Because of the overwhelming support from our event sponsors, supporters, and attendees, HAAM raised a record-breaking $275,000 at the annual Corporate Battle of the Bands at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. That’s nearly $2 million in healthcare services for the musicians that HAAM serves!

It is HAAM Music Monday powered by FVF Law, and HAAM + We Are Austin are so excited to bring this next Austin artist to the stage. Ferera Swan wrote her first song at the age of ten, a sign of the immense talent to come. Today she is a powerhouse singer, songwriter, violinist, pianist and composer. Ferera uses her music to champion adoptee rights and social change, and today she’s accompanied by Tony Rogers on the cello.

Today CBS Austin’s WE ARE AUSTIN launches a new era in their weekly music series, now benefitting HAAM, and powered by FVF Law. Trevor Scott sat down with our friends Josh Fogelman, Founder of FVF Law, and Rikki Hardy, HAAM’s VP of Donor Relations and Community Engagement to talk more about this exciting new partnership.

This Fall saw new faces at the HAAM office. Three undergraduate interns - Lillian Russell (St. Edward’s University), Jude Hill (St. Edward’s University), and Thomas Philip (The University of Texas at Austin) - joined the HAAM team, working in outreach & enrollment, and marketing & communications.

Birds Barbershop & Feels So Good (FSG) Presents GOOD HAIR DAY (benefitting HAAM) on Sunday, October 22, 2023, from 3pm-10pm. Taking place at FSG, Where: FSG, the event includes live concerts, a vendor market, food trucks, and a free bar, with all proceeds benefiting HAAM!

In celebration of Buddy Holly's 87th birthday, West Texas Exiles are bringing the festivities! 10% from the door will be donated to HAAM. Line up includes: West Texas Exiles, Noivas, Natalie Price, Alex Ruiz, Graham Weber, Katrina Cain, Tammy Lynn Gilmore, William Wallace, Shawnee Kilgore and Bruce Smith.

HAAM is currently implementing focus groups and feedback sessions with musicians thanks to the assistance of a recent grant from the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF). This grant from EHF provides funding, staffing, and resources to assist in supporting musicians of color, nonbinary individuals, and female-identifying musicians who often face challenges in accessing health insurance and healthcare services. This grant is crucial for HAAM’s work to better serve Greater Austin’s traditionally underserved, under-represented communities suffering from centuries of healthcare inequalities which continue to this day.

Join Betty Soo and friends for an intimate evening of music. No electric instruments. Just pure sounds and pure talent. 5% of proceeds will be donated to HAAM. Line up includes: Marcus Lee, Amethyst Jonquille, Gilad Bogner, Drew Preston, and the incredible BettySoo! Along with these amazing artists, they will be backed up by the phenomenal "Secret Menu".

Marcela Antonioli, LPC-I is one of HAAM’s Program Coordinators and assists HAAM’s  musicians, DJs and music teachers with navigation of healthcare services.   Marcela coordinates HAAM’s vision program, mind and body program, hearing health services and supports HAAM’s prescription assistance and community outreach efforts.

On Wednesday, June 7, HAAM raised more than $255,000 during the 2023 annual Corporate Battle of the Bands, presented by Cirrus Logic with stage sponsors, H-E-B, Netspend, and PNC Bank, exceeding last year’s total of $227,000. Bands were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in front of a live audience at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Funds raised go directly toward providing healthcare services for the musicians HAAM serves.

HAAM is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth Annual “Pride in Local Music” — a full scale outdoor live music and creative festival event celebrating the rainbow heartbeat of our town, known for our live music scene. The 4th Annual Pride in Local Music will be a 4th Street Block party with a full-street closure featuring a HAAM sponsored stage, with performances by several HAAM musicians. 

Join us in celebrating some our our newest 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands supporting sponsors, Opry Entertainment Group , ABC Home & Commercial Services, FBR Management, C3 Presents, SXSW, and NOW CFO.

On 6/13/2023, the Generations of Austin musicians concert featuring family bands: the Roddy Family, the Jarmon Family and the Buck Family, Bill Kirchen & the Hell Hounds and Mike Bova's Pleasure Seekers takes place at Sagebrush! Tickets: $10 cash at the door, wherein a portion of ticket sales benefit HAAM.

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Violet Lea (Madam Radar, PAACK) was working as a full-time musician in South Korea when her life was turned upside down by an undiagnosed skin condition. She eventually moved to Austin when she learned about HAAM and our mission to assist musicians like herself who are in need of healthcare navigation and assistance. Every single HAAM donor, every single HAAM donation, leads to life-saving medical success stories like Violet’s. “It's just incredible that we live in a city that offers healthcare to musicians. I have so many friends that suffer because they just can't afford to go get a tooth fixed, or go to the doctor. It breaks my heart and I just feel so grateful that I have HAAM. It makes me really emotional to think about it because I lived so long without health insurance. I can’t thank HAAM enough!”

Meet Austin-based soul & funk band Tomar and the FCs. The band will provide a special performance during the judge’s deliberations at 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. Immediately after the judge’s deliberations, vocalist Tomar Williams will announce the winners after their performance.

Watch this space in the weeks to come as we provide some bio highlights for the participating acts in our 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. This week we highlight the 2022 Best Band award winner Noella Grey and The Imaginary Band (from band sponsor Ascension Seton, pictured here) and co-winner of Best Song in 2022, The Mag Stripes (from stage sponsor Netspend). 

Watch this space in the weeks to come as we provide some bio highlights (serious and silly) for the participating acts in our 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. This week we highlight The Haptics ( formerly known as ReUnion Jacked from Cirrus Logic, Knuckle Sammich (from H-E-B, pictured here), and Useless Amenities (from Cushman & Wakefield).

During National Volunteer Week, HAAM would like to spotlight volunteer extraordinaire Paul Gonzales. When he's not playing in tennis league tournaments or working as a real estate broker, you can spot native Austinite Gonzales out attending concerts with his family or volunteering with HAAM as one of our HAAMbassadors. HAAMbassadors are a vital part of HAAM's community outreach, serving as frontline ambassadors to the thousands of Central Texans attending events year-round that benefit HAAM. We recently caught up with Gonzales to discuss his story of becoming a HAAMbassador, why he thinks HAAM is important for the culture of Austin, and why he has more volunteer hours during the last 5 years than any other volunteer!

This year, HAAM and Estes Audiology celebrate 15 years of partnership and the Hear Clinics for HAAM musicians. Established in 2008, the collaboration between HAAM and Estes Audiology provides hearing screenings, individual counseling on conservation and protection, as well as custom-fit filtered earplugs.

On Thursday, March 2, HAAM hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of its newly renovated, permanent home in Austin. Last year, HAAM announced the purchase of a 7,134 square foot office building in Central Austin – 3036 South 1st Street. This purchase was put into motion following a generous legacy gift from Robin and Bud Shivers. Robin Shivers founded HAAM in 2005 to address the healthcare needs of low-income working Austin musicians.