AIROS Native Network's blog

Derek Miller is a blues singer/songwriter from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. He recorded his 2010 album with Stevie Ray Vaughn's band, Double Trouble. The album Derek Miller with Double Trouble also features a song he wrote and played in collaboration with American icon, Willie Nelson (Cherokee).  

Derek has been interested in music his entire life. He started performing when he was in high school. Derek's first performances helped him get over his fear of playing in front of large audiences. He said this opened up the floodgates for all the great performances that were to come, such as his performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony in Vancouver, to millions watching on television.  

Link Wray has been  source of inspiration for Derek. "Here's a man, who in 1958 developed and invented the power chord, and distorted rock guitar," Derek said. Link Wray's power chords and distortion showed Derek how Native Americans have contributed to rock music.  

Derek said the recognition of Native America's contributions could help give young people more self-esteem so they feel proud to be who they are.

Listen to the Interview  |  Subscribe to the Native Sounds Podcast
Derek's Website  |  Follow Derek on Twitter  |  Like Derek on Facebook

Devin Whirlwindsoldier is Lakota and Diné. He was raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. He grew up singing with various drum groups on the pow wow trail. Devin was able to stay positive and out of trouble through singing. He united with Stephen Yellowhawk and the duo formed “Buddaz and Stephen” and recorded their first album titled “Northern Lights.” Devin and Stephen also have recorded another project with RSBK (Ricky, Stephen, Buddaz & Kilo) titled RSBK. Devin is in the process of recording his next project.

For the last five years, Devin has worked as a mentor in his community. He maintains a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. He encourages youth to be active in starting a drum group or pow wow-style dancing because it helped him to stay out of trouble. For more information about Buddaz and Stephen, check out their MySpace page link below.

Top 5 Songs

1. Angel Eyez remix
2. Did You See That Girl
3. Need You
4. Doing It Right
5. Messed Up

Interview with Buddaz | Buddaz n Stephen MySpace | RSBK MySpace

Steve Wood (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) and two of his brothers founded Northern Cree in 1982. Northern Cree has released 37 albums under Canyon Records. 
 
Wood says he has been around music throughout his life and started performing music with his family in his childhood. In his childhood, his father was a singer, and the rest of his family brought out drums to entertain guests. Wood says Bill Baker's group, the Mandaree Singers, was one of the most inspiring drum groups to him. Bill Baker has passed on, but his group's music is still alive. 
 
Wood says the performing of traditional, aboriginal music has been around since the beginning of recorded history, but the way his group performs -- in front of an audience on stage -- is a new direction for the music.  Northern Cree has performed in front of 18,000 fans in a way similar to that of a rock or country concert. This is one way Northern Cree has helped change traditional, aboriginal music performance.  

Wood's passion for music, which started in his childhood, has led him to a successful career. Northern Cree's pow wow music has received six Grammy nominations. Wood hopes he will be able to leave a legacy like Bill Baker.

Recently, NAPT's Interactive Media Specialist Eric Martin spoke with Steve Wood about his music. 

Listen to the Interview  |  Subscribe to the Native Sounds Podcast  |  Northern Cree's Website

Top 5 Northern Cree Songs

1.  "Red and White" (Sweethearts' Shuffle)
2.  "Red Skin Gal" (Calling All Dancers)
3.  "Smilin'" (Calling All Dancers)
4.  "Stars in the Sky" (Temptations)
5.  "A Million Miles for You" (Temptations)

Celebrating their 28th year, the Gathering of Nations is one of largest Powwows in North America. Held annually on the fourth weekend in April in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hosting over 500 different tribes from Canada and the United States.

Just a few days before the Grammy awards NAPT production assistant Aden Marshall spoke with Melonie and Derek Mathews. The two along with Dr. Lita Mathews were nominated for Best Native American Album for their production work on the CD -- 2010 Gathering of Nations Powwow: A Spirit's Dance. Aden talked with the Mathews by phone from their offices in Albuquerque.

