A new limited edition “NAMMY” will be introduced this year commemorating the organization’s 10th Anniversary year. The 10th Annual Native American Music Awards will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at the Seneca Entertainment Center in the Seneca Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. Tickets for the 10th Annual Native American Music Awards are on-sale now through all ticketmaster outlets. The Awards show will again be broadcast on MHZ Networks in November to an estimated 30 million cable households.
New up-and-comers were nominated alongside established artists in a diverse array of 30 music categories. Blackfire, Blackfoot, Brule & AIRO, The Blessed Blend, The Crow Girls, and The Red Corn Band lead with three nominations each.
Tied with two nominations each are; Blu, Carroll Medicine Crow, Cherokee National Youth Choir, Cheryl Bear, Chief Seattle Speaks, Delbert Blackhorse, Douglas Blue Feather, Dream Scape, Eagle & Hawk, Producer Ed Stasium, Edmund Bull, Fara Palmer, Gilbert Begay Sr, Golana, Injunuity, J.C. Campbell, Jim Boyd, Ken Quiet Hawk, Medicine Dream, Native Roots, Nightshield, Primeaux & Mike, Pura Fe’, R Carlos Nakai, Rain Song, Red Feather Woman, Rezhogs, Robert Mirabal, Sotiw, Star Nayea, Stevie Salas, Tanya Brown, Terri Rivera Piatt & Lancy Goodman, Terry Lee Whetstone, Tiger Tiger, Tracy Bone and Walter Ahhaitty & Friends.
Nominated in the field of Record Of The Year are; Blackfire’s (Silence) Is a Weapon, Northern Cree & Friends’ Calling All Dancers, Vol. 6, Thee Express’ Express Yourself, Golana’s Mirror Lake, Brule’ & AIRO’s Live At Mt. Rushmore and Blackfoot’s Train Train.
"These nominations throughout our 30 music categories truly reflect a diverse and impressive range of new and established talent from our community," said Awards President Ellen Bello. "We are looking forward to a spectacular Awards celebration running the full spectrum of today’s most popular contemporary and traditional Native American music initiatives.” Special Recognition Awards will also be given to internationally acclaimed artists; Janice Marie Johnson of A Taste of Honey, Pat Vegas & Redbone, Felipe Rose of the Village People and Rickey Medlocke of Blackfoot and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Voting ballots to select the final winner in each category will be mailed to all Advisory Board voting members. Voting ballots are also available to the general public on the websites listed at the end of the article.
For a complete list of official nominees for the 10th Annual Native American Awards see below:
BEST WORLD MUSIC RECORDING
- Celebrate – Native Roots
- Dream Scape: Spirit Maiden – Dreamscape
- Going Home – The Gathering
- Journeys Through the Mist – The Blessed Blend
- Sketches In Time – Derek Mortland, Michael Joseph
- Sounds of Beauty – Estun – Bah
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Carroll Medicine Crow – Homeland Security
- Delbert Blackhorse – The Four Directions
- Jim Boyd – Blues To Bluegrass
- Johnny Whitehorse – Totemic Flute Chants
- Stevie Salas – Sun and the Earth, Vol. 1
- Terry Lee Whetstone – The Best of the Best
BEST BLUES RECORDING
- Deep Downtown – Jimmy Wolf
- Goin’ for It – Terry Tsotigh
- Graywolf Blues Band – Graywolf Blues Band
- Hold the Rain – Pura Fe’
- Levi Platero – Levi Platero & The Plateros
- Sir Harrison and the Blues Kings – Sir Harrison & The Blues Kings
BEST COMPILATION RECORDING
- Calling All Dancers, Vol. 6 – Northern Cree & Friends
- Heart of the Bitterroot – Various
