Songwriter/producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will be among the honorees at the 2021 Grammys on the Hill event, which is set for Sept. 22 at the Hamilton Live in Washington D.C. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Grammys on the Hill, which brings together congressional leaders and music makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators’ rights.
This year’s awards dinner and presentation will feature a live performance by Jam & Lewis and additional special guests. The Congressional honorees are Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX).
Jam & Lewis are five-time Grammy winners. They won the 1986 award for producer of the year, non-classical and have been nominated in that category 11 times, more than any other producer or production team since the category was introduced in 1974.
Their four other Grammys span R&B categories (for Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes” and Chaka Khan’s Funk This), dance (Jackson’s “All for You”) and gospel (Yolanda Adams’ “Be Blessed”).
Jam & Lewis are also known for songs by such artists as Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, George Michael and Usher. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017.
Jam & Lewis recently released their debut album as artists, Jam and Lewis, Volume One. After meeting in middle school, the two later played with the seminal Morris Day & The Time. In 1982, on a handshake, the pair opened Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc., which included their own studio and publishing and eventually their record label Perspective, which turns 30 this year.
Reps. Deutch and McCaul will be honored for supporting legislation that ensures fair treatment for music creators. Deutch is lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, if passed, would pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation, including the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring music production in line with other industries.
“The pandemic has shown us just how crucial it is for the Academy and Congress to work together to find equitable solutions that protect the music community,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the legislators and artists who have improved the environment for creators with the return of Grammys on the Hill.”
Over the past 20 years, Grammys on the Hill has hosted such artists as Yolanda Adams, Garth Brooks, Quincy Jones, John Mayer and Missy Elliott, as well as such political leaders as Joe Biden, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Orrin Hatch, John McCain and Nancy Pelosi.
The annual advocacy event has also led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act.
A statement stresses that “The event will follow all necessary COVID-19 precautions, safety guidelines and requirements set forth by health officials.”
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