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4 The Nashville Musician October-December 2006 Secretary- Treasurer’s Report By Billy Linneman It’s really easy for me to start out my column congratulating Harold Bradley as a new inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Then we have the great Sonny James. What can we say! Two of the three inductees are longtime members of our Local. Congratulations!!! The third inductee, George Strait, records here and is an AFM member at Local 433 in Austin. TIME CARDS ARE THE LOCAL’S TIME CARDS, NOT THE SIGNATORY’S TIME CARD. We are accommodating in providing multiple copies of the time card. ONE of the copies can be given to the signatory, one for the leader/contractor, and one for the Local. The time card needs to be in at the union not less than 48 hours after the session date. If you get any arguments from anyone representing the employer, please ask them to read the language within the mid-upper block. Then tell them you will get into trouble if you don’t return them to the union. We will soon start enforcing this, as this is one of the reasons why you are being paid late and this is one of the reasons why we are having trouble collecting late payments. Employers have figured this out and are trying to use this to their advantage! NO SIGNATORY---NO PENSION If there is no signatory in place, your pension money will eventually be returned to the non-signatory company--The Company that you should not have been working for in the first place--and not be credited to you. Remember that for any work done off the card that you will be missing approximately 50% of the scale wages in pension. In other words, for every $100.00 of scale, you will in the future also be getting around $50.00 back in your pension. Do you want to work for $100.00 or $150.00? It really seems like a no-brainer, but every time you work off the card that is what you are cheating yourself (and others) out of. I know several musicians that have retired and received their pension, but know they could have doubled that amount by helping get work put on the card. With our menu of scales, there is NO reason for any work to be off the card or contract--INCLUDING ANY CASUAL DATE OR CLUB JOB! I know that I am sounding like a broken record but membership is not doing any better on this issue and it is COSTING YOU, both in office personnel time and directly with your pension! WE ARE BOYCOTTING DELTA AIRLINES The AFM continues to boycott Delta Airlines because of their policy on musical instruments. Just because they let you through here at the Nashville Airport (I understand that they are sometimes not letting instruments go through), don’t assume they will at other airports. Before you book a ticket on any airline make sure that you can take your instrument on board! DO NOT WORK FOR PEOPLE OR ENTITIES WHO ARE ON EITHER OUR OR THE FEDERATION’S “DO NOT WORK FOR” LIST! Some of our Local people are probably not aware they are on this list (see page 10). We would appreciate it if you would bring it to their attention, so that we could work that out. Good news is that we are slowly catching up on our finances. My goal is to be caught up by the end of this office term, 2008. This naturally assumes that everything stays at the present pace of business. See you at the next General Membership Meeting on Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 6:30 P.M. at the Local. Sincerely and Fraternally, Billy Linneman Local 257 Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman, seen at the Country Music Hall of Fame Aug. 19 Nashville Cats’ salute to Harold Bradley, with Local 257 member Teresa E. Gafford, who is also Secretary, Washington, D.C. Local 161-710. Studio fiddler Jim Unger succumbs at 52 Jim Unger, 52, of Madison, Tenn., died from a heart attack Sept. 25. A session fiddler, Unger also played mandolin, and was a former bandleader for Billy (Crash) Craddock. James Richard Unger, Jr., son of Christine and James Unger, was born July 20, 1954 in Martinsburg, W. Va. He was a fifth generation fiddler, whose father’s friends included Vassar Clements and Buddy Spicher. “Jim started playing when he was about 10 years old,” says his widow Melissa. “His idols were Johnny Gimble and Dale Potter. He left home at 17 to play music in the Washington, D.C. area for about a year.” She explains that Jim’s Grandfather Unger had cut records for RCA, “way back before he lost his life in a mining accident.” Jim Jr. graduated from high school in 1972. He was versatile in his playing, and once performed with a bluegrass band, the Trinity Mountain Boys. It was during the 1980s, however, that Jim moved to Nashville. According to Melissa, he worked about seven years with Craddock, who had such hits as “Knock Three Times,” “Rub It In” and “Broken Down in Tiny Pieces.” In the mid-1980s, Jim was working in Beaumont, Texas, in a band with Local 257 picker Mark Nesler, when Melissa met him. “Did you know a fellow named Bill Starnes? Well, he managed the band, Texas Tradition down there . . . ” Melissa and Jim were wed in 1990. Hearing Board meeting’s minutes - May 23, 2006 8:40 a.m. - Meeting convened with swearing in of Hearing Board member Tim Smith. Present: Board Members Buddy Edmundson, Tiger Fitzhugh, Jim Grosjean, Jeff King, Kathy Shepard, Tim Smith and Hearing Board Clerk Anita Winstead. Discussion of Feb. 14, 2006 minutes. MSC to approve Feb. 14, 2006 minutes. 8:50 a.m. - Members charged with violations of Article II, Section 4 of Local 257 By-Laws: MSC to fine Justin Niebank $10 for failure to pay work dues and $25 for not appearing before the Hearing Board; MSC to fine Michael Ripoli $20 for failure to pay work dues and $25 for not appearing before the Hearing Board; MSC to fine Kurt Goebel $30 for failure to pay work dues and $25 for not appearing before the Hearing Board; MSC to fine Guthrie Trapp, Hank Singer and Pat Coil $40 for failure to pay work dues and $25 for not appearing before the Hearing Board. The next Hearing Board meeting will be 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 25. 