Like so many other individuals and organizations, Future of Music Coalition is saddened beyond words at the devastation visited upon Haiti by the recent earthquake. Events like the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina make us realize just how precarious our place on this planet is. But it also presents an opportunity for humanity to come together to help alleviate any amount of suffering that we possibly can.

Our friends at Air Traffic Control — who have worked with us in improving the lives of New Orleans artists struggling in the wake of Katrina — just sent this very useful roundup of ways to help. Musicians are especially encouraged to spread the word through their websites and social networks. Let people know what they can do to aid Haiti in this tremendous time of need.

IMMEDIATE SUPPORT:

Established disaster recovery organizations and national governments have been mobilized. These organizations are also raising funds for relief efforts:

1. Donate and let your fans know how they can donate: Spread the word via band website/email/text/twitter/social networks etc. Feel free to rewrite the below suggested text or post as is.

2. Suggested Twitter text: Please RT: Support the Earthquake Relief Efforts in Haiti by making a donation to Oxfam’s Response Fund http://rev.ms/303

3. Suggested text for band websites + social network pages: On January 12, 2010, at 4:53pm local time, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, approximately 10 miles from Port-au-Prince. Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people are feared dead, as the capital city has been devastated. You can help. Make a donation to one of these incredible and long-standing organizations in Haiti. They have distributed staff in country now, but most importantly, they are well positioned to aid in the long-term recovery effort.

Partners in Health: http://www.pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html> Fonkoze: http://fonkoze.org/ The Lambi Fund of Haiti: http://www.lambifund.org/ read more

As you probably know, FMC exists to improve the lives of musicians. This holiday season, we wanted to highlight our efforts in New Orleans, where too many artists are still struggling years after Hurricane Katrina drove many from their homes and communities.

Since the storm, FMC and our partners have been doing our part to make things better for Big Easy musicians. Each year, we bring a group of artists from around the country to New Orleans to witness community rebuilding efforts firsthand. Over the years, we’ve been honored to share in this important work with such amazing artists as brass sensations Bonerama, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, the Nightwatchman, Street Sweeper Social Club), Mike Mills (R.E.M.) OK Go, Erin McKeown, Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket), Kimya Dawson, Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad, Public Enemy), Alec Ounsworth (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), Nicole Atkins, Wayne Kramer (MC5), and many more.

You can us help them keep up this important work by making a tax-free contribution to Future of Music Coalition. read more

On July 8, FMC will participate in a “HealthCare Remix” Discussion on Reform at the Service Employees International Union in Washington DC. For our part of the conversation, we’ll describe the Health Insurance Navigation Tool (HINT) — a free service that provides musicians with high-quality one-on-one info about their health insurance options, from a fellow musician/health insurance expert. read more

We at FMC are always psyched when we hear about artists making DIY work for them. Although you can’t paint with one brush when it comes to musicians — many have wonderful relationships with their labels — it’s clear that today’s performers don’t need big-time backing to make a record and get it out there. Case in point: Erin McKeown. read more