Northern Cree
Musical artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Northern Cree, also known as the Northern Cree Singers, is a powwow and Round Dance drum and singing group based in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada.[1][2][3] Formed in 1982 by Randy Wood, with brothers Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the group's members originate from the Treaty 6 area.[4][1][2] These include Ferlin McGillvary, Steve Wood and Joel Wood.[5] Additional members are Shane Dion, Leroy Whitstone, Penny McGilvery, Jonas Tootoosis, Marlon Deschamps, Conan Yellowbird, Dezi Chocan, Ben Cardinal, Kyle Pasquayak, JohnBoy Moosomin, Randall Paskemin, and Mickso Deschamps.[6]
Northern Cree has performed regularly at folk festivals Native American powwows across Canada and the United States and has won hundreds of championship powwow singing titles.[7]
They are the only traditional Canadian Aboriginal group to have been nominated for a Grammy.[6] In 2017, the Singers, along with founder Randy Wood and Tanya Tagaq, won a Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble for the album Going Home Star.[8]
Discography
Northern Cree has released 38 recordings.[7] Many are live recordings on Canyon Records.
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 1 |
| Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 2 | |
| Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 3: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Fort Duchesne | |
| 1993 | Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 4: No Word Songs Please: Straight Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live |
| Vol. 5: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live | |
| 1994 | Vol. 6: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live |
| 1996 | Vol. 7: Pow Wow Songs, Live at Lummi |
| Vol. 8: Come and Dance — Pow Wow Songs, Live at Whiteriver | |
| 1997 | Dance Hard! : Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Poundmaker's Lodge |
| 1998 | Honor the Eagle Feather: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in Kamloops |
| It's Time to Round Dance! | |
| 1999 | Here to Stay |
| In Our Drum We Trust | |
| Showtime: Round Dance Songs | |
| 2000 | Rockin' the Rez: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake |
| Second Song: Dancer's Choice!: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake | |
| 2002 | Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 1: Round Dance Songs Recorded Live |
| Round Dance Jam | |
| Still Rezin′ | |
| 2003 | Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 2: Honoring Singers and Songmakers |
| 2004 | Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 3: Honoring Singers and Songmakers |
| Rezonate: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake | |
| 2005 | Nikamo = "Sing": Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Samson |
| Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 4: Slide and Sway | |
| 2006 | Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights: Round Dance "Live!" |
| Stay Red: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Pullman | |
| 2007 | Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 6: Calling All Dancers |
| Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 7: Dancin' til Sunrise | |
| 2008 | Red Rock: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot |
| 2009 | True Blue |
| 2010 | Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs |
| 2011 | Drum Boy: Mistikwaskihk Napesis: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake |
| 2012 | Dancerz Groove: Cree Round Dance Songs |
| 2013 | Loyalty to the Drum: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live in Rocky Boy |
| 2014 | Breaking Boundaries: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain |
| Ewipihcihk (ᐁᐏᐱᐦᒋᐦᐠ)[a]: Cree Round Dance Songs | |
| 2016 | It's a Cree Thing: Cree Round Dance Songs |
| 2017 | Mîyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain |
| 2018 | Nîtisânak (Brothers and Sister): Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Shakopee |
| 2019 | When It's Cold: Cree Round Dance Songs |
| 2022 | Drums In the Pines: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in Keshena |
Other appearances
Northern Cree was featured in the 1999 film Grey Owl.[6][9][7] They are featured on the album Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 1999, which won a Grammy in 2001.[10] The group is featured in the song and music video "Indomitable" by DJ Shub, which was nominated for Best EDM/Dance Video in the 2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards[11] and won Best Music Video in the 2017 Native American Music Awards.[12] In 2017, the group performed live as part of the pre-telecast for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, which was the first time that traditional Native American or Indigenous music was performed on the Grammy stage.[7]
Northern Cree is featured on the CDs which accompany David Bouchard's children's books in Cree and English: Nokum Is My Teacher (2006) and The Drum Calls Softly (2008), both on Red Deer Press.[1][2]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Native American Music Awards | Best Pow Wow Album | Won | [13] | |
| 2002 | Grammy Awards | Best Native American Music Album | Rockin' the Rez | Nominated | [14] |
| 2004 | Still Rezin' | Nominated | [15] | ||
| Native American Music Awards | Best Compilation Recording | Won | [13] | ||
| 2006 | Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards | Best Contemporary Pow-Wow Album | Nikamo – "Sing!" | Won | [16] |
| Best Hand Drum Album | Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 4 – Slide & Sway | Won | |||
| 2007 | Grammy Awards | Best Native American Music Album | Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights | Nominated | [17] |
| Juno Awards | Aboriginal Recording of the Year | Stay Red | Nominated | [18] | |
| Native American Music Awards | Best Pow Wow Album | Won | [13] | ||
| 2009 | Grammy Awards | Best Native American Music Album | Red Rock: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot | Nominated | [19] |
| 2010 | True Blue | Nominated | [20] | ||
| 2011 | Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs | Nominated | [21] | ||
| 2017 | Best Regional Roots Music Album | It's a Cree Thing | Nominated | [22] | |
| Indigenous Music Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [7] | ||
| Juno Awards | Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble | Going Home Star | Won | [8] | |
| Native American Music Awards | Best Music Video | Won | [13] | ||
| Best Pow Wow Recording | Won | ||||
| 2018 | Grammy Awards | Best Regional Roots Music Album | Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand [Live] | Nominated | [23] |
| 2019 | Juno Awards | Indigenous Music Album of the Year | Nitisanak - Brothers and Sister | Nominated | [24] |
| 2020 | Grammy Awards | Best Regional Roots Music Album | When It's Cold - Cree Round Dance Songs | Nominated | [25] |
Notes
- Title translates to "to go Round Dancing (with)," or, "he/she goes Round Dancing (with)"