9:05 a.m. - MSC to adjourn. “He did all kinds of studio work,” she continues. “Mainly Jim played fiddle, but he also played mandolin and once in a while did a little back-up singing.” A few of the numerous artists Jim worked the road with in their bands, were Ray Price, Johnny Paycheck and Doug Stone. More recently, Melissa points out, her husband was participating in a show in Vienna, Va., where . . . “His parents came down to see him and I was so grateful, because it had been awhile since they heard him play. I think they all enjoyed that.” Survivors include Melissa; his father James Unger, Sr., who lives in Martinsburg; step-son Heath Parrish; step-daughter Heather Thomason; grandchildren Briana and Ethon; and a sister Kimmie Unger of Martinsburg. Funeral services were held Sept. 29 at Cole & Garrett Funeral Home in suburban Goodlettsville, Tenn., with The Reverends Harry Yates and Ray Hughes officiating. - Walt Trott Jim Unger, Jr. Members notice . . . You can help the AFM promote people to Congress who are interested in musicians’ issues. Donate now to the AFM Tempo Fund. Eddie W. JACKSON C.P.A. Professional Corporation Eddie Jackson & Associates Airport Executive Plaza Suite 600 1218 Murfreesboro Rd. Nashville, TN 37217 OFFICE 360-8787 & FAX 360-8795
October-December 2006 The Nashville Musician 5 Can you believe that . . . we’re winding up another year! So, as we are getting ready to jump in the leaves, and head into the holidays, let’s catch up a little with what’s been going on. First of all, I want to talk about my last column. I got a lot of response from y’all on that one. I did a whole lot of complaining about the fact so many of the checks that came through here for the CMA Music Festival were for non-members. A lot of these checks were for engagements played with a combination of members and non-members (a violation of the By-Laws). I pointed out that a lot of man-hours are spent here in the office by Anita and I, in the Live Engagement Services department, and also by Janet and Arleigh at the front desk, for non-members. From calls and comments from a lot of you, that is disturbing. It is now October and time is still spent here on nonmembers concerning those checks. Many of them are returned (i.e. bad addresses, etc.) or never picked up. The system is purged now and then, and those checks that are still here have to be found in the files, picked up in the system, and mailed to these non-members. This is more time and money (postage) spent. OK people, we really need to make some changes. Don’t work with non-members! If you find out that you are working with nonmembers, try to get that person to join this Local. If we take a stand for what is right here, we can make a difference. As a member here . . . and also an employee . . . I don’t like paying myself to work for non-members. That doesn’t make sense. Happy 25th anniversary to the Nashville String Machine! Carol and Carl Gorodetzky generate a lot of work for some of our members. Congratulations to them, and continued success. (See page 34.) So far this year, we have used up a lot more of the funds allocated to this Local from the Music Performance Fund. This is because more of you have been hustling to get the performances. Keep in mind that the percentage paid by the co-sponsor is still at 10 per cent for grade schools and middle schools, and 25 per cent for high schools. We don’t know how long this will be in effect. Hospitals and nursing homes are 50 per cent and all others are 60 per cent. And speaking of Music Performance Fund jobs, recently (Sept. 21) blues singerproducer-guitarist-educator James T. Nixon was the leader for a performance at Cloverbottom. For those who are not aware of what Cloverbottom is, it’s a facility for mentally-handicapped individuals. Performing there can be a bit depressing, as it can be at some of the nursing homes, etc., or depending on your attitude, it can be a “feel good” experince. Also the pay is live concert scale, which is a pretty low amount; so sadly, a lot of our members don’t want these jobs. Anyway, one of the musicians who Live Engagement Services By Kathy Shepard worked that particular job with James (a.k.a. Nick of The New Imperials) was Nashville native Bobby Hebb. For those of you who aren’t familiar with him, Bobby wrote and recorded the million-seller “Sunny” (which went to #2 on Billboard in 1966) and “Natural Man” (a Top 20 single for Lou Rawls in 1971). I think that is so cool that James and Bobby Hebb played at Cloverbottom. On Nov. 9, Paul Ross’ group, The Kadillacs, will be performing at the Granny White Park in Brentwood between 12:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. This performance will be a “welcome home” celebration for the 1st Battalion of the 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, returning from Iraq. The city of Brentwood adopted “E” Company last year when they were deployed to Iraq, and since that time has been sending packages of supplies, sundries and assorted entertainment (DVDs, CDs, etc.) to the troops in Iraq. There will be a parade through town before the concert. This concert is funded 100 per cent by the Music Performance Fund. Please put this date on your calendar. We have recently lost member, past employee and dear friend Carolyn Austin. When she retired several years ago, I inherited “keeping dog biscuits” in my office. She will be remembered. (See page 8.) May all of you be happy and healthy. ’Til next time . . . . . . . Kathy Shepard Hara Hackett and daughter Sophia. Phyllis Sparks and ‘Fiona.’ Member Randy Ford performs with student at W.O. Smith School of Music Camp. (- Teresa Hargrove photo) President Bradley presents a 25-year member’s pin to Tom Wild. Curtis Burch accepts his 25-year pin. - Photos by Kathy Shepard - (7) Next General Membership Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Union Hall! Call in Off-The-Cuff recording sessions anonymously to (615) 244-9514, Ext. 225. President presents Life Member pin to Zeke King. Jason Hutcheson receives 25-year pin. Andrew and Mary Ann Heller at Local 257 with pet ‘Cocoa.’ R each thousands with your message . . . Call Ad Director Sherri Dickerson at (615) 244-9514, Extension 240
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