Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the Musicians Association of Albuquerque, Local 618 of The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. The AFM is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. Local 618 represents many of the finest professional musicians in New Mexico.

AFM members, who number over 90,000, perform all styles of music—alternative rock, classical, pop, gospel, jazz, country, folk, rock, big band, reggae, contemporary Christian, etc.. With such active members as Bruce Springsteen, Roberta Flack, Santana, Yo-Yo Ma, Sheila E, Suzanne Vega, The Goo Goo Dolls, Willie Nelson, and Branford Marsalis, there is a strong representation of major recording individuals and groups.

The AFM has been promoting and protecting professional musicians for over 110 years. The Musicians Association of Albuquerque has been serving New Mexico area musicians since 1915 (Local 618 was originally founded as The Musicians’ Protective Union on July 23, 1915). The former El Paso Local 466 musicians were merged with Local 618 in June of 2021. We continue to be an effective advocate for musicians’ rights in the workplace (be that a nightclub, a symphony stage, in a recording studio, or on tour). The AFM and Local 618 protect the recorded works musicians produce from being exploited, and protect our members live performances by providing several types of benefit programs that help them to build successful careers.

Members of Local 618 of the AFM are secure in knowing that their organization is actively lobbying to promote legislation and public awareness that protects musicians’ interests, negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the recording industry, motion picture industry, jingle industry, TV networks, National Public TV and Radio, and providing excellent wages and working conditions for its members.

Local 618 Jurisdictions

In New Mexico, all of the following counties: San Juan, Rio Arriba, Taos, Colfax, Union, McKinley, Sandoval, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Mora, San Miguel, Harding, Valencia, Bernalillo, Torrance, Guadalupe, Quay, Catron, Socorro, and Cibola, Grant, Sierra, Luna, Dona Ana, Otero, Lincoln, DeBaca, Chaves, Eddy, Roosevelt, Curry and Lea.

In Texas, all of the following counties: El Paso, Hudspeth, Winkler, Crane, Culberson, Loving, Ward, Reeves, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio and Brewster.