San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)

A new path for the Grammy Awards

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through these challengin­g times.

Q:

It’s one thing to look at the academy from the outside and another to be on the board and now the acting interim CEO and president. What are the biggest issues and misconcept­ions you find people have about the academy? How are you addressing them?

A:

It’s easy to assume an organizati­on as prominent as the academy is resistant to new ideas and cultural innovation. We really do listen and respond to our community, and we’re always open to feedback to ensure we are the best representa­tion of the music industry’s needs. This is why I have this job, to encourage our music community to take advantage of all that the academy can offer to creators.

Q:

You joined the board of the academy’s Los Angeles chapter in 2007 and the academy’s board of trustees in 2009. What inspired you to join, and what specific contributi­ons and/or changes did you want to bring about? What kind of report card would you give yourself so far?

A:

I joined because I was at a time in my career where I realized that in order to vote for nomination­s or the Grammy Awards, you had to be a member. Once I got into the academy, I realized and learned more about a lot of the programs, saw the real value, and got excited about the opportunit­y to give back and help the music industry. Some of the things I hoped to accomplish have been my work with Musicares and helping to be a safety net for people in the music community.

I also thought it was important we fight, in Washington, D.C., for the rights of creators, so that people can make a living making music. I saw what was happening with some of the tech companies distributi­ng our music (online) and realized it was going to have an adverse effect on our ability to generate income. I knew that was something very important to work on, so it was definitely something I was excited about being involved in. And music education was something I knew was important, too, as I had young kids, and I saw how they were phasing out music in their (lives) . ... As far as giving myself a grade, I would give myself a B. I think there’s been some really great work done, but I also know there’s a lot left for the academy to do, as well as for me, personally.

 ?? AMY SUSSMAN THE RECORDING ACADEMY ??
AMY SUSSMAN THE RECORDING ACADEMY

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