On Grammy night, February 13, 2011, Dr. Lita, Melonie & Derek Mathews won the Grammy. “We are thrilled to have won one of the music industry’s most prestigious awards. We’re still re-living the moment they announced the winner and we heard our names. The fact that we won still doesn’t seem real,” said Derek Mathews, founder of the Gathering of Nations and producer of the album. Listen to hear what they had to say just days before the win about being nominees, producing the album independently and their plans for this year's Gathering of Nations. For more information on this year's Gathering of Nations, check out their website.

Lincoln, NE--On this episode of Native Sounds-Native Voices, Aden and Alex feature a playlist of Native American music artists who have been nominated for music awards. Every year the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network sponsors the Aboriginal Peoples Choice music awards show. This event is televised nationally in Canada. Web users can vote for their favorite Native American artist who has released a new album within the past year. Aden and Alex put together this playlist of nominees from the Aboriginal Peoples Choice awards, as well as nominees from the NAMMYS (Native American Music Awards). Voting usually begins in the summer and ends in early fall. For more information about these events check out their web sites: www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com and www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com. Listen to the live broadcast of NS-NV every Thursday morning from 8-10 am CT on www.KZUM.org.

blog by Tobias Grant

“Make Your Mind Up” (Full Circle) Pappy Johns Band with Murray Porter
“Berlin” (Swagger) Lucie Idlout
“Old School” (Live at Haskell Indian Nations University) The Boyz
“Hush My Darling” (Round Dance in Beauty) Jay Begaye
“Dreams” (Rhythm of Love) Tiinesha Begaye
“Wind in My Mind” (Fire Crow) Joseph Fire Crow
"Sacred Ground” (Believe) Michael Bucher
“Last Song” (Life is) Eagle and Hawk
“Over Again” (From All Directions) Bluedog
“No No Keshagesh” (Running For The Drum) Buffy Sainte-Marie
“Spring to Come” (We Are) Digging Roots
“Kool Running” (Black Star) Joey Stylez

Lincoln, NE—on this edition of Native Sounds-Native Voices (NS-NV) Aden and Alex feature a playlist that will kick-start your appetite for fry bread and other delicious treats. They have songs by Arigon Starr, Native Roots and Keith Secola singing about some warm, soft fry bread. If you can’t have some fry bread, well this playlist will definitely get you dreaming about that awesome pow-wow treat. Don’t forget to tune-in to the live broadcast of NS-NV every Thursday morning from 8-10 a.m. CT on www.KZUM.org.

Blog by Tobias Grant

“Original or Extra Crispy” Northern Cree (Here to Stay)
“Potato Pie” Tha Tribe (T2K)
“Corn Grinding Song” Radmilla Cody (Seed of Life)
“Corn Song” Sharon Burch (Touch The Sweet Earth)
“Mama’s Green Corn” Spirit Keepers (Sacred Ground) 
“When Napi Roasted Gophers” Jack Gladstone (Tappin’ The Earth’s Backbone)
“Growing Nowhere” FireCat of Discord
“Junior Frybread” Arigon Starr (Wind-Up)
“Fry Bread Song” Radmilla Cody (Precious Friends)
“Frybread” Keith Secola (Wild Band of Indians)
“Fry Bread Line”Jim Boyd (Going to The Stick Games)
“Frybread” Blackhawk Blues Band (Rainy)
“Frybread” Native Roots (Rain Us Love)
“Lucrecia’s Kitchen” Gary Small Band (Wild Indians)

Lincoln, NE--On this edition of Native Sounds-Native Voices, Aden and Alex feature a Thanksgiving-themed show. Actually, it is more of a playlist of songs about giving thanks. Every November, Americans celebrate a holiday tradition called Thanksgiving. This year NS-NV wants to commerate this holiday with a Native American vibe. Kicking-off the playlist is Jack Gladstone. Jack is a Native folk rock artist and has performed at many events such as the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. For more information about Jack, check out his website at www.jackgladstone.com. Or tune-in every Thursday morning from 8-10 a.m. CT to listen to the live broadcast of NS-NV on www.KZUM.org.

