NAMM Members and Artists Advocate Together for Music Education on Capitol Hill

NAMM Members, accompanied by musical artists and arts education partners continue to work in support of music education as they return from an event-filled three-day advocacy effort on Capitol Hill. Thirty NAMM Members and industry representatives participated in 80 meetings with congressional leaders to stress the importance of comprehensive music education in our nation’s schools

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) organizes the annual Advocacy Fly-In on behalf of school music education programs in public schools to support federal education policy and funding that advances access to music learning for all children. Chad Smith, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for his work with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Bernie Williams, a Latin GRAMMY-nominated guitarist and former New York Yankee joined teams of NAMM Members and music-industry representatives for this year’s Capitol Hill effort.

NAMM members and other Fly-In participants were given a day of briefing on the finer points of congressional advocacy, and heard addresses on advocacy topics by Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM, as well as Kennedy Center artistic and educational advisors, and members of the NAMM executive committee. The day of briefing was followed by a full day of scheduled appointments with congressional leaders, during which Fly-In participants made the case for music education in our schools.

NAMM Member Mark Despotakis participated in the Fly-In this year. Despotakis, director of market development for Progressive Music in Pennsylvania, has participated in the Fly-In for four years. This year, he had meetings in the offices of two senators and three congressmen. “The Fly-In is probably the most inspiring thing I do all year. Taking time to really drill down on the issues of government and policy as they relate to music education is really energizing,” he said. “I am able to take that knowledge of the issues and the process back to help as I do advocate work and training at the local and state level. By being in D.C. every year, we're letting those decision makers know who we are and reminding them of the importance of our cause. We have to keep reminding them who we are so they can't forget us and forget the importance of music education. It's also helpful that we're members of the business community advocating for education.”

Overall, the Fly-In experience creates more awareness about the political process at every level surrounding school policy and funding decisions. Many NAMM Members return from their Fly-In experiences primed to continue their efforts within their own communities, creating advocacy groups to address their district and state representatives.

During the Fly-in, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va), Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) and Randall Reid-Smith, Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, were honored with SupportMusic Awards for their leadership of the statewide rebuild of West Virginia music education programs. NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond, VH1 Save the Music Foundation chairman Tom Calderone, and students from the Shepherdstown (W.Va.) Middle School jazz ensemble presented the awards.

Williams and Smith accompanied the budding jazz musicians in a musical performance, and singer/songwriter/musician Vanessa Carlton saluted the students and senators with remarks. The Shepherdstown ensemble is a 2012 VH1 Save The Music Foundation grant recipient.