About HeadCount
- Who's Who in HeadCount
- What is HeadCount?
- Board of Directors
- Who runs HeadCount?
- What has HeadCount done so far?
- Why mix music and politics?
- Where do you get your funding?
- What does the future hold for HeadCount?
- How do I get involved?
What is HeadCount?
We are a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization devoted to voter registration and participation in democracy. We were created in 2004 by a group of artists, music industry professionals and fans, all determined to make sure the live music community is well-represented at the polls.
Board of Directors
Andy Gadiel – Jambase
Richard Goodstone – Superfly Presents
Vince Herman – Leftover Salmon
Jonathan Levine – Monterey Peninsula Artists
Dave Margulies – High Sierra
Nadia Prescher – Madison House
Stefani Scamardo – Hard Head
Al Schnier – moe.
Jonathan Schwartz – Relix
Pete Shapiro – The Jammys
Steve Simon – Simon Equity Partners
Bob Weir – The Dead
Who runs HeadCount?
The Co-chairs of the organization are Marc Brownstein, bass player of The Disco Biscuits, and Andy Bernstein, author of the Phish fan guide The Pharmer's Almanac. They are joined by a board of directors that includes Bob Weir of The Dead, Al Schnier of moe., the people behind Relix Magazine, JamBase and Bonnaroo, and other important behind-the-scenes purveyors of live music. But at the core of the organization are its volunteers, a team of people spread throughout the country who run every aspect of HeadCount. See Who's Who in HeadCount.
What has HeadCount done so far?
We've registered over 60,000 voters – more than any all-volunteer group in the country– and also produced nationally televised public service announcements. We set an all-time record for voter registrations generated on a single concert tour by registering over 12,000 people at Dave Matthews Band shows in 2004. Other artists we've worked with include Phish, The Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, O.A.R, The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, String Cheese Incident and Umphrey's McGee. For these efforts we were recognized with the 2005 Mimi Fishman Jammy Award for Community Service.
Why mix music and politics?
We believe that music, expression and freedom are all intrinsically intertwined. Our community can trace its roots back to the 1960s counterculture, with a sense of higher purpose that can still be felt today. Many artists and fans have strong convictions and a deep personal belief in democracy. We created an organizational structure to channel those beliefs into action.
Where do you get your funding?
The majority of our funding comes from performing artists and artist-based charitable foundations, including The Bama Works Foundation (Dave Matthews Band), The Rex Foundation, Unbroken Chain Foundation and Further Foundation (all affiliated with the Grateful Dead) and the Relix Magazine "Wear Your Music" program. We also have staged benefit concerts, and created a limited edition poster with photos of our featured artists. Several private benefactors have also lent generous support.
What does the future hold for HeadCount?
In 2008, we hope to send voter registration teams on up to a dozen major concert tours, registering 200,000 new voters. We also aim to become more than a voter registration organization, evolving into "the community organizing arm of the live music scene." Our mission is to give every socially-conscious music fan an outlet for his or her passions, working with artists and volunteers to stage political, environmental, and charitable activity throughout the United States.
How do I get involved?
Click here to volunteer for HeadCount. We'll be in touch about opportunities to register voters at specific concerts. Our schedule will be light in 2007, limited to a few major festivals. But in 2008 we'll have a presence at hundreds of concerts and will be enlisting literally thousands of volunteers, while hiring a few part-time and full-time employees. If you are interested in a leadership position, please join us this year. Be aware that volunteering for HeadCount is very demanding. We expect our volunteers to be reliable, professional, and show good judgment at all times. Drinking, drugs and being a slacker is not part of the HeadCount experience. Volunteering for HeadCount is an avenue for people to give something back to the community, while achieving their own full potential. If that's the kind of challenge you're looking for, then sign up!