Blog by Tobias Grant

“Circle of Life” Jack Gladstone (Buckskin Poet Society)
“I love this life”  Alex Cash (My Voices)
“All My Relations” Ulali (Mark Jchi)
“Celebrate” Thunderchief (Good Medicine)
“Connected” Art Napolean (Siskabush Tales)
“Unity” Jim Boyd (Unity)
“My Inspiration” Tiger Tiger (Southern Exposure) (*hot)
“Giving Thanks” Joanne Shenandoah (Covenant)
“Family” Shawn Michael Perry (Only the Brave)
“Cedar, Sweet Grass, and Sage” Bill Miller (A Sacred Gift)
“Blessed” Wade Fernandez (4 the People)
“One Community" Wendy Walker (One Light)

2010 was a great year for new Native American music releases.  AIROS DJs Alex and Aden ranked the top 10 songs of 2010.  Below are the songs that we picked for the year.  Enjoy!

1.  Indigenous (The Acoustic Sessions)
“Now That You’re Gone”

2.  Bill Miller (Chronicles of Hope)
“Waitin’ on the Lord”

3.  Micki Free (American Horse)
“Lucky Number 7”

4.  Michael Bucher (Believe)
“Sacred Ground”

5.  Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers (Make a Change)
“Troublemaker"

6.  Jim Boyd (Voices from the Lakes)
"Turmoil"

7.  Art Napolean (Creeland Covers)
"Creeland Blues"

8.  Kelly Montijo Fink (Songs of War & Victory)
"Pride of Right"

9.  Will Clipman, R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton (Dancing into Silence)
"Dancing into Silence"

10.  Rushingwind & Mucklow (Ancient Elements)
"Cahuilla, The First People"

Louie Gonnie is Dine from the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. Louie admired his father and uncles and wanted to be like them so he began to sing in the Native American Church. He is also a well rounded artist, expressing himself in music, art and writing. Louie started singing for family and friends. Eventually, people were recording his music and he realized that he could have a career as a recording artist. His albums started out as Peyote songs of the Native American Church. Since then he has created a more contemporary style.

Louie Gonnie is interested in sharing his music with Native and non-Native listeners. His record deal with Canyon Records allows him to share his music with a more diverse audience. Louie has been singing since he was a child but only recently has started recording with Canyon Records. Check out his albums from Canyon Records at www.canyonrecords.com.

Bio for Louie Gonnie | Interview with Louie Gonnie

Lincoln, NE--On this episode of Native Sounds-Native Voices, Aden and Alex feature a laid back playlist of awesome Native American music. They kicked off the show with Jim Boyd who was an original member of the Native rock band XIT. Jim’s song “Reservation Blues” is part of the soundtrack that goes with Sherman Alexie’s book (Reservation Blues). Jim and Sherman are awesome examples of contemporary Native Americans who are expressing their culture and heritage through music and literature. Another remarkable Native artist is Joy Harjo. She started writing poems and later began recording music. Joy is one of our generation's amazing Native authors. For more information about Jim, check out his web page, or Sherman, check out his page. Also, to find more information about Joy Harjo check out her web page. (Just click on the highlighted links to follow their web pages)Listen to the live broadcast of NS-NV every Thursday morning from 8-10 a.m. CT on www.kzum.org.

blog by Tobias Grant

“Reservation Blues” (Reservation Blues) Jim Boyd
“She Had Some Horses” (She had some Horses) Joy Harjo & Poetic Justice
“Praise Song” (The Red Road) Bill Miller
“Rainsong” (Native American Currents) Robert Mirabal
“Choctaw Stomp” (Big Chief Quetoos) Arvel Bird
“Twelve Nights of Round Dance” (Pictures of You) Blackstone
“Emergence” (Totemic Flute Chants) Johnny Whitehorse
“Eye of the Wind” (The Best of Nakai) R. Carlos Nakai
“Buffalo” (Buffalo) Qua ti si
“Skywoman” (Skywoman) Joanne Shenandoah
“A Soft Place to Fall” (Lonely Warrior) Yolanda Martinez