During our latest Plugged In earlier this month, we went “behind the lens” with iconic rock and roll photographer, Neal Preston. Neal is one of the most highly respected photographers in the history of the music business.  And one of the humblest. His career in photography has spanned over four decades and his archive stands as one of the most elite and extensive photographic collections in the music industry. His photos have appeared on the covers and pages of world-class magazines, newspapers, books, on television shows, in feature films and documentaries; today he remains the most-assigned photographer in the history of People magazine.

His work has been displayed in institutions across the globe and is included in the permanent collection at Yankee Stadium in New York. Nearly 100 of his photographs adorn the walls of the Forum in Inglewood, California.

On this particular Friday evening, Neal graced the audience with an engaging tell-all glimpse into his collection of famous, awe-inspiring photos of Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Who, KISS, Stevie Nicks, and many other members of rock ‘n’ roll royalty. Our Executive Director, Nurit Smith, served as the evening’s host as Neal shared some of his favorite shots which were accompanied by his behind-the-scenes stories around each of the captured moments.

Attendees were taken down a path of musical history and encouraged to ask their own burning questions about the artists captured through Neal’s lens, documenting critical cultural moments of our time. He was the only photographer onstage when Queen performed at Live Aid! t was through these answers that some of Neal’s closest friendships like that with Cameron Crowe were revealed as he shared behind-the-scenes photos from the set of Crowe’s fan-favorite film “Almost Famous” and, also, a photo of the current Broadway cast.

These special Plugged In events are just one of the ways that Music Forward connects our donors and Alliance members to the music industry. In addition to receiving special communications, playlists, and networking opportunities, Alliance members receive a front row seat to exclusive Music Forward events where they can connect directly to industry icons and other like-minded music fans and supporters.

We look forward to continuing our Plugged In series as a thank you to everyone who supports our mission of transforming lives, inspiring careers, and championing a more inclusive music industry. Become an Alliance member today and receive an exclusive invite to the next event!

Interested in being invited to future Plugged In events or joining our Music Forward Alliance? Learn more and become a sustaining donor today! 

The Music Forward Alliance is our new annual membership program that offers those who join a way to unite with our mission and goals through exclusive benefits, distinctive engagements and meaningful mentorship opportunities.

The Alliance offers supporters a unique and powerful way to bridge community to the music industry. As a Music Forward Alliance member, you will get direct, exclusive access to connect with young professionals, seasoned industry experts, executives, and artists; attend events where you can be among the first to see talented emerging artists perform; and, receive advanced invitations to speak directly to and inspire youth participants at our workshops, panels, and performances. Your support will offer you authentic connections that will make an impact on you, our program participants, and the music industry as a whole.

“What [contributing] does and why I was happy to do it, is that it gives our employees a sense of giving back, meaning, sharing and mentoring. All of those things give us purpose and really at the end of the day, whether we choose to admit it or not, having purpose in what we do is the real prime directive for happiness, contentment and fulfillment.” – Kelly Vaught, Principal & CMO BeCore and Music Forward Alliance member

So how do you join?

Step 1: Review membership level options on the Music Forward Alliance page. 

Alliance levels start with the Student level at just $4 a month ($50 year). As a Student member, your support helps equip five youth with materials to master an intensive music industry career fair. At the Professional level ($500 year), you can give an entire class the opportunity to experience a workshop-fueled industry career festival. With our highest Spotlight Circle level of $5,000 year, you’ll enable Music Forward to send 400 youth on a field trip to discover off-stage music industry professions like sound engineering, venue management, music marketing, and more!

Step 2: After deciding what membership level is right for you, click “Join the Alliance” at the top of the page.

This will take you to the Music Forward Alliance membership form.

1. Select the membership level
2. Fill out your Donor Profile
3. Fill in your Payment Info
4. Click Submit. Welcome to the Music Forward Alliance!

Your commitment will be an essential part of enabling us to transform lives, inspire careers, and champion a more inclusive music industry together. Welcome to the Music Forward Family!

For questions about the Alliance or Music Forward’s work in the community, email development@hobmusicforward.org.