| Unions | |
| A working singer might belong to each of these unions. All are affiliated with the AFL-CIO and each has jurisdiction in specific realms of the entertainment industry. | |
| Represents
its 80,000 members in four major areas: 1) News and Broadcasting; 2) Entertainment Programming; 3) The Recording Business; and, 4) Commercials & Non-Broadcast, Industrial, Educational media. Members are seen or heard on television, radio and sound recordings and include actors, announcers, news broadcasters, singers (including royalty artists and background singers), dancers, sportscasters, disc jockeys & talk show hosts. |
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| Was founded for film actors in 1933, but now represents a range of performers, including singers with On & Off camera performances shot to Film, such as Motion Picture Soundtracks, television & commercials shot to film, interactive media and new technologies. SAG has no jurisdiction in Sound Recordings as is already covered by AFTRA. | |
| Represents over 40,000 American actors and stage managers working in the professional theatre. "Equity" has negotiated minimum wages and working conditions, administered contracts, and enforced the provisions of various agreements with theatrical employers across the country for 88 years. Singers in musicals fall under Equity. | |
| Is a National Union, representing artists in the field of Opera, Dance, and Concert. For singers, this includes Soloist & Chorister. AGMA is a National Union, without a system of locals. A member's area is determined by their address of record at AGMA. Mailings i.e.: audition notices, meetings, and other important info is based by area. | |
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With over 250 local unions and 110,000 members in the US & Canada, is
the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing professional
musicians. It provides benefits and insurance plans; listings of franchised
booking agents; some locals offer rehearsal rooms and recording studios.
Singers may join, the jurisdictional overlap with AFTRA is still getting
sorted, but this union oversees rights of vocalists in jobs such as
live gigs and band bookings, areas that are not covered elsewhere. The
networking value for working singers is enormous.
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| Performing Rights Organizations | |
| BMI and ASCAP are Music Performing Rights Organizations. They differ from the UNIONS, in that they are companies that represent songwriters (even when they happen also to be performers), as well as film, television, musical theatre and classical music composers and, music publishers. They collect money from the businesses that use music in the course of their day (i.e. radio, television international broadcasts) and then pay out that money as royalties to the composers and publishers of the songs and compositions they play. As a recording artist singer and a published songwriter, you would belong to (at least) AFTRA plus BMI or ASCAP. BMI and ASCAP do the same task, but you can only join as a songwriter to one or the other. | |
| Perks:Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has established a number of endowments and workshops; The John Lennon Scholarship Fund for original songs by young people, the Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop, and the M3 Workshop for multimedia music theater, seminars for writers composers and song publishers. Many locals sponsor showcases for new singer/songwriters. | |
| Perks: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) extends the welcome flag with it's Art & Commerce Café, a special area of the ASCAP web site dedicated to handy info about the intricacies of the music business; survival tips, success stories, expert opinion and "detailed discussion about the sparks that invariably fly when the creative process collides with the bottom line". ASCAP proudly wags its members & songs in a Singer/songwriter Showcase for the Sundance Film Festival. | |
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| The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences(NARAS) founded the GRAMMY Awards in 1957 to recognize the artistry of musicians, singers, and behind-the-scenes contributors like producers and engineers. Working singers with credits on a set number of market released recordings can become voting members of the Academy. There is an associate "non-voting" membership. The Academy is cofounder of the National Coalition for Music Education, an advocacy group to promote music education and the value of all the arts on child development. | |
| Perks:Workshops, networking, seminars & events, buying tickets to the Grammy Awards. | |
| Songwriting Contests | |
| The John Lennon Song Contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters, with big prizes of cash, studio equipment and publishing contracts. Members of the "Songwriter's Guild of America" and the JLSC Executive committee select winners. Their website offers an online " FORUM" for questions and tips about the music business and the songwriting process. Contest founded with Love, by Yoko Lennon. | |
| Vocal Health | |
| Dr. Martin Hopp, Ph.D. Ent., & Dr. Grossan, Ent | |
| Legal Resources | |
| States Copyright Office | |
| Inited Int'l Association of Entertainment Lawyers | |
| Overview of US Trademark Registration Process | |
| Copyright, Trademark Publishing & Entertainment Law | |
| How to Work with your Intellectual Property Attorney | |
| Education and Training | |
| UCLA Music Extension Program | |
| Musicians Institute, Hollywood, CA | |
| Full Sail Audio Engineering School | |
| Microphones, Home Recording Equipment | |
| Sam Ash | |
| Guitar Center | |
| Sweetwater | |
| Music Backing Tracks | |
| The Singing Store | |
