Songwriters Call On Senators To Support The Music Modernization Act During ASCAP’s “Stand With Songwriters” Advocacy Day On May 17
Johntá Austin, Desmond Child, Brandy Clark, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love, Suzanne Vega, Paul Williams and Other Award-Winning American Songwriters Urge Congress to Vote in Favor of Bipartisan Music Reform Bill
Award-winning songwriters will convene on Capitol Hill tomorrow, May 17, to meet with elected officials as part of the annual American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers’ (ASCAP) “Stand with Songwriters” Advocacy Day. They will ask senators to cosponsor the Music Modernization Act, the bipartisan music reform bill that passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 25 and was recently reintroduced in the Senate.
“While technology has completely transformed the way we listen to music, those who create the songs we love are disadvantaged by laws that prevent them from earning fair compensation in the digital age,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, an Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning songwriter. “With the Music Modernization Act pending in Congress, we stand at a critical juncture in our fight to protect the livelihoods of songwriters and composers. We urge our legislators to pass this important bill and give the music creators a chance to see the true value of their work.”
For too long, songwriters have had to work within an outdated system that over-regulates and undervalues their music. The Music Modernization Act includes key provisions that should ultimately result in compensation that better reflects the true value of music. In their meetings on Capitol Hill, ASCAP members will urge policymakers from across the political spectrum to support this legislation and discuss how these reforms will provide music creators with a more flexible framework that can adapt to the realities of the modern music marketplace.
The meetings will follow tonight’s “We Write the Songs” concert at The Library of Congress, sponsored by The ASCAP Foundation. The event features performances by popular ASCAP members who will be introduced by Members of Congress, including Johntá Austin (Mariah Carey, “We Belong Together,”), Brandy Clark (Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart”), Mike Love (The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations”) Michael McDonald (“Takin’ It To The Streets.”), Jason Mraz (“I’m Yours”) and Suzanne Vega(“Tom’s Diner”).
ASCAP songwriter and composer advocates on Capitol Hill will include Austin, Clark, Love, Vega and ASCAP songwriter, composer and publisher board members Williams, Joel Beckerman, Richard Bellis, Bruce Broughton, Desmond Child, Dan Foliart, Dean Kay, James Kendrick, Evan Lamberg, Leeds Levy and Michelle Lewis.
