American Federation of Musicians

THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS HONORS HOUSE JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN JOHN CONYERS

AFM International President Tom Lee Presents Congressman John Conyers with a Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Membership

On Saturday, September 27 the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) will present House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his continued and steadfast support of the AFM, music and musicians. Chairman Conyers also will be made an honorary member of the AFM. These awards will be presented to Chairman Conyers by AFM International President Thomas F. Lee.

The awards ceremony will be held during a two-hour brunch at The H.R. 57 Center for the Preservation of Jazz hosted by the musicFIRST coalition, of which AFM is a member. Performing at the brunch will be jazz impresarios Jimmy Owens, Vic Juris, Winard Harper and Dr. Larry Ridley. The brunch is being organized to thank Chairman Conyers for his support of music and musicians, but most importantly for the Performance Rights Act (H.R. 4789) and the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property ’ÄúPRO-IP’Äù Act (H.R. 4279), for which he has been a consistent and successful advocate.

Both the Performance Rights Act and the PRO-IP Act are merely two examples of issues for which Chairman Conyers has fought on behalf of musicians. For that reason AFM has chosen to honor Chairman John Conyers.

About the AFM

Founded in 1896, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), AFL-CIO, is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. With more than 90,000 members, the AFM represents all types of professional musicians, including those who record music for sound recordings, film scores, radio, television and commercial announcements, as well as perform music of every genre in every sort of venue from small jazz clubs to symphony orchestra halls to major stadiums. Whether negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying legislators, the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape. www.afm.org