Formation 1957 President Neil Portnow Type of business Music organization | Official language English Founded 1957 | |
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Location 3030 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, California 90404 Affiliations MusiCares
Grammy Foundation
Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Headquarters Santa Monica, California, United States Profiles | ||
The Recording Academy (formerly the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences or NARAS) is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals. The Recording Academy is headquartered in Santa Monica. Neil Portnow is the current president of The Academy.
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The Recording Academy, which began in 1957, is known for its Grammy Awards. In 1997, the Recording Academy launched The Latin Recording Academy, which produces the Latin Grammy Awards. Michael Greene was the founder and the first President of the Latin Grammys.
History
The origin of the Academy dates back to the beginning of the 1950s Hollywood Walk of Fame project. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce asked the help of major recording industry executives in compiling a list of people in the music business who should be honored by Walk of Fame stars. The music committee, made up of these executives, compiled a list, but as they worked, they realized there were many more talented industry people who would not qualify to be recognized with a Hollywood Boulevard bronze star. The founding committee members included Jesse Kaye, MGM Records; Lloyd Dunn and Richard Jones, Capitol Records; Sonny Burke and Milt Gabler, Decca Records; Dennis Farnon, RCA Records; and Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, and Doris Day from Columbia Records. This was the start of the Academy and also of the Grammy Awards.
Producers & Engineers Wing
The Producers and Engineers Wing (P&E Wing) is a part of the academy made up of producers, engineers, mixers, and other technically involved professionals. It is composed of almost 6,000 members. The producers and engineers wing addresses various aspects of issues facing the recording profession. They also support music and recording arts education. The P&E Wing also advocates for the use of professional usage of recording technology as well as the preservation of recordings.
The members of this division make up a large portion of those who vote on the Grammy Awards each year.
Grammy University Network (Grammy U)
The Grammy University Network (Grammy U) is an organization for college students who are pursuing a career in the music industry. It offers forms of networking, interactive educational experiences and programs, advice from music professionals and internship opportunities.
MusiCares
The Recording Academy supports the MusiCares Foundation, a philanthropic organization which provides money and services to musicians in an emergency or crisis.
Chapters
The Academy has twelve chapters in various locations in the United States. The twelve chapters are; Atlanta, Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, New York City, Pacific Northwest, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Texas and Washington D.C.