Our Mission
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems.
Music makes our lives, and the events in our lives, special and memorable. While few find fame and fortune, most musicians remain in the field for their love and passion of music. The choice an individual makes to be a professional musician is one of sacrifice. The average income across the various employment options, while accounting for the part-time nature of most opportunities, is less than $25,000 annually. Over 65% of professional musicians do not have health insurance. Since the mid 1960s (Post Beatles) the number of individuals choosing music as a career has grown exponentially. Previous to this time, most professionals were either orchestra and classical players or jazz and blues artists. The explosion of pop, rock and country career musicians over a 20-year period in the U.S. has represented an artistic and cultural revolution.
The financial hardship a working musician faces when dealing with illness or disability is a constant, but we now also face a burgeoning elder population of artists with little or no resources available for such emergency situations.
Music makes our lives, and the events in our lives, special and memorable. While few find fame and fortune, most musicians remain in the field for their love and passion of music. The choice an individual makes to be a professional musician is one of sacrifice. The average income across the various employment options, while accounting for the part-time nature of most opportunities, is less than $25,000 annually. Over 65% of professional musicians do not have health insurance. Since the mid 1960s (Post Beatles) the number of individuals choosing music as a career has grown exponentially. Previous to this time, most professionals were either orchestra and classical players or jazz and blues artists. The explosion of pop, rock and country career musicians over a 20-year period in the U.S. has represented an artistic and cultural revolution.
The financial hardship a working musician faces when dealing with illness or disability is a constant, but we now also face a burgeoning elder population of artists with little or no resources available for such emergency situations.
Who We Are
In 1994, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund was incorporated as a 501C3 nonprofit charity, and has since been offering vital assistance to professional musical artists in need. Sweet Relief is a resource for music industry professionals, providing emergency financial assistance and other forms of support to career musicians, road crew and anyone who makes the majority of their income in the music business.
Our Founder
Sweet Relief was founded by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams in 1994. Victoria, while on a career-making tour with Neil Young was forced to drop off mid-schedule after experiencing unexplained debilitating symptoms. A long and painful diagnostic process revealed she had multiple sclerosis.
After her diagnosis, a group of friends assembled an all-star album of Victoria’s songs, Sweet Relief, which alleviated much of her medical debt. Vic, aware that there were many musicians like her -unable to afford medical expenses and compromised in their ability to work- donated some of her proceeds from the album to found Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
The name of the fund derives from a song of Victoria’s, Opelousas (Sweet Relief) and the fact that we do provide sweet relief in the form of financial assistance to many musicians who would otherwise be in untenable predicaments.
After her diagnosis, a group of friends assembled an all-star album of Victoria’s songs, Sweet Relief, which alleviated much of her medical debt. Vic, aware that there were many musicians like her -unable to afford medical expenses and compromised in their ability to work- donated some of her proceeds from the album to found Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
The name of the fund derives from a song of Victoria’s, Opelousas (Sweet Relief) and the fact that we do provide sweet relief in the form of financial assistance to many musicians who would otherwise be in untenable predicaments.
What We Do
General Musicians, Regional & Musical Genre Funds for Medical & Personal Welfare
As a non-profit dedicated to musicians and music-industry workers, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems since 1994. Grant recipients include recording artists, club and session musicians, composers & songwriters from across the country, road crew, agents, managers and many others.
Sweet Relief grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing costs, food costs, utilities, and other basic necessities.
Even if a grant recipient has private or publicly funded health care, they often require assistance. We have aided people suffering from a wide range of conditions including: Spinal Cord Injury, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Kidney and Liver Diseases, Strokes and Head injuries, Mental illness and Psychological disorders and Cardiopulmonary Illnesses. We also assist elderly musicians, regardless of the medical condition, who are experiencing financial hardship. Grants typically range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per qualifying individual. Artists applying for assistance must represent a significant professional music history and demonstrate financial hardship with accompanying documentation.
Outreach and Resources Development Program
Sweet Relief offers assistance to all who reach out. While financial grants may not be available to every applicant, other informational resources, counseling, and financial services are available. Health and welfare information for every region in the country is available to applicants who reach to Sweet Relief. Referrals to other entertainment charities and their services is freely shared. Additional resources such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, clinics, therapists and career counselors are all utilized to bring a larger and deeper solution to the challenges our constituency faces.
As a non-profit dedicated to musicians and music-industry workers, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems since 1994. Grant recipients include recording artists, club and session musicians, composers & songwriters from across the country, road crew, agents, managers and many others.
Sweet Relief grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing costs, food costs, utilities, and other basic necessities.
Even if a grant recipient has private or publicly funded health care, they often require assistance. We have aided people suffering from a wide range of conditions including: Spinal Cord Injury, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Kidney and Liver Diseases, Strokes and Head injuries, Mental illness and Psychological disorders and Cardiopulmonary Illnesses. We also assist elderly musicians, regardless of the medical condition, who are experiencing financial hardship. Grants typically range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per qualifying individual. Artists applying for assistance must represent a significant professional music history and demonstrate financial hardship with accompanying documentation.
Outreach and Resources Development Program
Sweet Relief offers assistance to all who reach out. While financial grants may not be available to every applicant, other informational resources, counseling, and financial services are available. Health and welfare information for every region in the country is available to applicants who reach to Sweet Relief. Referrals to other entertainment charities and their services is freely shared. Additional resources such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, clinics, therapists and career counselors are all utilized to bring a larger and deeper solution to the challenges our constituency faces.
Who We Help
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides services and financial assistance for all types of career musicians and music industry professionals . Financial grants are paid directly to medical providers, hospitals, and other third party entities. Assistance is available to artists from any musical genre located in the U.S. and Canada.
Read about Sweet Relief’s qualifying guidelines on our Request Assistance page.
To view more information about our designated artist funds & ongoing projects, click HERE.
Read about Sweet Relief’s qualifying guidelines on our Request Assistance page.
To view more information about our designated artist funds & ongoing projects, click HERE.
