Seven-Time GRAMMY® Winner Randy Travis and U.S. Representatives Linda Sánchez and Ron Estes to Be Honored During Music's Biggest Week in Washington, D.C.

Yahoo

01-04-2025

Recording Academy®'s Annual GRAMMYs on the Hill® Returns to the Nation's Capital April 8-10 With Awards Ceremony, Advocacy Day and Future Forum
WASHINGTON, April 01, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hosted by the Recording Academy®, music's biggest week in Washington, D.C. returns April 8-10, uniting congressional leaders and music makers to champion creators' rights and honor those who have helped shape a better future for music. The annual GRAMMYs on the Hill® Awards will kick off the week, honoring seven-time GRAMMY® winner Randy Travis and United States Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-CA) and Ron Estes (R-KS) for their commitment to advancing pro-music policy. On April 9, the Academy's annual GRAMMYs on the Hill® Advocacy Day will bring together GRAMMY winners and nominees, along with other esteemed industry leaders, for meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss critical music policy issues. The week of music advocacy culminates with the Academy's second annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum, a conference exploring critical issues impacting the music community. A detailed schedule of events is below:
Tuesday, April 8 – GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards
The GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards will celebrate Travis and United States Representatives Sánchez and Estes for their contributions to strengthening the music ecosystem and championing creators' rights. GRAMMY-nominated and GRAMMY-winning artists, songwriters, and producers will join music industry leaders and lawmakers in Washington, D.C., for an evening dedicated to celebrating music advocacy.
Wednesday, April 9 – GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day
Dozens of GRAMMY-nominated and GRAMMY-winning artists, songwriters and producers will join the Recording Academy on Capitol Hill for a grassroots day of advocacy. Music makers in attendance will meet with members of Congress to advocate for the key legislative priorities impacting music creators, including:
Promoting new music through essential tax relief to independent artists and songwriters, enabling them to deduct 100% of production costs—up to $150,000—upfront, rather than over multiple years, through the bipartisan Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act.
Protecting creators' image, likeness and voice from unauthorized creation and use of digital replicas through the NO FAKES Act.
Preserving continued federal support for the arts and cultural institutions that enrich and strengthen the cultural fabric of America.
Thursday, April 10 – GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum
The GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum will explore how we can help build up music communities both locally and globally. Compelling conversations will focus on the work state and local stakeholders are doing to develop and sustain music economies as well as the challenges and opportunities facing new emerging music markets around the world.
"GRAMMYs on the Hill plays a pivotal role in improving the lives of music creators, and we're thrilled to see it evolve into a full week of advocacy, celebration and learning," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. "I'm excited to bring our music community and policymakers together in Washington—not just to celebrate the changemakers fighting for creators' rights, but to unite and take action to improve the livelihoods of music people across the country."
Since its inception, GRAMMYs on the Hill has honored dozens of award-winning artists, including 16-time GRAMMY winner Alicia Keys, seven-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, 13-time GRAMMY winner Pharrell Williams, nine-time GRAMMY winner Sheryl Crow, and more. The annual event has also recognized influential congressional leaders, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and former Speakers of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and many others. GRAMMYs on the Hill has led to several major legislative victories for the music industry, including the landmark Music Modernization Act in 2018 and more recently the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act in 2022.
Travis, a seven-time GRAMMY winner, Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, and multiplatinum country artist, is being recognized for his work championing fair compensation and protections for artists in the evolving digital age. In 2024, he testified on Capitol Hill in support of the American Music Fairness Act, which aims to ensure artists are fairly compensated when their songs air on AM/FM radio. He is also committed to promoting the ethical use of AI, ensuring it serves as a tool to empower and protect the creative integrity of artists.
Representatives Sánchez and Estes are being honored for their leadership in championing policies that empower and protect musicians. Together, they re-introduced the HITS Act in Congress in January 2025 to advance crucial tax reforms to ensure independent music creators can thrive. More about Rep. Sánchez can be found here, and more about Rep. Estes can be found here.
Year-round, the Recording Academy's Washington, D.C.-based Advocacy team mobilizes Academy members and music professionals from across the country to present a powerful lobbying force that fights for music creators' rights at the local, state and federal levels. In 2024, the Academy helped pass five pro-music laws, supported 20 state and federal bills, and rallied more than 3,500 members to engage in music advocacy efforts across the country. To read more about the Academy's advocacy impact in 2024, visit grammy.com/impact.
Honoree Quotes:
"At this point in my life, I am fully focused on living and giving back," said Travis. "I've been part of the music community my whole life, professionally for 40 years. I am passionate about advocating to keep music an honest pursuit of art and human expression. While I remain excited about new, cutting-edge technologies, we must protect, and fairly compensate, the creative minds that give us the music—and art—that feeds our souls."
"When differences too often separate us, music remains a powerful force that unites us," said Rep. Sánchez. "GRAMMYs on the Hill is a testament to that power, and I'm deeply honored to be recognized for our efforts to pass the HITS Act. This legislation empowers creators to reinvest in their craft, free from the financial burden of delayed tax deductions, ensuring they can continue making the music that brings us all together."
"It is a true honor to receive an award from the Recording Academy, especially since my greatest contribution to music is as a listener and not as a music creator," said Rep. Estes. "I've seen and heard firsthand the dedication, productivity, and talent embodied in music creators, including musicians, songwriters, sound techs, studio managers, and more. Music crosses political divides, and I've been pleased to partner with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide fair tax treatment to artists and creators with the bipartisan HITS Act."
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards® — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the GRAMMY Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit GRAMMY.com and RecordingAcademy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on X, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. For media assets, please visit the Recording Academy's Press Room.
ABOUT RANDY TRAVIS
With lifetime sales exceeding 23 million, Randy Travis is one of the most successful multi-genre artists of all time and a 2016 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1986, his accolades include seven GRAMMY Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, 10 American Music Awards, two People's Choice Awards, seven Music City News Awards, eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, and five Country Music Association Awards. Three of his performances earned CMA Song of the Year honors: "On the Other Hand" (1986), "Forever and Ever, Amen" (1987), and "Three Wooden Crosses" (2002). To date, he has earned 23 No. 1 singles, 31 Top 10 hits, and more than 40 appearances in feature films and television shows. His discography includes four Gold albums, four Platinum albums, one Double Platinum album, one Triple Platinum album, and one Quintuple Platinum album.
In 1992, Travis was recognized by the USO for his support and dedication to U.S. troops, including five USO tours, and received the Bob Hope Entertainment Award. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004 and is celebrated on Nashville's Music City Walk of Fame. Since suffering a near-fatal stroke in 2013, Travis—through the support of his wife, Mary, and rigorous physical therapy—has made remarkable strides in recovery, including improvements in speaking, walking, and singing. In 2019, he released his critically acclaimed memoir Forever and Ever, Amen, co-authored with Ken Abraham. In 2021, CMT named Travis the CMT Artist of a Lifetime. In 2022, he released his award-winning documentary More Life, which garnered six Telly Awards.
In May 2024, with the assistance of cutting-edge AI technologies, Travis and Warner Music Nashville released "Where That Came From," marking his first new recording in over a decade and showcasing his signature vocals. The single debuted at No. 45 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and was met with enthusiastic praise from fans and country radio. The release also sparked a new chapter of advocacy, as Travis and his wife began working to promote creators' rights in Washington D.C. and across the nation, championing fair compensation and protections for artists in the evolving digital age. For more information, visit RandyTravis.com.
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Contacts
Andie Cox / Chrissy Dudash / Britta Purcell Recording [e-mail] / [e-mail] / [e-mail]