NEW YORK ? As new faces bask in recognition from the Fifth Annual Nammy award show, its parent organization the Native American Music Association is getting a boost from the country’s largest and most representative Indian organization.
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) ? the country’s oldest, largest and most representative national American Indian and Alaska Native organization ? announced Sept. 10 that it has partnered with NAMA to support its efforts to encourage Native artists. Their first mutual effort will be a benefit concert in San Diego, Nov. 12, during the NCAI’s weeklong 59th Annual Session.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with NAMA, whose efforts we support, and are grateful for the opportunity to be recipient of this benefit for the National Congress of American Indians,” said NCAI President Tex G. Hall. “I am also personally gratified that thousands of Native people attending our Annual Session and the California general public will have an unprecedented opportunity to hear some of the best music coming out of Indian country.”
The announcement followed the Fifth Annual Native American Music Award show in Milwaukee, Sept. 7, which presented trophies in more than 30 categories, a new high, and honored performers with native roots as diverse as Crystal Gayle and Kitty Wells, the country divas who are rediscovering their Cherokee ancestry, to the actor and cultural leader Floyd Red Crow Westerman, born on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota reservation.
Some of the talent emerging at the show included Martha Redbone, winner of Debut Artist of the Year, and Micki Free, a veteran rock musician, who was named Best Male Artist. The well-known Native American Church singers Verdell Primeaux and Johnny Mike also took an award, following on their GRAMMY honors earlier this year.
NAMA Winners 2002
Artist of the Year: Joanne Shenandoah ? Eagle Cries
Best Blues Recording: Keith Secola ? Kokopelli Blues
Best Complication Recording: Various Artist ?Voices Across the Canyon
Best Female Artist: Radmilla Cody ? Seed of Life
Best Folk /Country Artist: Laughing Woman & Eagle Winds Reservation
Best Historical Recording: Felipe Rose ? Trail of Tears
Best Independent Recording: Douglas Blue Feather ? Arrival
Best Instrumental Recording: Brule’ ? Star People
Best Male Artist: Micki Free ? Gypsy Cowboy
Best New Age Recording: Mary Youngblood ? Beneath The Raven Moon
Best Pop/Rock Recording: Blackfire ? One Nation Under
Best Pow Wow Recording: Red Bull ? Traditional
Best Producer: John Barnes & Janice Marie Johnson ? Until the Eagle Falls
Best Rap/Hip Hop Recording: Litefoot ? Tribal Boogie
Best Spoken Word Recording: Mary Louis Defender Wilson ? My Relatives Say
Best Traditional Recording: Verdell Primeaux & Johnny Mike ? Bless the People
Best Video: Robert Mirabal & Rare Tribal Mob ? Music From A Painted Cave
Best World Music Recording: Native Roots ? Rain Us Love
Debut Artist of the Year: Martha Redbone ? Home of the Brave
Flutist of the Year: Tommy Wildcat ? Pow-Wow Flutes
Gospel/Christian Recording: Cherokee National Children’s Choir ? Voices of the Creator’s Children
Group of the Year: Brule ? Star People
Hall of Fame: Kitty Wells
Jim Thorpe Sports Award: Kelvin Sampson
Living Legend: Floyd Red Crow Westerman
Native Heart: Neil Young ? Eagle Cries
Record of the Year: Jim Boyd ? Alter Natives
Song/Singer of the Year: Jana ? Stairway to Heaven
Songwriter of the Year: Gary Small ? Wild Indians