- Navajo Christmas – Todi Neesh Zhee Singers
- Old Style Round Dance Songs – Various
- The Best of the Best – Terry Lee Whetstone (2)
- The Native Hip Hop Hour Volume One – Various
DEBUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Blu – Rez Life
- Cheryl Bear – Good Road
- Chucki Begay – Songs From My Heart
- Ghosthorse – Ksa
- Gilbert Begay Sr – Traditional Navajo Shoe Game Songs
- Slavior – Slavior
DEBUT GROUP OF THE YEAR
- 191 N. – 5 Bucks Gas
- Injunuity – Unconquered
- Moon Lodge Singers – Cultural Legacy: Fights Alone
- Pimadiziwin Singers – Save the Last Round Dance for Me
- The Breeze Band – The Breeze Band
- The Crow Girls – Sleep is the Ocean
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
- Fara Palmer – Phoenix
- Nicole – Deep Dreams
- Pura Fe’ – Hold the Rain
- Radmilla Cody – Precious Friends
- Star Nayea – Silenced My Tongue
- Tracy Bone – No Lies (2)
BEST FOLK RECORDING
- Blue Moon – Terri Rivera Piatt & Lancy Goodman
- Nikawiy Askiy – Sandy Scofield
- Red Lodge – Danielle Egnew
- Where The Green Grass Grows – The Crow Girls (2)
- Wind of the North – Violet Naytovhow
- Wolfgirl – Arlette
FLUTIST OF THE YEAR
- Jan Michael Looking Wolf – Unity
- JJ Kent – I Am Red
- Moontee Sinquah – Freedom
- Tim Yett – Creating Sacred Space
- Tommy Wildcat – Red Fire People
- Xavier Quijas Yxayotl – The Color of Morning
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Blackfire – (Silence) Is A Weapon
- Brule’ & AIRO – Live At Mt. Rushmore
- Eagle & Hawk – Red Road Stories
- Native Roots – Celebrate
- Primeaux & Mike w/Xavier Quijas Yxayotl – The Color of Morning
- The Red Corn Band – Still No Good (2)
BEST HISTORICAL RECORDING
- Chief Seattle Speaks 1854 – Red Hawk
- Journeys Through the Mist – The Blessed Blend (2)
- Oklahoma Style – Walter Ahhaitty & Friends
- Omeigwessi Reel Metis: A Tribute To Walter Flett – Omeigwessi Ensemble
- Precious Memories – Cherokee National Youth Choir
BEST INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING
- Dream Scape: Spirit Maiden – Dream Scape
- Mirror Lake – Golana
- Sacred Land – Johnsy G The Whisper
- Spirit Progression – Larry Redhouse
- Unconquered – Injunuity
- York Boats & Legends – Ryan D’Aoust
BEST MALE ARTIST
- Clinton Denny – Prayers for My Fathers
- Edmund Bull – Follow Your Dreams
- Exitwound: The Native Axeman – After the Storm
- J.C. Campbell – Lazy James
- Johnny Mike – My Spirit Soars
- Ken Quiet Hawk – The Story Tellers
BEST NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH RECORDING
- A Vision of Spiritual Blessing – Merlinda Woody
- First Light – Cheevers Toppah & Kevin Yazzie
- Humble Prayers – Denise Becenti
- Mourning Praise Unto Our Creator – Meewasin Oma
- New Beginning – Janelle Turtle
- The Four Directions – Delbert Blackhorse (2)
BEST NEW AGE RECORDING
- Crown of Stars – Blue Feather, Dunlap & Henke
- Deep Dreams – Nicole (2)
- Homeland Security – Carroll Medicine Crow (2)
- Kokyo – Devin Village Stone /Kiwamura
- Points of Origin – Anthony Wakeman & Mr Soon
- Voyagers – R Carlos Nakai, Udi Bar-David, Will Clipman
BEST POP RECORDING
- Eye of the Tiger – Tiger Tiger
- In the Blood – Robert Mirabal
- Love Birds – Archie Cavanaugh
- Phoenix – Fara Palmer
- The Outsiders – Rezhogs
- Tribal Trance – Socie Sal*censormode*er
BEST POW WOW RECORDING
- 5 Bucks Gas – 191 N. (2)
- Blue Scout – Tha Tribe
- Hear the Beat – Blackfoot Confederacy
- Honoring Women Veterans – Zotigh Singers
- Oklahoma Style – Walter Ahhaitty & Friends
- The Elk Way – Elk Soldier
