Listen to audio archives from our Cyber Union Hall meetings here!
May 2020 – Tech Talk
Life is throwing us all kinds of curve balls right now and if you are like me one thing I need to know how to take my music on line. Thankfully we have several members who have been teaching and performing online for a while.
Steve Eulberg, Erin Mae Lewis and Danial Senie shared their experiences and practical tips, software and hardware recommendations and answered questions about how to take our work online.
November 2019 – Rising To Your Excellence with Freebo
Freebo joined us and shared his thoughts on “Rising To Your Excellence” Freebo shared with us several years ago and it was one of the most well attended sessions. Freebo will share with us what it means to be the best you were made to be. This will include all of who we are; body, mind, soul. Freebo has been in the music making business for a long time and has traversed many of the turbulent waters of the music business. Join us for this most exciting call.
October 2019 – Fair Trade Music Campaign with Debra Cowan
Debra Cowan presents information about the Local 1000 Fair Trade Music campaign. We are looking to more fully engage not only our members but all touring musicians in conversations that raise the bar for touring musicians.
In addition, if you want to know more how to engage presenters and venue hosts this is the call for you. Your Union is working hard to make working conditions better for all musicians and starting with our list of Fair Trade venues is a way to raise the bar for everyone.
August 2019 – The Power of Music to Heal Our Nation
Our August Cyber Union call focused on how we can use our music to make in roads to heal our Nation. Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway have been doing incredible work in the area of Racial Healing.
We have invited them to share their work and lead us in a conversation about how we as traveling musicians can add to the work of justice and healing.
May 2019 – Labor History in the US with John O’Conner
John is a founding member of Local 1000 and a scholar of Labor History. John led a conversation about the history of unions in the United States and how from the 19th century to the present a schism between industrial and craft unionism has both hindered and driven the American labor movement.
Industrial union movements organized under the auspices of the IWW and later the CIO inspired countless songs, plays, books and visual art that has impacted our culture in significant ways, making America a beacon for labor culture.
Join us for this intriguing conversation.
April 2019 – A Conversation with Joe Jencks
Joe shares with us a bit about his musical journeys as a touring musician. This will be a great time to ask Joe question you may have about song writing, solo touring or touring with a group, tips and tricks for the road or other questions you have that can move your work forward. Joe has been a Local 1000 member since 2000. He is a dual US-Irish citizen, deeply rooted in social justice work, and draws on many cultural and artistic reference points in his concerts. Co-founder and primary harmony arranger for Brother Sun, Joe has also penned several #1 songs in the Folk genre, including the ever–relevant “Lady of The Harbor.”
February 2019 – Music and Social Change Movements
Music has always played an important role in social change, from the labor union picket lines to the streets and jails during the civil rights movement. Many of our members have been at the forefront of this very important work.Join our very own Charlie King, Sandy Opatow, Pat Humphries, Greg Artzner and Terry Leonino as they share their stories and give practical wisdom on how to engage in this work.
April 2018 – Self Care for Musicians
“Self Care for Musicians” with Local 1000 member Dirje Childs
May 2018 – Boost your Business Sense
Join Vi Wickam, our Secretary Treasurer, as he walks us through several ideas that can boost your music. The call will focus on strategies for making more money, how to improve getting your music out into the world and ways to more effectively manage the business side of our work.
September 2017 – Getting More Value from your Union Membership
There are lots of reasons why we each belong to AFM Local 1000. One of those reasons is the ability to benefit from the filing of a Union Contract. If you are not filing contracts for work performed in which you are paid at least Local 1000 scale wages, this call is for you. If you stopped filing because you think the process is too hard, this call is for you. If you want to contribute to the AFM Employer’s Pension Plan and build a solid retirement vehicle, this call is for you. If you want Union protection if something happens with your gig, this call is for you. If you want to build a stronger Local so that we can better serve YOU, this call is for you! Debra Cowan will take us through the ins and outs of filling out the LS-1 form for Single Engagements. We’ll discuss each part of the form that needs to be filled in along with dos and don’ts of using the LS-1. There will be times for questions and answers to help you understand the LS-1.
