How You Can Support Local Struggling Independent Musicians
I feel like collectively, America as a whole is hurting for live music. We miss being able to go to concerts whether in a stadium or in a park. Music has the incredible ability to impact us on a deep and emotional level, allowing us to create and remember special moments in our lives.
For a bit of time in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, we were able to enjoy a taste of live music as our favorite musicians would sing and live-stream their songs from their homes through their Facebook pages but those mini-concerts were short-lived as Facebook brought down the ax on live music streams- even those by musicians who own their own work.
While you and I are hurting for live music, some of our favorite musicians are just plain hurting. I've got a friend who is a Nashville based musician and for months, he's been unable to perform, unable to work. Performing is how he provides for his family and because he hasn't been able to work his craft, he's had to turn to other ways to make money from cleaning homes to running errands, to babysitting and yet, it still isn't enough.
Because our country has halted virtually everything music-related, there are thousands upon thousands of musical performers, educators, and composers who have been out of work for the better part of the year. While many think that the music industry pays well, the truth is that very few musicians ever see the big bucks. Most scrape by and very few have a safety net for when the bottom falls out.
According to its website, the Musicians Foundation was formed in 1914 and is the United State's "oldest independent nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to musicians and their families in times of need, crisis or transition."
This year, in response to COVID, the Musicians Foundation has created a new emergency program that allows them to give $200 to a suffering musician so they can sustain themselves for a week or two. The money benefits musicians from all over the United States, perhaps even right here in our community.
If you've been looking for a way to help others in the midst of this bizarre thing we're all living through and if you're a music lover, this might be what you've been looking for. Learn more about the Musicians Foundation and how you can lend a hand here.