Cherokee musician Michael Bucher is gaining considerable ground as a Native artist.

In 2007, Bucher was a double Nammy nominee for “Best Folk” and “Debut Artist” for his song, “Don’t Forget about Me” off his “Seven” album.

In 2008, Bucher received a Native-E Music Award for “Dirty Water,” a music video about Mato Paha (Bear Butte Mountain) in South Dakota. The video was also nominated for “Best Short Form Video” at the Native American Music Awards.

Recently, Bucher and Joanne Shenandoah worked with Hondo Mesa Records and released a tribute album to Johnny Cash entitled “Bitter Tears, Sacred Ground.” The album has received excellent reviews. At 55, Bucher is just getting started, he is currently in the studio working on his next album, “Believe.”

Bucher took a moment between recording tracks to speak with Indian Country Today.

Indian Country Today: You have had a busy 2009. What are some highlights?

Michael Bucher: “Bitter Tears” came out to great reviews and I am very grateful. Another highlight this year was being part of the presidential inauguration. It was an incredible experience. I met some amazing people like retired Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and I worked with Joanne Shenandoah, Grammy winner Tom Wasinger, Bill Miller, Levi Platero and Martha Redbone. I had a great time.

ICT: What are you working on now?

Bucher: My new album, which is entitled ‘Believe.’ In fact, I literally just finished recording that song last week and it has turned out just great. ‘Believe’ is coming out this fall.

ICT: Why call it ‘Believe?’

Bucher: It’s a shout out to everyone who needs something to believe in. Unfortunately, the suicide rate in Indian country is 70 percent higher than any other race in this country. Some people say that is a negative to look at when there are so many positive things in Indian country. That is true, there are incredibly positive things happening in Indian country. However, in my view you can’t bury your head in the sand.

For anyone that has ever battled depression and considered suicide, you have to believe that there is hope and there is always a way out. That is why I created this song. It is about the power of belief. That is the signature of the album.

ICT: Many of your songs have an inspirational message; what kind of feedback have you gotten?

Bucher: When you play out in some of the Native reservations, like Pine Ridge or the Blandin Indian Community in Minnesota, the Franklin Avenue Indian Community or the Lac Courte Oreilles, so many people are so thankful for the good words that you have. Sometimes during the shows and after the shows, you get to interact with the people and it is just awesome.

At Lac Courte Oreilles, I had just played ‘You are not Alone’ off my ‘Seven’ album and I noticed one guy in the back kept waiting to speak with me and stepped out of the way to let other people first. He was the last guy, he shook my hand gave me a hug and said ‘Thank you for that song’ he became teared up and also said ‘I wish my son had heard that song, six months ago he committed suicide, if he had heard that song, maybe he might had done differently.’ I hugged him and teared up myself. That was probably one of the most powerful things that have happened to me.

ICT: What do you hope to accomplish with ‘Believe?’

Bucher: To have people listen and understand that in each one of us there is a power that we can share with other people. When I wrote ‘Believe’ I thought, ‘if I was the most powerful healer in the world – a medicine man that could heal people, what would I do?’ That’s where this song took off from.

I am hoping that people will believe in themselves. If you don’t believe in yourself, then you can’t have hope. You’ve got to believe that you can get out from the gangs, drugs and other things and make something of yourself. I am telling you that you definitely can.