Enjoy this Valentine’s Day playlist of today’s top love songs recorded with Los Angeles AFM Local 47 musicians, courtesy of #ListenLA:
#ListenLA Valentine’s Day playlist
Category Archives: Features
Marl Young: The groundbreaking legacy of a civil rights leader
Rhythm Club President, Marl – pictured with Musicians’ Club Secretary Maury Paul (left), NAACP Secretary Lester Bailey (standing, center) and Rhythm Club Secretary Estelle Edson (right) – signs the final document transferring Local 767 Rhythm Club assets to the Local 47 Musicians’ Club of Los Angeles in March of 1953, marking the final step in the amalgamation of the two Locals. (Photo: AFM Local 47 Overture archives)
Throughout his esteemed career, Marl Young was known for breaking ground. A civil rights leader within the American Federation of Musicians, he was instrumental in the historic merger of the former all-black Local 767 and all-white Local 47 in the 1950s, which set the precedent for desegregation within the entire musicians union of the United States and Canada. In 1970 he became the first black music director of a major network television series, “Here’s Lucy.” Young served as a longtime director of the Los Angeles musicians union and remained an activist until his retirement in January 2009. He died on April 29, 2009, at age 92. Continue reading
Bruno Mars wins big at 60th annual GRAMMYs
The 60th annual GRAMMYs are a wrap — and what a night it was for Los Angeles musicians!
Bruno Mars swept the 60th annual GRAMMYs, taking home awards in all categories nominated including the night’s biggest wins: Record of the Year and Album of the Year (“24K Magic”), and Song of the Year (“That’s What I Like”). The Los Angeles AFM Local 47 artist also won in the categories of Best R&B Album, Song and Performance. Continue reading
Congratulations 60th annual Grammy nominees!
Music’s Biggest Night happens this Sunday, Jan. 28, when music fans around the globe will celebrate the best in music during the 60th annual Grammy Awards.
Los Angeles AFM Local 47 members worked on some of the top hits of 2017, including Best Record of the Year and Best Album of the Year contenders Kendrick Lamar and Bruno Mars. Continue reading
Congratulations 90th annual Oscar nominees!
From composition and music preparation to the scoring stage, musicians bring the heart and soul to motion pictures. Continue reading
Musicians join thousands in Los Angeles at Women’s March 2018
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Local 47 musicians & union members joined hundreds of thousands at the 2018 Women’s March Los Angeles.
Activists converged on downtown the morning of Jan. 20 marching from Pershing Square to City Hall as part of the second annual Women’s March, the largest of dozens of similar protests held around the nation.
Introducing: 47 Strong
‘Halo Wars 2’ aims for a Grammy
“Halo Wars 2” video game composers Gordy Haab, Brian Trifon and Brian Lee White, along with audio director Paul Lipson, took to the stage at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles on the evening of Oct. 25, 2017 to discuss share their vision and process for creating the score for one of the world’s largest and most beloved game franchises. Continue reading
Healthcare ROCKS! ‘Piece of Legislation’
“Piece of Legislation” by Local 47 member Clifford J. Tasner, AFM Local 47 musicians, SAG-AFTRA singers, with animation by Cole Montminy.
Learn more about SB 562 to bring healthcare to ALL Californians at healthyca.org.
My Union Card
Reflections by Local 47 member Ross Altman, Ph.D
Recently I had the strangest dream. It had to do with my union card for American Federation of Musicians Local 47, and what it means to me. In my dream I just barely touched the truck in front of me when we were both stopped at a red light. The driver got out and decided to make a federal case out of it, even though there was no visible damage to the back of his truck. He said that he would not report it if I agreed to give up my “freight card” (in his words) for good; I would no longer be a member of the professional musicians’ union. I told you it was a strange dream. And yet it forced me to confront the question of what my union card meant to me—and whether it was worth all the hassle and potential expense of dealing with my insurance company and the DMV in order to keep my card. Continue reading