ATLANTA FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS

BRUCE KENNEY joined the Atlanta Federation of Musicians in 1985, and has served as President since 2015. He first joined the AFM Houston local in 1975, working as a bass guitarist. Shifting to orchestral work as a French horn player, he eventually joined the Atlanta Symphony.

His freelance years depended on per service income in pop and classical performance. Working freelancers in all genres stand to benefit greatly from collaborative thinking, and the AFM provides the needed structure. For specific workplaces, AFM collective bargaining agreements further solidify terms of employment.

His goal as President is to get the right conversations in progress so that musicians can decide how best to deal with the concerns of their professional lives. He encourages the Board to examine, with an open mind, ways to identify and inspire these voices.

DR. JAMES HARDY PATTERSON earned his BA in Music from Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1957. In 1965 Dr. Patterson earned his Masters of Music Degree from the University of Michigan and in 2018 received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Morris Brown College. He received invitations from Congressman John Conyers, Jr. to participate (over the past six years) in the Congressional Black Caucus as Panelist, Moderator, and Conference Participant. He is a board member and 2020 Chairman of the Scholarship Committee of the Tuskegee Airmen, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Patterson is a lifetime voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy Awards), Delegate to the Atlanta-North Georgia labor Council, member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, and founder and CEO of the James Hardy Patterson Foundation, Inc.

"A Culture Is a Horrible Possession to lose."

- Dr. James H. Patterson

MICHAEL MOORE was raised in Decatur, GA, himself the son of long-time AFM member Bill Moore, and has been a working member of Local 148-462 since 1965 at the age of 15, when he worked a steady cocktail hour job on bass and guitar at the Hyatt Regency. He has been Principal Tuba in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 1968 and has been on the executive board of the Local since 1982. He also serves on the Local’s Finance Committee and is Treasurer of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players’ Association (ASOPA) and Treasurer Emeritus of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM). He is President and founder of the Atlanta Brass Society, Inc. and is tubist with the Atlanta Symphony Brass Quintet. Michael’s background in both classical and popular music has contributed to his understanding of the music industry and his willingness to serve the Local for nearly his lifetime.

BILL JOHNSTON is a violist, teacher, and musicians’ wellness expert whose work is fueled by his belief in the connection between beautiful movement and beautiful music. Praised for his “richly lyrical tone and expressive playing” (ArtsATL.com), Bill has performed widely as a soloist and chamber musician with appearances ranging from the San Jose Chamber Orchestra and Primrose International Viola Festival to festivals in Aspen, Sarasota, and Blossom. He is principal violist of The Atlanta Opera and performs regularly with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Bill specializes in helping motivated young violists develop into accomplished players who set ambitious goals and achieve them. Student successes include admission as viola majors to schools such as Indiana University, Boston University, and the Peabody Institute. He has served on the faculty at the University of Florida, and currently teaches in his private studio in Atlanta, coaches chamber music, and regularly presents masterclasses.

In addition to the viola, Bill also teaches musicians’ wellness. Clients ranging from middle school students to professional orchestral musicians and university professors have taken his Body Mapping courses to improve their quality of movement, enhance performance, and avoid injuries. He offers both in-person and online Body Mapping instruction in many formats, including private lessons, group courses, and guest workshops.

As a guest artist, Body Mapping instructor, and adjudicator, Bill has worked with musicians at more than forty universities, schools, and festivals including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Florida State University, University of Toronto, as well as the American Viola Society Festival. He often works with institutions to present tailored residencies that combine viola master classes and Body Mapping teaching, as well as solo and chamber performances.

Bill hails from Sarasota, Florida and earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. In his free time you may find him practicing Aikido or exploring Atlanta’s many wonderful parks with his Basset Hound.

MILKSHAKE MAYFIELD is Atlanta’s own jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist extraordinaire; a music legend. He is Atlanta's ambassador of jazz, and an Alpha Phi Alpha man (Clark Atlanta University Chapter), where he earned his BA in Music.

Among numerous other accolades and awards for his professionalism in jazz music and community outreach, Milkshake was recently awarded a Resolution from Georgia State Senator Gail Davenport. His band, The Milkshake Quintet (MSQ), was invited to perform at the 2023 Unity Jazz Concert Series at Emory University.

