resources for property owners impacted by the global pandemic

The Creator Fund
The fund covers up to $500 per creator to help cover medical, childcare, housing or grocery needs.

Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Mortgage Help for Homeowners Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) and the Federal Home Loan Banks are taking steps to help people who have been impacted by the coronavirus.   If your ability to pay your mortgage is impacted, and your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to delay making your monthly mortgage payments for a temporary period

Feeding America
The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States and leads the nation to engage in the fight against hunger.

HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust)
The Blues foundation’s fund helps underinsured or uninsured blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a range of health concerns.

THE INNER LIGHT CHALLENGE
The Material World Foundation, created by George Harrison in 1973, is today donating $500,000 to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, Save the Children, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) charities, which are providing much-needed aid and care during this COVID-19 pandemic. For every person that shares their own “Inner Light” moment on social media using the hashtag #innerlight2020, the MWF will give another $1 to help those affected by COVID-19 (up to $100k.)

Harpo Foundation Visual Arts Grant
This grant provides direct support to under-recognized artists 21 years or older. Amount awarded can be up to $10,000. Application deadline is May 1, 2020

MORE RESOURCES:

Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: West Region
Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: South Region
Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund