Thanks for subscribing to Working Musician Podcast! You are very welcome indeed to this sliver of internet real estate. So many of us are staring into an unknown winter with regard to the pandemic and its effect on our ability to work. Some have quite recently discovered that friends, family, and loved ones who work in the music industry are literally struggling to survive; a special thanks is given to those folks joining this community as we learn how best to survive and thrive together.
For musicians and industry folks whose work is based solely in the presentation of live music, the ‘we are all in this together’ rallying cry worked pretty well in the very early stages of the pandemic. Although that sentiment has certainly lost its luster as the increasingly isolating months since March have dragged on, I do hope that those who are able can, at the very least, lend an ear to friends and colleagues that we suspect or know are in need of help.
We can’t put twenty bucks in the tip jar of every one of our friends live-streaming performances in front of a webcam. We can’t fit all of our colleagues who lost their housing into the spare bedroom. We can’t conjure gigs and mini-tours out of thin air for our bandmates. We can’t create demand or flout the restrictions imposed on restaurants, clubs, and concert halls in order to get musicians back to work. What we can do is text, call, or video chat with our fellow musicians and music industry professionals and see how they are doing.
Below is a list of music resources that may prove to be beneficial for you or a fellow musician that is struggling financially, mentally, or physically. It is certainly not exhaustive and it is offered with a broad range of listeners in mind.
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund:
https://www.sweetrelief.org/covid-19-fund.html
MusiCares Financial and Addiction Recovery Assistance
https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help
Musicians Foundation C19 Emergency Relief Grant Aid
https://www.musiciansfoundation.org/apply/
Aid for artist crew members, live music crew members, and venue crew members:
https://crewnation.submittable.com/submit
Licensed therapist-moderated online support groups:
https://backline.care/support-groups/
Some bonus audio is on the way in the coming days in addition to subsequent blog posts on various topics. Thanks again for joining me in this little corner of the internet. Your company and generosity is very much appreciated. Sláinte!