No matter which corner of the world Milkshake plays in, his followers recognize him by his distinctly authentic ’signature' sound, which has been heard globally. As a jazz fusion artist, he is skilled in blending polyrhythmic music in an improvised format. In contemporary music, straight-ahead jazz, bebop, funk, R&B, and pop, his audiences enjoys the diverse music. His performance style, fashion sense, and sound were highly influenced by the renowned jazz giants Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway (all of whom he had the pleasure of performing with).

Milkshake formed his quintet over 45 years ago, and to this day his sound stands out. His impressive and varied music performance portfolio has catapulted him to wide venues such as: Montreux International Jazz Festival, La Grande Parade de Jazz (Nice, France), Carnegie Hall, and the National Black Arts Festival (ATL).

Milkshake has shared the stage with: The S.O.S. Band, Bobby Byrd & The JB’s, Michael Franks, Alex Bugnon, Kevin Eubanks, Maysa, Jeff Lorber, Gladys Knight, Fred Wesley & The New JB’s, the late Freddy Cole, Rachelle Ferrell, and many others.

Milkshake garnered a cameo appearance in The Housewives of Atlanta and was a featured artist on WAGA Fox 5's Wednesday’s Child Adoption Hotline, as well as Jazz in School, which is the community outreach and workshop initiative sponsored by WCLK 91.9, Atlanta's jazz radio station. He mentors and has even given away instruments to aspiring young musicians.

Milkshake and his wife Christine, who is also a musician and vocalist, have performed on several Royal Caribbean Cruise line cruises across Europe. His jazz debut CD In My Time, was released in 2010 and he is currently working on other projects. He is also well known in his practice as a licensed apprentice in Mortuary Science.

JEANNE CARERE has been an active freelance flutist and Atlanta Federation of Musicians member for over 30 years. She currently plays Principal Flute with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and the Georgia Symphony. She also plays regularly with the Atlanta Pops and Pullman Pops. Jeanne has played many shows at the Fox Theater including Wicked, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and Fiddler on the Roof, just to name a few. She has played for greats such as Celine Dion, Ray Charles, Diana Krall, Elton John, Oleta Adams and many others. Recently, Jeanne was invited to play a limited engagement of the touring show of Into the Woods in Charlotte, NC starring Stephanie Block, Montego Glover and Gavin Creel.

In addition to Jeanne’s playing career, she has contracted musicians for Pullman Pops at Pullman Yards, The Eagles “Hotel California” Tour in Atlanta in 2022 at State Farm Arena,

operatic sensation Jessye Norman, and many other single engagements in greater Atlanta.

Jeanne owns and runs Carere Music in Peachtree Corners where she maintains a successful Flute studio and provides a space for other music teachers in the area.

Her proudest accomplishment is raising four amazing children.

LINDA CHERNIAVSKY, a native of Atlanta, attended Northwestern University, and the University of Georgia before earning her Bachelor and Master of Science in Music Education degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign. She pursued additional musical study at the Aspen Music Festival and studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache, former General Music Director of the Munich Philharmonic. She has earned a Level 1 Endorsement Certificate from the Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Society.

Mrs. Cherniavsky’s career has spanned a variety of professional settings in education, leadership, and performance. She has taught at Community Consolidated School District 21 in Wheeling, IL, the Fulton County Public Schools, and The Westminster Schools, as well as the Georgia Academy of Music. During her 34 year tenure at Westminster, she taught Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools Orchestras. Additionally, she worked as Department Chair for two terms and was Director of Performing Arts until her retirement. She has also been Secretary and President of the Georgia Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. As a professional violinist, Mrs. Cherniavsky has performed with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, the Atlanta Chamber Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra.

Mrs. Cherniavsky maintains memberships in the American Federation of Musicians Local 148-462 where she serves on the Local Executive Board, the American String Teachers Association where she is a member of the Emeritus and K12 committees and the National Foundation for Music Education. She continues to serve as adjudicator, clinician, guest conductor, and mentor at the local, state, and national levels.

