Native American Label Canyon Records Receives Two Grammy Nominations

Phoenix (Arizona), USA – The Recording Academy has announced the final nominees for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards and Phoenix’s Canyon Records has received two nominations: Heart of the Wind by Robert Tree Cody and Will Clipman (Best Native American Album) and “Long Winter Nights” by Northern Cree (Best Native American Album).
 
 Heart of the Wind brings together two award-winning artists, Robert Tree Cody (Dakota-Maricopa) and Will Clipman with a collection of new and transforming compositions. The haunting melodies of Cody’s Native American flute and the pulsing rhythms of Clipman’s percussion transports listeners on a journey into the music of the heart.
 
 Robert Tree Cody has appeared throughout the U.S. and world as a flutist, singer and dancer. Cody has taught folklore, crafts, music and traditional ways of the Native American peoples and participated in the Artist-in-Residence program for the Arizona Commission on the Arts. His award winning recordings include: Maze (Best New Age Album, 1999 Native American Music Awards) and Native Flamenco (Best World Album and Best Latin American Album, 2000 Native American Music Awards).Will Clipman has performed on over forty recordings with various artists, including three solo projects on his own Bone Fire Music label. Clipman has performed and recorded for Canyon Records with the R. Carlos Nakai Quartet, the William Eaton Ensemble, Robert Tree Cody, Randy Wood and Sharon Burch. He received two Grammy nominations for his work on “In a Distant Place” (Best New Age Album) and “People of Peace” (2005 Best New Age Album).
 
 One of the most honored names in Canada, Northern Cree released Long Winter Nights, Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5 featuring a variety of Cree round dance singers and groups recorded live at one of the largest round dances in Northern America. Joining Northern Cree are such great singers as Whitefish Jr’s, Big River Cree, Ken Pooyak, Jack Bull, Perfect Storm, Arnold Pete, and Bear Creek. This is the fifth live recording of round dance songs from the Louis Bull Reserve, Alberta, Canada.

 Northern Cree has been honored with two previous Grammy nominations. In 2002, Rockin’ the Rez was nominated for a Grammy for Best Native American Album and in 2003, Still Rezin was also nominated in the Best Native American Album category. Most recently the group received two Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards for Slide & Sway (Best Hand Drum Album), and Nikamo – “Sing! (Best Contemporary Pow-wow Album).

The Grammy® Awards will be telecast on CBS on February 11th from 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
 
 GRAMMY ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on Dec. 13 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm of Deloitte by Jan. 10, 2007, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the telecast.

 Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., also known as The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs — including the creation of the national public education campaign What’s The Download.