Thanks Mike,

I want all of them here to get the various perspectives of the industry.

Ray, if you ask a question, you usually have someone who knows the answer. I also want to be very clear about my Union affiliation.

I was a member from 1990 to about 1997. I resigned because I really was never a Union type person. I did not perform on television shows, did not do recording or anything as a musician. I did vocal demos, but most of those were smaller affairs. And almost all were on my own songs.

I did have a contentious relationship because of their principals that AFM members should not play clubs for a "for the door" amount, which is what almost all clubs in Nashville are, particularly songwriter clubs. I was a songwriter, doing my own songs, but was fined several times for doing just that at the Bluebird and Douglas Corner. Much of that was resolved after my leaving, some of it having to do with me. By laws are different now.

But the new president, Dave Pomeroy, is a very good friend and I do respect AFM representatives very much for what they do for their members. We do pay Union rates on sessions and make sure all contracts and scales, meet Union compliance.

I am personally not a member. And I do not want to disparage their efforts or to speak to issues I am not personally knowlageble on.


MAB