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Post by Admin on Apr 25, 2020 21:53:39 GMT
On Friday, Universal Music Group artists including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, The Rolling Stones and more released reusable cloth face masks as part of the company’s “We’ve Got You Covered” initiative. The masks are priced at $15 each and all net proceeds benefit MusiCares, which is working to support the music community affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Grande’s mask features a single tear drop reminiscent of her “No Tears Left to Cry” merch, while Eilish’s offering includes her “Blohsh” logo in neon green. Fans of Willie Nelson can wear his face, while the Rolling Stones’ mask features its “lips and tongue” logo right over the kisser. The fashion community has also been hard at work providing masks; Michael Costello, Christian Siriano and Brandon Maxwell are just a few of the designers churning out non-medical grade masks for public consumption as well as donations to healthcare workers whose PPE is in short supply. The simple face masks benefit MusiCares' efforts to support the industry during the coronavirus pandemic. Universal Music Group's merchandise wing Bravado is selling face masks to raise money for charities, including MusiCares COVID-19 Releif Fund. The initiative, aptly title We've Got You Covered, began when UMG started giving masks to its employees and now Bravado has expanded to selling masks to the general public featuring logos from many of their popular artists. The masks cost $15 and are washable and reusable. So far, available artists masks include Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, BLACKPINK, Tupac Shakur, Nas, Justin Bieber, Black Sabbath and Willie Nelson, with additional options on the way. Proceeds from sales will go to a variety of charities, including MusiCares. “I’m humbled and grateful to work with artists and partners who are passionate and driven to deliver a program that supports those that need it most during this unprecedented time,” Bravado CEO Mat Vlasic said in a statement. “This initiative will continue to grow and evolve thanks to the hard work from everyone here at Bravado and UMG along with our artists across the globe.” Established by the Recording Academy and MusiCares, the COVID-19 Releif Fund to help music creators and professionals affected by the Coronavirus crisis. Thanks to support from various artists, organizations and charites, the fund has raised over $10 million so far, but much more is needed. We’ve Got You Covered has also pledged to give 50,000 masks to various community service providers across the country.
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Post by Admin on Apr 26, 2020 6:21:31 GMT
The music industry has never been known for its benefits plans. Major labels, publishing companies and concert promoters may operate on a large enough scale to employ people full-time and offer health insurance, and there are some musicians, venues, studio facilities and marketing firms that can do the same. But many people who either make music or make it possible for you to enjoy music do so as self-employed workers. Chances are, these freelancers have one or more additional jobs to make ends meet, and few have the kind of safety net that's typically available to full-time employees. MusiCares is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 as an affiliate of the Recording Academy, the organization that awards the Grammys. The nonprofit's goal is to help self-employed music-business workers get access to health care, from dental work and mental health needs to cancer treatment and addiction counseling. On March 17, as necessary safety precautions to slow COVID-19 brought the economy to a standstill, MusiCares established a COVID-19 relief fund to offer financial assistance to musicians and other industry folks whose income streams have dried up. By April 16, the organization had received more than 12,000 applications for assistance from the fund, 6,000 of which had been approved. That's an extraordinary increase in activity. “We had a landmark year two years ago, where we provided 8,600 individuals financial assistance through the full calendar year, and we were very proud of that,” says Debbie Carroll, MusiCares' vice president for health and human services. “This has certainly been an all-hands-on-deck effort, with both MusiCares and the Recording Academy. Everybody's working well beyond the normal business hours to make sure that people receive the assistance that they need.” In addition to starting donations to the fund from MusiCares and the Recording Academy, institutions and corporations have made substantial contributions. Musicians who are in a financial position to do so have turned their livestreams into fundraisers, as well. Among many others, R.LUM.R played requests during his recent stream in exchange for donations to the fund, and donations during Amanda Shires' daily streams are split between her band and the fund. By April 9, the fund had grown to $10 million, and donations continue to come in. While the resources aren't unlimited, the organization had the infrastructure in place to deploy them quickly. The application is an abbreviated version of MusiCares' standard aid application, mostly focused on proving that you've lost work due to the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. Carroll says there was initial concern that this documentation — often in the form of emails from employers — would be difficult to obtain, but that hasn't proven to be a problem. The approval process takes about three weeks. Some musicians — like Larissa Maestro, who spoke with the Scene as part of this week's cover package — have already received payments from MusiCares while they're still trying to navigate the process to apply for government unemployment benefits, which were only recently made available for self-employed people. If you're in need of help, Carroll emphasizes that the best thing you can do collect as much documentation as you can and apply. That goes for her organization and all others offering assistance. It also applies if you have a need for assistance from MusiCares outside COVID-19 relief. “There's a lot of speculation about what's next, not only for us as a country, but for the music industry,” says Carroll. “We'll continue to keep our thumb on the pulse of the industry and do our part to support it and the individuals in it, regardless of the circumstances — whether it's a coronavirus or a major medical condition or a substance abuse issue. Those issues also continue, regardless of this pandemic. … We're still vetting and assisting those people who need to get into treatment, who need support related to a major medical condition or other life circumstances. We're there, regardless.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2020 4:52:19 GMT
Canvasback Music labelmates alt-J, Grouplove, Jealous Of The Birds, Michelle, Briston Maroney and Benjamin Scheuer have joined forces for a cover of GRAMMY Hall-of-Famer Bob Dylan’s "Shelter From The Storm" in support of coronavirus relief.
