Fifth Annual Native American Music Awards Nominees

The Native American Music Association announced Nammy finalists in over 30 categories on June 18. NAMA, Indian Summer Festivals Inc., and the Potawatomi Tribal Community will present the Fifth Annual Native American Music Awards at the Marcus Amphitheater in Milwaukee, Wisc., on September 7. A partial list of categories follows:

Artist of the Year

1. Janice-Marie, “Until The Eagle Falls” (Tastebuds) 2. Jim Boyd, “Alter Natives” (Thunderwolf) 3. Joanne Shenandoah, “Eagle Cries” (Red Feather/Paras) 4. Keith Secola, “Kokopelli Blues” (Akina) 5. Mary Youngblood, “Beneath The Raven Moon” (Silver Wave)

Best Blues Recording

1. “Kokopelli Blues,” Keith Secola (Akina) 2. “Like A Tornado,” Greg Serrato (J-Bird) 3. “Rainy,” Blackhawk Blues Band (BH) 4. “Twice As Good,” Red Man Blues (Yani) 5. “Wild Indians,” Gary Small Band (Medicine Tail)

Best Compilation Recording – Various Artists

1. “Buffalo Spirit,” (Turtle Island) 2. “Enter Tribal,” (Canyon) 3. “Voices Across The Canyon,” (Canyon) 4. “Red Nation Celebration,” (Red Nation) 5. “Tribal Dreams,” (Earth Beat!)

Debut Artist/Group of the Year

1. Blackhawk Blues Band, “Rainy” (BH) 2. Cherokee National Children’s Choir, “Voices of the Creator’s Children” (CN) 3. Crystal-Phoenix, “Apache” (FL) 4. Martha Redbone, “Home of the Brave” (Blackfeet) 5. Micki Free, “Gypsy Cowboy” (True Native)

Best Female Artist

1. Cherokee Rose & Silena, “Balanced By Tradition” (Sunshine) 2. Karen Therese, “Warrior of the Heart” (Red Feather/Paras) 3. Martha Redbone, “Home of the Brave” (Blackfeet) 4. Radmilla Cody, “Seed of Life” (Canyon) 5. Tanya Brown, “Tonto’s Fury” (CR)

Best Folk/Country Artist

1. “A Tribute To Hank Williams,” Ernest Monias (Sunshine) 2. “Birdstock: Fiddle Tunes For The Birds,” Arvel Bird (Singing Wolf) 3. “From Pow Wows To Honky Tonks,” The Wolf River Band (WRB) 4. “I Will Bring You Near,” Tom Jackson (Tomali) 5. “Reservation,” Laughing Woman & Eagle Wings (Sweet Grass)

Flutist of the Year

1. Bryan Akipa, “Eagle Dreams” (Makoch?) 2. Eddie Three Eagles, “Attack On America” (Manitou) 3. Mary Youngblood, “Beneath The Raven Moon” (Silver Wave) 4. Tommy Wildcat, “Pow-Wow Flutes” (AWSP) 5. Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, “Singing Earth” (Canyon)

Gospel/Christian Recording (New Category)

1. “A Wonderful Place,” J.B. Dreadfulwater & The Cherokee Choir (CS) 2. “Contagious,” Jim Felix (Soar) 3. “Gig In The Sky,” Triple Cross (Talkalai) 4. “Mystical Warrior,” Verdell Primeaux (Cool Runnings) 5. “Rain Manna Rain,” Murphy Platero & Hidden Manna (CPR Music) 6. “Voices of the Creator’s Children,” Cherokee National Children’s Choir (CN)

Duo/Group of the Year

1. Brul?, “Star People” (Soar) 2. Black Lodge, “It’s Been A Long Time Comin’” (Canyon) 3. Native Roots, “Rain Us Love” (Soar) 4. Verdell Primeaux & Johnny Mike, “Bless The People” (Canyon) 5. Yarina, “Inspiration” (Yari)

