DUGAN OUT AT RECORDING ACADEMY (UPDATE)

In a shocking turn of events, the Recording Academy has announced that new chief Deborah Dugan has exited, effective immediately. This just 10 days before Music's Biggest Night.

Board Chairman Harvey Mason Jr. announced that the Board had placed Dugan on administrative leave.

“The Board of Trustees felt this action to be necessary, due to serious concerns that recently were brought to our attention," reads an internal memo from Mason, published by the Los Angeles Times. "While we are unable to share the details of the concerns to protect employee privacy, please know that the Board has retained two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations into allegations that have been made.” Mason's letter to Academy members appears below.

Stay tuned for updates.

Dear Recording Academy Member,

We wanted to share that the Recording Academy Board of Trustees has placed Recording Academy President and CEO Deborah Dugan on Administrative Leave, effective immediately.

The Board of Trustees felt this action to be necessary in light of serious concerns that recently came to their attention. While we are unable to share the details of the concerns to protect employee privacy, please know that the Board has also retained two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations of the allegations that caused the concerns.

We want to assure you that the Recording Academy Board of Trustees is committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace, music industry, and society. The Board has appointed me to serve as Interim President and CEO, and all Recording Academy operations will proceed as normal during the interim leadership transition.

The GRAMMY Awards and all related activities will go forward as planned. Recording Academy Chief Industry, Government Affairs, & Member Relations Officer Daryl Friedman and VP of Membership & Industry Relations Laura Segura Mueller will share additional information with you as it becomes available and when appropriate. In the interim, our focus on service to the music community – and to you, our members – will remain uninterrupted and undiminished.

Sincerely, Harvey Mason, Jr. Interim Recording Academy President and CEO