Learn all about the Austin Federation of Musicians –– how it works, what benefits it provides for freelance musicians, and why you may not know it exists.
Read more about the Musicians Union
Check out Tell Tchaikovsky The News
Episodes
June 17, 2025
Doing all the things: The new blueprint for making a living in music
Pay for musicians in Austin has stayed the same for decades, and streaming often doesn’t bring in my money. So if you can’t make money playing music and you can’t make money selling music, what can you do? You’ll hear how Sara L. Houser, Chinasa Broxton and Carlos Dashawn Daniels Moore from Tribe Mafia, and […]
Listen
June 3, 2025
Season 6 of Pause Play starts June 17th!
The world is shifting faster than ever, and for many, the future feels more uncertain than clear. In season six of Pause/Play, we are taking a look at the future of Austin’s music scene.
Listen
September 4, 2024
Don’t Austin My Lockhart: How Austin musicians seeking affordability are impacting surrounding towns
We’re looking at what happens to small towns like Lockhart when a bunch of Austin musicians seeking affordable places to live move there. You’ll hear from musician Emily Gimble, musician and co-owner of Fiddler’s Green Jenn Miori Hodges, co-founders Courthouse Nights and Rach and Rhodes presents Rachel Lingvai and Will Rhodes, musician Pierson Saxon and […]
Listen
August 21, 2024
How SXSW went from an Austin festival to an international experience
SXSW started in 1987 as a regional music festival in Austin. You’ll hear how it started and how it changed over the years from the perspectives of some of the musicians who’ve played it, and what’s next for the festival.
Listen
August 7, 2024
Pause/Play is taking a quick break
There should be a new episode of Pause/Play this week. But, we got hit by a mix of travel, COVID, and unforeseen circumstances. So there’s no episode right now. But there will be in two weeks! In the next episode, you’ll hear about the history of SXSW, and how it’s changed over the years. And […]
Listen
July 24, 2024
An Austin Artist’s Guide to Success: Part 2
The latest episode of Pause/Play is part two of an Austin Artist’s Guide to Success. You’ll hear from many people in the everchanging Austin music scene about their tips and tricks for making it here. You’ll hear about the role of streaming in an artist’s career, what makes a great artist and advice from people […]
Listen
July 10, 2024
An Austin Artist’s Guide to Success: Part 1
The latest episode of Pause/Play is an Austin Artist’s Guide to Success. You’ll hear from many people in the everchanging Austin music scene about their tips and tricks for making here.
Listen
June 26, 2024
Who owns Austin’s venues, how it’s changed, and why it matters.
20 years ago, most of Austin’s venues were independently and locally run. But, over time corporations like Live Nation and Oak View Group have entered Austin’s venue landscape. Discover how that happened, and hear what that means for our live music ecosystem.
Listen
