Joanne Shenandoah was born in Oneida, New York in 1958. She was a Wolf Clan member of the Oneida Nation, Iroquois Confederacy. She was the daughter of Maisie Shenandoah, a Clan mother and Clifford Shenandoah, an Onondaga chief and jazz guitarist.
Her parents had a deep love for music encouraging Joanne to study voice, flute, piano, clarinet, guitar, and cello. Joanne’s talent combined with her beautiful clear voice enabled her to embellish the ancients’ songs of the Iroquois using a mix of traditional and contemporary instrumentation.
After spending 14 years as a computer programmer and consultant in Washington, DC, Shenandoah became close with the tribal elders and her extended family who reacquainted her with the stories and songs of her people which prompted a personal artistic reawakening in 1989.
Joanne Shenandoah won several musical achievement awards, including 14 Native American Music Awards and in 1997 she was recognized as a “Native American Woman of Hope.”
Joanne Shenandoah’s music was featured on the popular TV series “Northern Exposure”. She appeared with Jackson Browne, Rita Coolidge and Willie Nelson and at the White House for Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore.
On May 12, 2002 she was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Music at Syracuse University’s (Syracuse, New York) 148th commencement. The award was the first of its kind ever presented to a Native musician at an American university.
In 2003 she was a guest artist on the album Sisters (Oneida Hymns) with Maisie Shenandoah and Liz Robert.
In 2005 she appeared on the album Sacred Ground, a Tribute to Mother Earth. The album is a compilation by Katahdin Productions that features all new recordings by celebrated stars in the genre. She delivered both a traditional spirit and contemporary style on “Seeking Light”. Joanne was also featured on the final track, ‘Mother Earth’ joining Walela for the anthem that was used in the award-winning documentary Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action. The film takes an in-depth look at the environmental hazards threatening Native American reservations. In 2006, Sacred Ground, a Tribute to Mother Earth won the Grammy Award for Best Native American Music Album.
In 2020, Joanne released her last full length recording titled, “Shenandoah Country”. The 12 track recording includes country music-infused songs together with a moving dedication to Missing Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), a sing titled “Missing You.”
Joanne Shenandoah passed away on November 22, 2021.
Discography:
“Joanne Shenandoah” (Canyon Records, 1989)
“Once in a Red Moon” (Canyon Records, 1994)
“Life Blood” (Silver Wave, 1995)
“Matriarch: Iroquois Women’s Songs” (Silver Wave, 1996)
“All Spirits Sing” (Rhino Records, 1997)
“Orenda” (Silver Wave, 1998)
“Peacemaker’s Journey” (Silver Wave, 2000)
“Warrior In Two Worlds” (Red Feather, 2000)
“Eagle Cries” (Red Feather, 2001)
“Covenant” (Silver Wave, 2003)
“Sisters: Oneida Iroquois Hymns” (Silver Wave, 2003)
“Skywoman” (Silver Wave, 2005)
“Loving Ways” (Canyon Records, 2005)
“Bitter Tears Sacred Ground” (Hondo Mesa Records, 2005)
“Enchanted Garden” (Joanne Shenandoah, 2005)
“Lifegivers” (Silver Wave, 2011)
“Shenandoah Country” (2021)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.