MusiCares Needs You to Help the Music Community Recover from the Los Angeles Fires

As I’m sure you’re well aware by this point, the entire Los Angeles area is experiencing what can only be described as an apocalyptic fire storm. Tens of thousands of acres of land have been burnt to the ground as dry, high winds rip through the Pacific Palisades area. Homes, livelihoods, vehicles… everything is getting caught up in the flames. At least ten people have already lost their lives in the inferno, while 180,000 have been evacuated, causing those individuals to live with the uncertainty of what they’ll find when they return.

Naturally, with this happening in Los Angeles, a large swath of those affected work in the entertainment industry. And for our purposes, that means a lot of musicians, label reps, and more have been forced to scramble for their own safety and the safety of their loved ones. With the situation constantly changing, it’s hard to know what people might need in the immediate aftermath. Yet if you’d like to get involved and help these people get back on their feet, you can directly donate to MusiCares, a non-profit organization and charity that aims to help aid artists and industry professionals in times of dire need.

“As we learn about the magnitude of the damage created by the Los Angeles wildfires, MusiCares is here to help the music community in affected areas recover. Please encourage your music industry colleagues and friends that have been impacted by the fires to contact MusiCares, now and in the weeks to come. We can consider emergency funds related to evacuation and relocation costs, instrument replacement/repair, home damage, medical care, mental health services, & other essential living needs. Reach out to our team: [email protected] [or] 1-800-687-4227”

In order to benefit from MusiCares, a potential recipient must prove that:

• an individual must have at least five years of working in the music industry, or
• must have released six commercially available recordings or videos.

Along with the Recording Academy, MusiCares has pledged to provide $1 million to help musicians in need as a result of the blaze. Certainly that number will have to increase as the damage is totaled and we learn more in the aftermath. In a press release, Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said both of his organizations are committed to helping everyone that needs assistance.

“The entire Grammy family is shocked and deeply saddened by the situation that is unfolding in Los Angeles. The music community is being so severely impacted but we will come together as an industry to support one another. Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause.”

If you’d like to contribute to the cause, you can do so by donating over at the MusiCares website. If by some stroke of misfortune you’re a musician or member of the music industry that needs assistance, you can either seek that help on the organization’s website or by contacting MusiCares at either [email protected] or 1-800-687-4227.