ATLANTA FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS

BRUCE KENNEY joined the Atlanta Federation of Musicians in 1985, and has served as President since 2015. He first joined the AFM Houston local in 1975, working as a bass guitarist. Shifting to orchestral work as a French horn player, he eventually joined the Atlanta Symphony.

His freelance years depended on per service income in pop and classical performance. Working freelancers in all genres stand to benefit greatly from collaborative thinking, and the AFM provides the needed structure. For specific workplaces, AFM collective bargaining agreements further solidify terms of employment.

His goal as President is to get the right conversations in progress so that musicians can decide how best to deal with the concerns of their professional lives. He encourages the Board to examine, with an open mind, ways to identify and inspire these voices.

CHRISTINA OTTAVIANO has been Secretary of the Atlanta Federation of Musicians since 2012 and Secretary-Treasurer since 2018. Previously, she served as Local Executive Board Director and ROPA Delegate for the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. Christina received her Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance from the New England Conservatory and Master of Music from the University of Georgia. She performed as a member of the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and the Columbus Symphony for over a decade. Her students have gone on to pursue degrees at Florida State University, the University of South Carolina, and Boston Conservatory. A runner, baker, gamer, and accounting student, Christina currently lives in Cumming with her husband and young son.

BRANDON BUSH has performed on 100s of recordings including GRAMMY® Award nominated and winning releases by John Mayer, Sugarland, and Shawn Mullins. As a former member of the rock band Train, Brandon toured the world indulging in his life long fantasy of performing a keyboard solo on a smoke emitting Moog synthesizer. He has composed and music directed for theatrical productions of “Approval Junkie”, “Shakespeare In Love” and the world premier musical “Troubadour” at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, GA. In addition to scoring recent podcasts, “Gangster House” and “The Baron of Botox”, he has provided original music for TCM and the Food Network. Currently, Bush is touring as the keyboardist with Sugarland and as the music director for his brother Kristian Bush. He manages the Atlanta based music collective Songs of the Architect.

Guitarist BILL HATCHER is an Atlanta-based musician who’s been performing in Atlanta since 1974. He’s performed with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet, Alliance Theater and numerous others. As a studio musician, Hatcher has performed on more than 3,000 local recording sessions. He is a life member in local 148-462 and has served as an executive board member for many years.

JOHN MCCUTCHEON is a nearly-50-year veteran of the US folk music scene. A songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, author, actor, an international touring artist, and long-time labor activist. His is a recording artist with over 40 albums to his credit, including 6 Grammy award nominations. His song “Christmas in the Trenches was named “one of the 100 essential folksongs” by Folk Alley. He is a much-in demand workshop leader and is considered one of the world masters of the hammer dulcimer. He has an extensive collection of field recordings from around the world in the Archive of American Folksong in the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress.

McCutcheon was one of the co-founders of AFM Local 1000 and served as its president for fifteen years. He is a 2-term Local Executive Board member of 148-462 and serves on its Organizing Task Force, Fair Trade Music Committee and Solidarity Team.

He is a resident of Smoke Rise, GA where he lives with his wife, author Carmen Agra Deedy and is the doting grandfather of five.

ERIC FERGUSON is an AFM life member and previously a member of Actor’s Equity Association. As Bassist for Ronnie Hawkins’ band in the early 1970’s, Eric performed in Toronto and London Ontario, as well as on Kenny Rogers’ variety show ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER. His sideman credits also include recording artists John David Souther, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Lonnie Mack, Sir Douglas Quintet, The Shirelles, King Biscuit Boy, and Kinky Friedman. At the Chautauqua Institution, Eric was a featured vocalist and backed up an array of Grand Ole Opry members in Minnie Pearl’s country revue. In professional theatre, he has played bass in THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, BIG RIVER, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, A FUNNY YHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, DELLA’S DINER 6, SHREW THE MUSICAL, TWELFTH NIGHT THE MUSICAL and others. Eric was bassist/conductor for BEEHIVE starring Mary Wilson, and bassist/music director for numerous productions of PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES. He most recently performed with America’s Got Talent 1st prize winner Michael Grimm at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Previous to AFM Local 148-462, he was a member of locals 92 and 802. Eric was Director of Public Relations at 148-462, and ran the in-house signatory booking agency. He subsequently served on the LEB up to the present time. The most important element in all of these events is a deep sense of gratitude to have performed with so many great musicians, and to be part of the AFM.

The American Federation of Musicians has been an important part of MARY KENNEY's life since she first joined in 1978. She is a free lance cellist and member of both the Opera and Ballet Orchestras, joining the Union Board in 1998.She has actively participated in orchestra players committees, ROPA, CBA negotiations, modernizing our building and most recently, efforts of the Solidarity Team and Organizing Task Force. Through it all - management lockouts, picket lines, CBA negotiations, long fought for gains in pay and working conditions and some amazing performance opportunities, she has remained committed to our shared objectives.