Of Montreal, Frankie Cosmos, Speedy Ortiz, Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, Geoff Rickly of Thursday and Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo are just some of the musicians who have signed a new letter calling Congress to provide more aid to musicians who have been financially affected during the global pandemic.
Put together by the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW), they are seeking an extension on the CARES Act unemployment benefits regardless of immigration status, national rent and mortgage cancellation, emergency supplemental funding, expanded Medicare, USPS funding.
“Many of us have been out of work since early March,” the letter said. “Even when we receive the promised benefits, it will be too little and too late to survive the catastrophe facing our industry.”
The letter also added that “Musicians and artists perform labor that provides entertainment, comfort, and meaning, for countless Americans, particularly during quarantine. If we are to continue producing through this crisis and afterward, we must have rights, respect, and immediate economic relief.”

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Erica Dawn Lyle of Bikini Kill and AquaShade, Eve 6, Sammus, Downtown Boys, DJ Haram, Gauche, Harry and the Potters, Dogbreath, Potty Mouth, Mutual Benefit, Algiers, Half Waif, Diet Cig, Hether Fortune and Zola Jesus have also signed the letter.
You can read and sign the letter here.
A few months ago, another group of musicians signed a letter urging Congress to support creatives with unemployment benefits as the pandemic began to rage.