Best Instrumental Recording

1. “Birdstock: Fiddle Tunes For The Birds,” Arvel Bird (Singing Wolf) 2. “Inspiration,” Yarina (Yari) 3. “Medicine Rapids,” Corny Michel (Turtle Island) 4. “Star People,” Brul? (Soar) 5. “Under One Sky,” Various Artists (Red Feather/Paras)

Best Male Artist

1. Bryan Akipa, “Eagle Dreams” (Makoch?) 2. Edmund Bull, “End of the Trail” (Turtle Island) 3. Gary Small, “Wild Indians” (Medicine Tail) 4. Micki Free, “Gypsy Cowboy” (True Native) 5. Randy Wood, “Round Dance The Night Away” (Canyon)

Best Pop/Rock Recording

1. “Brother,” Nadjiwan (Heading North) 2. “Bury Me,” Qua Ti Si (Shadegea) 3. “Gypsy Cowboy,” Micki Free (True Native) 4. “One Nation Under,” Blackfire (Tacoho) 5. “Tribal,” Dying Tribe (Tribal Relic)

Best Pow Wow Recording

1. “‘N Action,” Tha Tribe (Canyon) 2. “Dark Realm,” Nakoda Lodge (Sunshine) 3. “Double Platinum,” Northern Cree/Youngbird (Canyon) 4. “Traditional,” Red Bull (Turtle Island) 5. “Weasel Tail’s Dream,” Black Lodge Singers (Canyon)

Record of the Year

1. “Alter Natives,” Jim Boyd (Thunderwolf) 2. “Eagle Cries,” Joanne Shenandoah (Red Feather/Paras) 3. “Star People,” Brul? (Soar) 4. “Spirit Walk,” Howard Lyons (Soar) 5. “Home of the Brave,” Martha Redbone (Blackfeet)

Song/Single of the Year

1. “Kokopelli Blues,” Keith Secola (Akina) 2. “Stairway To Heaven,” Jana (Radikal) 3. “Midnight In The Desert,” Crystal Gayle 4. “Trail of Tears,” Felipe Rose (Tomahawk) 5. “Until The Eagle Falls II,” Janice-Marie (Tastebuds)

Songwriter of the Year

1. Gary Small, “Wild Indians” (Medicine Tail) 2. Karen Therese, “Warrior Of the Heart” (Red Feather/Paras) 3. Jim Boyd, “Alter Natives” (Thunderwolf) 4. Paul LaRoche, “Star People” (Soar) 5. Howard Lyons, “Spirit Walk” (Soar)

Best Short or Long Form Video

1. Janice-Marie, “Until The Eagle Falls” (Tastebuds) 2. Lorrie Church, “Running Away” (EagleHill) 3. Litefoot, “The Messenger” (Red Vinyl) 4. Martha Redbone, “Vineyard” (Blackfeet) 5. Robert Mirabal with Rare Tribal Mob, “Music From A Painted Cave” (SW)

Best Spoken Word Recording

1. “A Powwow Summer Across North America,” Dr. Lita Mathews (GON) 2. “In A Good Way,” Kenneth Little Hawk (MSR) 3. “Inchworm,” The Pheasant Brothers (Shadega) 4. “My Relatives Say,” Mary Louise Defender Wilson (Makoch?) 5. “Talk Indin Dammet,” David Little Elk (Hehaka7)

Best Traditional Recording

1. “Bless The People,” Verdell Primeaux & Johnny Mike (Canyon) 2. “Chants Of Happiness,” Delbert Blackhorse (Cool Runnings) 3. “Seed of Life,” Radmilla Cody (Canyon) 4. “Tonto’s Fury,” Tanya Brown (Cool Runnings) 5. “Whispering Winds,” Grady Shadow Hawk Jones (Singing Wolf)

Native Heart

1. Bruce Cockburn, “Eagle Cries” (Red Feather/Paras) 2. Jeff Ball, “Prairie Runner” (Red Feather/Paras) 3. Joey Ramone, “One Nation Under” (Tacoho) 4. Neil Young, “Eagle Cries” (Red Feather/Paras) 5. Scott August, “Distant Spirits” (Cedar Mesa)