Modern Native American Musicians

     Today I would like to introduce you to some Native American musicians you may not have heard of.

    First I will introduce you to Cary Morin.  A member of the Crow Nation, Morin is an amazing fingerstyle guitar player, reminiscent of the old delta blues players.  He also has a great voice for his style that he uses to great effect telling his life stories through music.  

    Up next is Pamyua.  Originally formed by brothers Stephen and Phillip Blanchett in Alaska, the band includes members of Inuit and Yupik descent.  Their music is self-described as "tribal funk" and "Inuit soul music".  They draw influence from traditional Inuit music, Orthodox Russian chants, and R&B.  This is a song called "Bubblegum", and it's sure to brighten your day.

    Prolific the Rapper is based out of Rapid City, SD, and is a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.  Influenced by the political messages of rap groups such as NWA, here is his song "Black Snakes", a sociopolitical critique of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the oil industry as a whole.  (For some reason blogger won't allow me to embed certain videos, and this is one of them.  I have provided a direct link to the video instead. Sorry!)

Black Snakes

    This next group, Sihasin, was formed by brother and sister Clayson and Jeneda Benally.  They draw on punk, alternative rock, and traditional Navajo Dine influences.  They also host workshops that aim to protect human rights and sacred sites through cultural and youth empowerment.  Here is "Shine":

    Keith Secola is Ojibwe, and is a member of the Anishinabe Tribe.  A multi-instrumentalist, he has received numerous awards as a musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, and his sound has been compared to the likes of Bruce Springsteen an Neil Young.  Here is his song "NDN Kars (Indian Cars)", which has been dubbed by critics as the contemporary Native American anthem:

    That's all I've got for now, I hope you've found something you like.  All of the artists I mentioned have a great catalog of music to check out beyond what I've posted here, so please go listen to them.  I guarantee you'll find something you like!