ASCAP Urges Politicians to “Stand With Songwriters” On Capitol Hill

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP Publisher Board member Leeds Levy, songwriter Josh Kear, Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ASCAP Writer Board member Dan Foliart and ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento.

Award-winning songwriters and composers from different music genres spent Wednesday, May 7 meeting with elected officials to insist on music licensing reform as part of the inaugural American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) “Stand with Songwriters” Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill.

ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, ASCAP Vice Chairman Jimmy Webb (“Wichita Lineman”), Josh Kear (“Need You Now”), Carly Simon (“You’re So Vain”), Randy Newman (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Alan and Marilyn Bergman (“The Way We Were”), Jon Batiste (“Creative”), Narada Michael Walden (“Freeway of Love”), and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (“Crazy on You”) came to D.C. to perform at a Tuesday, May 6 “We Write the Songs” concert at the Library of Congress, sponsored by The ASCAP Foundation.

During the concert, they discussed the challenges facing songwriters in today’s digital music marketplace and urged policymakers to support updates to federal laws that regulate how songwriters license their works. Joined by ASCAP Board members, including Valerie Simpson (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”), most of the performing songwriters remained in D.C. today to continue the mission.