Dave Pomeroy

Dave Pomeroy is a 48-year AFM member, 18-year president of Nashville's Local 257, and a 16-year AFM executive officer—the past three years as AFM International Vice President. He is an award-winning freelance bassist, songwriter, producer, and recording artist who has performed around the world with artists such as Don Williams, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, and Chet Atkins.

Pomeroy has played bass on more than 500 albums with artists including Trisha Yearwood, Peter Frampton, Alan Jackson, Earl Scruggs, and Elton John. He has been a passionate advocate for working musicians for many years, and has testified multiple times in Washington, DC, and elsewhere in support of AFM issues that include intellectual property rights, flying with instruments, legislation to create AM/FM royalties for musicians and more.

Pomeroy has obtained more than $1 million in legal settlements for musicians from deadbeat employers of Local 257 musicians. He created the AFM's Single Song Overdub agreement for remote home recording, which is the only AFM contract with a negotiable per song rate ($100 minimum), and allows you to pay into your own pension.

Local 257's 2026 Fair Trade Music Nashville campaign spotlights clubs that treat musicians with respect, and has resulted in great PR for the AFM and local musicians, as well as bringing in many new members. Pomeroy also negotiated a 100 percent free parking discount for AFM 257 members at 25 Metropolis parking garages near independent music venues.

He has obtained AFM agreements with many companies that have avoided the AFM for years, including Sony Pictures, Blackbird Entertainment, and many indie labels—resulting in significant payments, pension, and residuals for recording musicians. Personally, his latest music project is a three-song EP, United We Stand, a collection of original union-themed songs, to be released in May 2026.

"As a freelance musician who started out touring, gradually getting off the road and making my way into session work while doing my own recording projects and performances, I got a great education in many different aspects of the music business. I became more and more involved in the leadership of our union, and was elected first to the Local 257 Hearing Board and then the Executive Board, before being elected 257 President in 2008, which started a season of change that manifested itself at the 2010 AFM Convention. I have been honored to serve my fellow AFM musicians on the local, national and international level, and will continue to do all I can to expand our reach and increase our vision of what is possible."

We are at a critical juncture in the history of our union, and we must stand together to meet the challenges we face head-on. The future is now, and Dave Pomeroy is on the cutting edge of the AFM's work for its members. Team Progress is hitting its stride, and with your continued support, we will take things to a whole new level going forward.