Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, MusiCares — the Recording Academy’s charitable wing — distributed more than $25 million in relief funds for people in the music community. And less than two weeks after wildfires began ravaging Los Angeles, it already has raised $3.2 million in wildfire relief, and has distributed some $2.2 million of that to people in need, a rep confirms to Variety — and that’s before the FireAid benefit concerts next Thursday, before their own MusiCares Person of the Year benefit the following day, and before the Grammys themselves, which will include wildfire fund-raising and awareness elements as well. Many more millions likely will be on the way to music people in need by early next month.
Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told Variety on Tuesday that on Jan. 8, the day the fires became serious, “MusiCares started getting requests, and it’s now thousands of music people who need help. We needed to figure out how to be there to help serve a music community, so in addition to [proceeding with the Grammys themselves], we have raised over $3 million so far, and all of that money is committed and spoken for — and we’re going to need a lot more.”
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People do not need to be Recording Academy members to receive aid: They just need to provide documentation that they’ve worked in music for at least three years or have six commercially released recordings. Initial disaster relief includes $1,500 in financial assistance and a $500 grocery card. (Head here for more details and how to apply.)
Mason continues, “I was lucky, but when I see people and friends of mine who have lost their studio, lost their house, lost their instruments, lost their ability to make a living, after all the strife and struggle that has happened to people in this community over the last five years, I say we have to do everything we can to be helpful. That involves raising money, that involves raising awareness and hopefully allowing MusiCares to have the financial resources that it’s going to take to support the thousands and thousands of people that are going to need help — not just this week or next week, but for the next few years.”