The uplifting cover sees each artist playing out recorded performances from their homes around the world, aiming to offer solidarity for affected musicians, crews and fans throughout this unprecedented time. With the song, the collective hopes to "inspire hope within fans around the world," as well as encourage widespread support of initiatives for artists and music communities through MusiCares and Help Musicians UK COVID-19 relief efforts.
In a statement regarding the collaboration, alt-J said, "We are really happy to be involved in this project. It's lovely to get to play music with musicians on the same label as us… It was a new challenge recording this at home separately, even separately from each other, but we think the result is lovely and we hope that it brings a smile to people's faces at this tricky time."
Grouplove followed up the comments saying, "When Canvasback came to us with the idea to collaborate on a more well-known Dylan song with our labelmates we were so down. It’s always satisfying to go outside of your comfort zone and try something new, especially during these trying times."
For more information on how you can directly support affected artists and music employees during the coronavirus pandemic, visit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund here. For a limited time, Spotify is matching 100% of donations to the cause.
You can also learn more about Musicians UK and their efforts to assist musicians and tour crews by visiting their site.
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Post by Admin on May 12, 2020 7:13:14 GMT
"We're Stars" is a tribute to Long Island's COVID-19 front-line workers, with the song's accompanying video featuring images from Northwell Health's North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Stony Brook University Hospital. Executive producer and drummer Corrado Mazzuca from HELLGATE and FOREIGN JOURNEY told Newsday about the project: "We want people to have a sincere appreciation for what the front-liners are doing out here on Long Island. This song is our way of saying thank you to them for helping to keep our family and friends alive." The track, which was mixed and mastered by Pete Pizzo of Crescent Sound Studios in Farmingdale, features a dozen singers, including Mike Tirelli, who is best known for his work with such bands as RIOT, MESSIAH'S KISS and HOLY MOTHER. "We want to uplift the front-line workers with this song and let them know that we support and love them," Tirelli told Newsday. "These people are a special breed. I could never do what they do."
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2020 1:36:56 GMT
With the support of the MusiCares Foundation, the team behind Soundcheck Live is bringing together 68 of the brightest stars in the music world to deliver a stirring performance of "Let It Be" for a good cause. The performance will feature Avril Lavigne, Nuno Bettencourt, Orianthi, Phil X, Gary Cherone, and dUg Pinnick, as well as a long list of brilliant musicians, vocalists, and engineers who have performed and worked alongside the likes of Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin, Ariana Grande, and many more.
With the song and video (available on May 12th on all digital streaming services and Soundcheck Live's YouTube page), the musicians, vocalists, and engineers involved hope to raise money for music industry professionals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as offer up inspiration at a time when the world needs it most.
Founded in 2016 by Avril Lavigne's musical director, Steve Ferlazzo, Soundcheck Live is a monthly all-star jam featuring national/international recording artists, touring sideman and local L.A. entertainers. Founded for musicians and music lovers alike, the concept kicked off as a way for well-known performers and up-and-coming stars to showcase their skills and network with other artists.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered all live music venues in California, including Soundcheck live's home venue, Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, CA, Ferlazzo wanted to bring together these artists to be a part of something larger than themselves and give back to the community.
He sought out the MusicCares Foundation for the benefit, as they had set up a relief fund specifically for musicians, engineers, producers, stagehands, and other industry professionals experiencing financial hardship.
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