LOS ANGELES (Recording Academy) - The Recording Academy and its
Texas Chapter will present several panels and events during this year's 20th anniversary of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW)
Music Conference in Austin, Texas. On Thursday, March 16, Up Close & Personal with four-time GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam, moderated by guitarist/songwriter/producer Charlie Sexton, will take place at the Four Seasons Austin (Grand Ballroom), in conjunction with the
Texas Chapter's Annual Membership Meeting; on Friday, March 17, Rock The House: The GRAMMY Town Hall will take place at the Austin Convention Center (Room 18); and March 15 – 17, The Recording Academy presents Seattle's KEXP-FM's Live Broadcast from SXSW 2006 at the "Austin City Limits" studio.
As part of the Texas Chapter's Annual Membership Meeting (Four Seasons Austin - Grand Ballroom) on Thursday, March 16, Up Close & Personal with Jimmy Jam will take a unique look at the career of this four-time GRAMMY winner, who comprises half of one of the most successful writing/producing teams in modern music history. With partner Terry Lewis, Jam has written and/or produced more than 50 Billboard No.1 songs on the Pop, R&B and Dance charts for a diverse array of artists including Sting, Robert Palmer, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Mary J. Blige, Yolanda Adams, Usher, and Janet Jackson. The discussion will be moderated by guitarist/songwriter/producer Charlie Sexton, who made his recording debut in 1985 at the age of 16. Soon after, he became an in-demand session player, recording with the likes of Ron Wood, Keith Richards, and Bob Dylan. A member of Austin's legendary Arc Angels, he also fronted his own Charlie Sexton Sextet and has written and/or produced for Dylan, Lucinda Williams and Edie Brickell, among many others. Additonally, the Chapter's Membership Meeting will feature musical performances by GRAMMY winners Yolanda Adams, David Lee Garza, Joel Guzman, and Sunny Sauceda.
On Friday, March 17, The Recording Academy and SXSW present Rock The House: The GRAMMY Town Hall (Austin Convention Center - Room 18), an advocacy panel that will explore decisions made every day by the U.S. House of Representatives that affect musicians. Rarely do musicians have the chance to question or challenge those in power, but at this GRAMMY Town Hall a panel of leading members of Congress and musicians will discuss and debate whether Congress is helping or hurting artists. Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn,), Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas), Stephanie Herseth (D-S.D.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), and GRAMMY-winning writer/producer Jimmy Jam, among others, are scheduled to participate.
And from March 15 – 17, The Recording Academy will present Seattle radio station KEXP-FM's Live Broadcast from SXSW at the Austin City limits studio at KLRU-TV. The three-day event features live performances by Billy Bragg, Drive-By Truckers, Editors, Jose Gonzales, Tapes 'n Tapes, the Rogers Sisters, Silversun Pickups, and more. Performances take place from 2 – 8 p.m. and will be streamed at www.kexp.org.
