Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis honoured at Grammys on the Hill Awards, Fran Drescher on music advocacy.
The Grammys may have been earlier this month, but there are still trophies to be awarded.
R&B songwriting duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were honored Wednesday for defining the sound of pop music for the past 40 years at the Recording Academy’s Grammys on the Hill Awards at The Hamilton. The pair will be celebrating 50 years of friendship this year and in half a century, they’ve contributed to more than 100 gold, platinum and diamond albums and have written for artists like Usher, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and George Michael.
“It’s always an honour to be honoured,” Jimmy Jam told USA Today. “The Grammys (are) known as a one night a year awards show, and back in my days as chairman of the Recording Academy, I always used to say, ‘It’s the other 364 days of the year that’s important.’ “
Jimmy Jam added that music advocacy was always a priority for the Grammys, noting that being honoured at an event where musicians and politicians alike are trying to raise awareness for the American Music Fairness Act and other ongoing music policy progress “couldn’t be better.”
“We’re servants of music,” Terry Lewis said, stressing the significance of pay equity for songwriters and producers. “It’s very important that we stress to those who are coming behind us that we have a voice and we have to use it to better their circumstances and the circumstances of those who come behind them.”
The American Music Fairness Act is a bipartisan bill that would require radio stations to pay artists for the songs they broadcast. And it’s a bill many at the Grammys on the Hill Awards were advocating for.
Fran Drescher, also in attendance Wednesday night, was pushing for the bill, which is now in the House of Representatives, to go to the Senate.
“Even the biggest of the stars, unless they hold the copyright, don’t get paid every time (the song) airs and maybe 50 years ago that made sense, but right now it no longer applies to our time,” Drescher, who currently serves as SAG-AFTRA’s president told USA Today.
“The Nanny” star noted that as an actress whenever she does work on a project, she gets paid when it airs and that right should be extended to musicians, songwriters, producers and others in the music industry as well.