BEST PRODUCER
- Adrian Brown, Tim Sampson, Jonathon Joss – Still No Good
- Douglas Blue Feather – A Crown Of Stars
- Ed Stasium – (Silence) Is A Weapon
- JC Campbell, Tracy Bone, DJ St Germain- Lazy James
- Kelly Parker – Follow Your Dreams
- R. Carlos Nakai, Udi Bar-David, Robert Doyle – Voyagers
RECORD OF THE YEAR
- (Silence) Is A Weapon – Blackfire
- Calling All Dancers – Northern Cree & Friends
- Express Yourself – Thee Express
- Mirror Lake – Golana
- Live At Mt. Rushmore – Brule’ & AIRO
- Train Train – Blackfoot
BEST ROCK RECORDING
- (Silence) Is A Weapon – Blackfire
- Blues To Bluegrass – Jim Boyd
- Learning To Fly- Medicine Dream
- The Sun & The Earth – Stevie Salas
- Train Train – Blackfoot
- Wanted Alive – XIT
SONG/SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- All Colors Together – RainSong Terry & Darlene Wildman
- Broken Dreams – Nightshield
- Going To Gathering – The Blessed Blend
- Hey Cuzzin’! – Cheryl Bear
- Sleep Is The Ocean – The Crow Girls
- Way of the Warrior – Medicine Dream
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Alex E Smith, Cheevers Toppah, Nitanis “Kit” Landry – Harmony Nights
- Derek Mortland, Michael Joseph – Sketches In Time
- Lee & Stephen Tiger – Eye of The Tiger
- Michael Jeans – Leather & Feathers
- Star Nayea – Silenced My Tongue
- Vince Fontaine, Lawrence Mullhall – Red Road Stories
BEST SPOKEN WORD RECORDING
- Artificial Red – Randy Kemp
- Chief Seattle Speaks 1854 – Red Hawk
- Distant Drums – Red Feather Woman
- Tales >From The Lodge – Debra Morningstar
- The Story Tellers – Ken Quiet Hawk
BEST TRADITIONAL RECORDING
- Brand New Day – Tanya Brown
- My Father’s Fire Dance Songs – Mary Smith
- Po’li – Clark Tenakhongva
- Rezmerized – Ryon Polequptena
- Traditional Navajo Shoe Songs –Gilbert Begay Sr
- Waiting With The Cellular – Navajo Nation Singers
BEST RAP HIP HOP RECORDING
- Blest With Skills – Blest One
- I Am Universal – Buggin Malone
- Loved & Hated – Nightshield
- Native American Hustle – Dago Braves
- Paranormal: The War Within – Maniac The Siouxpernatural
- Rez Life – Blu (2)
BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
- Brave New World – Robert Mirabal
- Dirty Water – Michael Bucher
- Drinking Song – Rezhogs
- The Enlightened Time – Jana
- Times We’ve Had – NDN
- Vision Quest – AIRO
BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
- Eye of the Tiger – Tiger Tiger
- Live At Mt Rushmore: Concert For Reconciliation of the Cultures – Brule’ & AIRO
- Live In Concert – Michael Searching Bear
- Our Land Our Life- Joanne Shenandoah
- The 8th Fire – Andy Pickard, Cindy Pickard, Tom Bee
- Train Train – Blackfoot
NATIVE HEART
- Ed Stasium – (Silence) Is A Weapon
- Jeff Ball – The Shape of Light
- Jonny Lipford – Transitions: Out of the Flames & Into The Wind
- Peter Kater – Sacred Earth: Wind of the North
- Richard Stepp – The Sacred Journey
- William Hoshal – A Rumor of the Sun
BEST COUNTRY RECORDING
- Follow Your Dreams – Edmund Bull
- Mysterys – QuaTiSi
- No Lies – Tracy Bone
- Still No Good – The Red Corn Band
- Crystal Shawanda – Crystal Shawanda
BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL RECORDING
- Heartbeat of the Creator – Kelly Montijo Fink
- I’ve Come Too Far To Look Back – Thelma Emerson
- Journeys Through the Mist – The Blessed Blend
- Precious Memories – Cherokee National Youth Choir
- Rise Up & Dance – RainSong: Terry & Darlene Wildman
- Singing Heavenly & Free – Joe Tohonnie Jr
Vote now: www.votenative.com or www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