June 2017 – Doing the Album Union, with John McCutcheon
What does it mean to “do the album union?” How complicated, expensive, time-consuming is it? John McCutcheon has been doing his albums “on the book” for over twenty-five years. He’s reaped the benefits of New Use (his recordings being used in other media), Special Payments Funds, and, of course, the AFM Pension. Plus, he’s assured these benefits for the musicians who help bring his music to the public.
May 2017 – Following the Music, with Freebo
Local 1000 member Freebo has been gracing the world with his music and his life for decades. He has many experiences and gifts to share but the one he holds closest is his understanding of following the music & the passion rather than the fame & the fortune. Freebo says this is the thing that is closest to his heart.
April 2017 – Music and Social Change
Powerful social movements have always included music. Our members have made significant impacts with the music of the people. This conversation focused on how we have used music in social change situations.
March 2017 – Songwriting Conversation
The craft of songwriting is practiced by many but mastered by few. Songwriters Tret Fure and Judith-Kate Friedman share their experiences.
November 2016 – All Things Canadian
Vice President (Canada) Eve Goldberg and Vice President (US) Aaron Fowler facilitated a call to share updated information regarding P2 Visas and to hear your suggestions on how we can all work together to create a better working conditions for our Canadian members.
We must build bonds of solidarity in order to make our Union strong and able to be a player in these important matters.
October 2016 – Musical Performance Trust Fund
The AFM Musical Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) administered through the AFM, provides matching funds for gigs that are sponsored by schools, nursing homes, libraries, etc., and are free and open to the public. A non-profit co-sponsor pays part of your fee and MPTF provides the rest. MPTF allocates approximately $4,000 to Local 1000 for our members to use each year. Join us to see how you can benefit from these dollars.
September 2016 – AFM Collective Bargaining Agreements
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA’s) are the back bone of any Union. They form a agreement between Employer and Employee. As traveling musicians sometimes we are both! Local 1000 has several of our members who have CBA’s as a tool to pay dues and make monthly pension payments. On our September call we had several of our members talking about their experience using CBA’s. Whether you have a CBA and want more information or simply would like more information about them, join John McCutcheon, Dave Rowe, Debra VanKleef and Colin Dean as they share their insights.
August 2016 – LS1s and Single Engagement Contracts
The LS-1 is the AFM single engagement contract for gigs in the United States. As touring musicians these gigs are often the bread and butter of our work. This session introduced the LS-1, how to fill it out and how to submit it to the office. Several of our members shared their experience with the LS-1.
July 2016 – Songwriting Practices
Our July meeting showcased three talented songwriters from our membership, Daniel Boling (Kerrville, 2014 New Folk winner), Donna Muhollen (Still on the Hill) & Gary Paul Hermus (2016 New Mexico New Music Award). Each shared their journey with songwriting and some of their songwriting practices.
June 2016 – Arts in the Classroom
Our June meeting focused on Arts in Education. Many of our members do work in schools or afterschool programs. The power of Arts Integration is strong. If you have ever presented in a classroom or in front of a school assembly you know the excitement that is generated when we are able to share an authentic arts experience and connect it with the standards the students are learning in the classroom.
Aaron Fowler shared his experience as a Young Audience performer and a Wolf Trap Institute teaching artist.
May 2016 – Crowdfunding
Local 1000 member Erin Mae Lewis shared her experience using Patreon. Patreon is a popular crowd-funding source that several of our member are using to share their music with the world.
A handout included with this conversation is available here
March 2016 – Staying Healthy on the Road
Our panelists included Tret Fure and Mary Ware. Tret, our Local 1000 President, has toured for more than 40 years and has made it a practice to try and stay healthy on the road. Mary is a massage therapist who works with musicians on developing strategies for healthy musical success.
January 2016 – Touring: Dos and Don’ts, Ins and Outs
This discussion was moderated by our new Vice President Aaron Fowler and Midwestern Representative Amber Rogers. It was a great opportunity for members to share what they know and learn from each other.
October 2015 – Crossing the Border, Canada to US
Local 1000 Canadian VP Eve Goldberg was the keynote along with several invited guests including CFM Executive Director Liana White.
September 2015 – Crossing the Border, US to Canada
Our moderator was Local 1000 Vice President, Debra Cowan.