ASCAP Writers Meet With Capitol Hill Policymakers During ‘Songwriter Advocacy Day’

Songwriters and performers are in Washington, D.C. today to meet with elected officials as part of ASCAP’s Songwriter Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. During the meetings, ASCAP members will discuss challenges faced by songwriters in today’s digital marketplace, and urge policymakers to update federal laws regulating music licensing. They will also ask that policymakers support the Songwriter Equity Act, a bipartisan bill to amend two outdated portions of the US Copyright Act.

ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, Alan Bergman (“The Way We Were”), John Bettis (“Top of the World”), Crystal Nicole (“The Only Girl In The World”), Allen Shamblin (“The House That Built Me”) and  Che “Rhymefest” Smith (“Glory”) are among those in attendance. They will be joined by songwriter/producer Kevin Kadish (“All About That Bass”), ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews and many of ASCAP’s Board members.

ASCAP Board members meeting with legislators include Marilyn Bergman (“The Windmills of Your Mind”),  Desmond Child (“Livin’ On A Prayer”); film and TV composers Richard Bellis (“IT”) Bruce Broughton (“Silverado”), Dan Foliart (“Home Improvement,” “Roseanne”), and Doug Wood (“Saturday Night Live”); concert music composer Alex Shapiro; and publishers Barry Coburn (Ten Ten Music Group), Dean Kay (Lichelle Music and songwriter of “That’s Life”), Leeds Levy (Leeds Music) and Irwin Robinson (Cromwell Music).

“The rules that govern how songwriters and composers license our music no longer work in today’s marketplace, presenting a very real threat to the foundation of the music value chain,” said Williams. “Powerful corporations that now control the music delivery pipeline have lined up in opposition to reform, essentially asking the federal government to protect their profits at the expense of every songwriter, composer and music publisher in America. We’re here today because it’s up to each of us, as music creators, to stand up, speak out and defend the value of our music.”