Interview with Keith Levenson, February 15, 2022
Project: Gig Economy Workers in the Arts During the COVID-19 Era Oral History Project
Interview Summary
In this follow up interview, Levenson describes what it was like playing for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Levenson provides his opinion on COVID-19 vaccines and the importance of collective responsibility when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. Levenson details some of the COVID-19 health and safety protocols implemented on music tours. Levenson discusses the MusiCares money he received during the COVID-19 pandemic. Levenson explains why many musicians and artists have left New York City for good, since the tourism industry has been impacted heavily by travel restrictions brought on because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Levenson has been helping other musicians to file for unemployment compensation through CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funding from the federal government. Levenson then explains the difference between the two types of CARES Act funding, PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance), which helped gig economy workers, and PEUC (Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation). Levenson illustrates the challenges of starting and managing a small business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Levenson concludes the interview with a reflection on the role of orchestras in rock music.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
The Who (Artist) Meat Loaf (Artist) Touring musical productions Advocacy Unemployment Pandemic fatigue The Who's Tommy (Musical) MusiCares Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemics Save Our Stages Act (SOS) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) 1099 workers W-2 workers Covid fatigue Small Business Administration (SBA) Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Gig workers Food industry COVID-19 vaccines Democrats Republicans Carousel (Musical) Unemployment compensation Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Small businesses Lockdowns (COVID-19 pandemic)Interview LC Subject
Gig economy Pandemics COVID-19 (Disease) Public health Social distancing (Public health) Vaccine hesitancy Conservatives Liberals New York (N.Y.) Broadway (New York, N.Y.) Vaccines Florida Performing arts Audiences Westchester County (N.Y) New York Money Music Musicians Artists Tourism International travel Safety Health Federal government United States. Small Business Administration Orchestra Rock music MusiCares (Firm) COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023Interview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Levenson, Keith Interview by Kopana Terry. 15 Feb. 2022. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Levenson, K. (2022, February 15). Interview by K. Terry. Gig Economy Workers in the Arts During the COVID-19 Era Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Levenson, Keith, interview by Kopana Terry. February 15, 2022, Gig Economy Workers in the Arts During the COVID-19 Era Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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