BRIAN DESARRO began serving Atlanta Federation of Musicians in 2018 when he joined the staff, working his way from Office Manager to Local 148-462 Secretary-Treasurer by 2022/23. In that time, he directly negotiated with CBA and freelance employers for better working conditions and wages on behalf of union musicians, represented Atlanta on the international level negotiating electronic media contracts, and he sought to serve the needs of the membership and steward a healthy and thriving music community across the state.

He currently works as a Director of Campaign Operations at POWER 10, a leading campaign management company specializing in strategic initiative development and campaigns to fund chamber of commerce/economic development programs and community building projects. He also sits as Executive Board Secretary of the Atlanta Pride Committee, Georgia’s oldest non-profit agency serving the LGBTQ+ community as an advocate of and resource to the gender and sexually diverse communities in Atlanta and across the Southeast.

As a Director of AFM Local 148-462, he hopes to draw on his time directly working with the membership to be a strategic partner leveraging his current role and past experience in digital marketing and project management to keep Georgia musicians empowered, protected, and unified with the strength of one voice.

ERIC FERGUSON is an AFM life member and previously a member of Actor’s Equity Association. As bassist for Ronnie Hawkins’ band in the early 1970’s, Eric performed in Toronto and London Ontario, as well as on Kenny Rogers’ variety show Rollin’ On The River. His sideman credits also include recording artists John David Souther, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Lonnie Mack, Sir Douglas Quintet, The Shirelles, King Biscuit Boy, and Kinky Friedman. At the Chautauqua Institution, Eric was a featured vocalist and backed up an array of Grand Ole Opry members in Minnie Pearl’s Country Revue. In professional theatre, he has played for: The Robber Bride Groom, Big River, Little Shop of Horrors, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Della’s Diner 6, Shrew The Musical, Twelfth Night The Musical, amongst others.

Eric was bassist/conductor for Beehive, starring Mary Wilson, and bassist/music director for numerous productions of PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES. He most recently performed with America’s Got Talent 1st prize winner Michael Grimm at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.

Previous to AFM Local 148-462, Eric was a member of locals 92 and 802. He was Director of Public Relations at 148-462, and ran the in-house signatory booking agency. He subsequently served on the LEB up to the present time. The most important element in all of these activities is a deep sense of gratitude to have performed with so many great musicians, and to be part of the AFM.

Guitarist BILL HATCHER has been performing in Atlanta since 1974. He’s performed with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet, Alliance Theater and numerous others. As a studio musician, Hatcher has performed on more than 3,000 local recording sessions. He is a life member in Local 148-462 and has served as an executive board member for many years.

JOHNNA JEONG is an active musician in Atlanta, a valued music educator, guitarist, vocalist, actor, and composer. After growing up traveling extensively in a military family, Johnna nurtured her passion for music by earning a B.A. at Virginia Commonwealth University and an M.M. at East Carolina University in music. Upon arriving in Atlanta, she has had the opportunity to showcase her skills across a wide range of musical genres as a freelance artist. Initially joining Local 148-462 in 2007, as the guitarist for an Atlanta Lyric Theatre production. She is also a member of WIM (Women In Music, Atlanta chapter), has ventured into scoring independent films, is active in the Atlanta acting community, and currently performs frequently as a solo artist while maintaining a teaching schedule.

As a member of the Atlanta Federation of Musicians (AFM), Johnna contributes her support as a board member of the Diversity Committee, has been a recipient of the Music Performance Trust Fund, and is honored to follow in the footsteps of her predecessor John McCutcheon, as a Local Executive Board member. 

Johnna has established herself as a dedicated musician within the community and continues to enrich the cultural fabric of Atlanta. 

The American Federation of Musicians has been an important part of MARY KENNEY’s life since she first joined in 1978. She is a free lance cellist and member of both the Opera and Ballet Orchestras, joining the Union Board in 1998.She has actively participated in orchestra players committees, ROPA, CBA negotiations, modernizing our building and most recently, efforts of the Solidarity Team and Organizing Task Force. Through it all - management lockouts, picket lines, CBA negotiations, long fought for gains in pay and working conditions and some amazing performance opportunities, she has remained committed to our shared objectives.