URGENT/PRIORITY COMMUNICATION
EMCEES/DEEJAYS/PRODUCERS/ENGINEERS/LABELS/EXECUTIVES - MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL - SPECIAL INFORMATION REQUEST NOTICE FROM HOLYHIPHOP.COM- REGARDING THE RECORDING ACADEMY (GRAMMY AWARDS)
March 24, 2006
Dear Ministers of the Gospel:
Last year, HolyHipHop.com submitted a formal application to 'The Recording
Academy' Board of Directors (Grammy Awards), requesting creation of a category
for Ministers of the Gospel, because of as of today (due to no recognizable
category) all Ministers are being lumped into the "Rock Gospel" Category, an
issue that clearly needs to be addressed, so HolyHipHop.com made a respectful
request to The Recording Academy to examine the issue and prayerfully find a
solution.
But please know and understand that no solution will be possible or forthcoming
without your unified commitment and support, and a strong response that you too
will in fact support The Recording Academy should it choose to expand its
categories for your music ministry. The power is in your hands, and your hands
alone to determine and control your destiny. Because of your diligence and
sacrifices, as well as the sacrifices of those who have come before you over the
past 20+ years working to advance the movement, we are now again standing at a
critical turning point in history.
If you are a Minister of the Gospel, producing, engineering, deejaying, writing
or performing music ministry, there is something very important for you to do,
which if done together can advance the entire global movement, and as you read
this email and the two (2) questions below, please know that 'your voices' have
been heard; and efforts to get the music out have not gone unnoticed by music
professionals tracking and paying close attention to trends and emerging genres:
1. If The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards) were to take the
step to create a category for
Ministers of the Gospel, would you join The Recording Academy in support of such a
category? (Note: Annual Membership Dues: $100.00); and
2. Would you submit your distributed Ministry Music for Grammy
Awards consideration, as a Member of The Recording Academy during each Grammy Awards Annual Submissions Period
in Support of Such a Category?
Without getting into details concerning the two questions above (as the
presentation of the questions probably speaks for itself), we are respectfully
asking each of you to also read some of the information below concerning being a
member of the Grammy Society, then re-read the two questions above, and reply
back to this email, with a detailed (Yes) or (No) Answer to the two (2)
questions above, as soon as possible.
Please Reply back to: grammysupport@holyhiphop.com, with your answers to the two questions above, as soon as possible. Based on the replies and feedback received, the next steps will be communicated globally. Together, we are all now standing at the cross-roads of history. Thank you very much for your participation in this survey.
May God Continue to Bless You and your Ministries always,
HolyHipHop.com
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Becoming a Member of the Grammy Society:
The Member Services Department, nationally and in conjunction with its 12 regional chapter offices, is the primary communication link between the Academy's 20,000 members and its programs, services and activities. The Department works to ensure each member stays informed on Academy activities and events, creates added-value partnerships with companies through the Member Benefits program and responds to members concerns and questions regarding the Academy and their membership.
The Academy has three levels of membership available:
VOTING: professionals with creative or technical credits on six commercially released tracks (or their equivalent). These may include vocalists, conductors, arrangers, and other fields directly related to the creative or technical process of producing recordings.
ASSOCIATE: creative or technical professionals who do not have enough credits to qualify as voting members. This category also includes persons who work in fields directly related to the recording industry such as executive producers, publishers, attorneys, record label staff and artist management.
AFFILIATE: educators, students, record merchants and anyone who wishes to support the Academy and its initiatives.
CHAPTERS
The Academy has 12 regional chapters throughout the country. Members who join
the Academy are placed in the chapter closest to their residence. Chapter
offices represent the Academy on a local level by working within that region's
music and recording communities and addressing its needs through education,
advocacy, professional development and events. In addition, the Chapter serves
as a conduit for other members to meet, network and address the concerns of the
recording industry both nationally and locally.
Chapters are governed by a Board of Governors and have elected Trustees who are responsible for the financial health of the Chapter. Members are encouraged to be involved in Chapter government, serve on committees and take a leadership role in the developing of Academy initiatives.
GRAMMY.com
The Recording Academy has developed GRAMMY.com as a method of delivering vital
information to its members. GRAMMY.com is an integral part of the Awards
submission and voting processes as well as resource for industry news and a
guide to Chapter events as well as member benefits negotiated exclusively for
Academy members.
GRAMMY SOUNDTABLES
The GRAMMY SoundTable series is the Academy's preeminent professional
development series. Each SoundTable event is designed to deliver a forum
consisting of today's leading recording industry professionals in an open
discussion with members and each other. Topics range from music downloading,
radio ownership, recording in surround 5.1 and more. Each SoundTable event
delivers a dynamic panel of industry professionals who present diverse
perspectives on the range of discussed topics. Previous SoundTable participants
have included: Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Jam, BT, Don Was, Steve Lillywhite, Alan
Parsons, Daniel Lanois, The Neptunes and others.
PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
The Producers & Engineers Wing is a recently added membership division of the
Recording Academy, established for producers, engineers and other technical
professionals in our community. The P&E Wing works on an advocacy agenda to
advance issues that are critical to cultivating a robust working environment for
the technical community. The Wing also develops standards on issues of
importance in the relationship between manufacturers, technology developers and
the technical community. Finally, the Wing has embarked on a schedule of
membership, professional education and Internet-based programs on topics that
impact the general quality of the technical professional's working life.
ACADEMY MEMBER BENEFITS
The Academy has developed this program to provide its members with goods and
services designed specifically for the recording industry professional -- from
hotel discounts when you are on the road, to professional development tools to
music related publications. Member benefits are accessed exclusively through
GRAMMY.com and are developed for Recording Academy members only.