- Native American Music Awards
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The Native American Music Awards (NAMA), commonly known as the Nammys, are an awards program presented annually by The Native American Music Association & Awards,[1] which recognizes outstanding musical achievement among Native Americans. The awards were created in 1998 to offer Native American musicians in the music industry greater exposure and opportunities for mainstream recognition.
The awards show honors national recordings released in the previous calendar year that encompass traditional Native American musical instrumentation and/or lyrics with strong native content or messages. Nominees are submitted and selected by a national Advisory membership, consisting of individuals directly involved in recording, manufacturing, distributing and promoting Native American music nationally. Winners are selected by a combined vote by the national membership and the general public, who can listen to and vote on nominees' tracks on the Native American Music Awards website.[2]
The awards ceremony features live artist performances and 30 awards categories in various traditional and contemporary music genres, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions. The awards' contemporary categories are open to anyone with tribal affiliation.[citation needed] At times the program expands beyond the United States to award indigenous music initiatives originating in parts of Canada, Central America and South America. NAMA also honors music contributions by non-Native artists in one category ("Native Heart").
Contents
2010 Awards
The twelfth annual NAMA ceremony took place Friday, November 12, 2010 at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. WGWE, the radio station owned and operated by the Seneca nation, is the official broadcaster of the event.
2009 Awards
The following awards were presented at the Eleventh Annual Native American Music Award ceremony on October 3, 2009, at the Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino in Niagara Falls, NY:[3]
- Artist of the Year: Jan Michael Looking Wolf (for The Looking Wolf Project)
- Best Blues Recording: Dancing In The Rain by Graywolf Blues Band
- Best Compilation Recording: Bitter Tears Sacred Ground by Joanne Shenandoah and Michael Bucher
- Best Country Recording: Life Is Calling My Name by Shane Yellowbird
- Debut Artist of the Year: Skylar Wolf (for Devil’s Son)
- Debut Duo/Group of the Year: Will & Lil Jess (for Reservation Nights)
- Best Female Artist: Joy Harjo (for Winding Through The Milky Way)
- Best Folk Recording: Four Wolves Prophecy by Atsiaktonkie
- Flutist of the Year: JJ Kent (for Tate’ Topa Win)
- Best Gospel/Inspirational Recording: "Amazing Grace" by Lenape Spirits from Wind Spirit Drum
- Group of the Year: Brulé (for Lakota Piano II)
- Best Historical Recording: Native Pride by Thunder Hawk Singers
- Best Instrumental Recording: Tango! by Gabriel Ayala
- Best Male Artist: Bryan Akipa (for Songs From The Black Hills)
- Best Native American Church Recording: Peyote Ways by Primeaux & Mike
- Best New Age Recording: Deep Within by Tony Redhouse
- Best Pop Recording: Na Unu Nahai (Shape Shifter) by Apryl Allen
- Best Pow Wow Recording: Band of Brothers by Midnite Express
- Best Producer: Kelly Parker (for Out Of The Blue)
- Best Rap/Hip Hop Recording: All Day All Night by Rezhogs
- Record of the Year: Earth Gift by Kevin Locke
- Best Rock Recording: Sirensong by Eagle & Hawk
- Song/Single of the Year: A Change Is Gonna Come by Jana Mashonee
- Songwriter of the Year: Samantha Crain (for The Confiscation: A Musical Novella)
- Best Spoken Word Recording: "The Great Story From The Sacred Book" from Rain Song by Terry and Darlene Wildman
- Best Traditional Recording: It Is A New Day by the Oshkii Giizhik Singers
- Video: Movin On by Charly Lowry & Aaron Locklear
- Best World Music Recording: Ceremony by Michael Searching Bear
- Native Heart: Michael Brant DeMaria (for Siyotanka)
- Living Legend: Tommy Allsup
- Hall of Fame: Ritchie Valens
2008 Awards
The following awards were presented at the 10th Annual Native American Music Awards ceremony:[4]
- Artist of the Year: Jim Boyd
- Best Blues Recording: Deep Downtown by Jimmy Wolf
- Best Compilation Recording: Old Style Round Dance Songs
- Best Country Recording: No Lies by Tracy Bone
- Debut Artist of the Year: Cheryl Bear
- Debut Group of the Year: Injunuity
- Best Female Artist: Nicole
- Best Folk Recording: Where the Green Grass Grows by The Crow Girls
- Flutist of the Year: Jan Michael Looking Wolf
- Best Gospel/Inspirational Recording: Precious Memories by The Cherokee National Youth Choir
- Group of the Year: Native Roots
- Best Historical Recording: Chief Seattle Speaks 1854 by Red Hawk
- Best Instrumental Recording: Mirror Lake by Golaná
- Best Male Artist: Edmund Bull
- Best Native American Church Recording: New Beginning by Janelle Turtle
- Best New Age Recording: Homeland Security by Carroll Medicine Crow
- Best Pop Recording: Phoenix by Fara Palmer
- Best Pow Wow Recording: Hear the Beat by the Blackfoot Confederacy
- Best Producer: Adrian Brown, Tim Sampson, Jonathon Joss, Charles Button
- Best Rap/Hip Hop Recording: Native American Hustle by Dago Braves
- Record of the Year: (Silence) is a Weapon by Blackfire
- Song/Single of the Year: Broken Dreams by Nightshield
- Songwriter of the Year: Star Nayea
- Best Spoken Word Recording: The Storytellers by Ken Quiet Hawk
- Best Traditional Recording: Traditional Navajo Shoe Songs by Gilbert Begay Sr
- Best Short Form Music Video: "The Enlightened Time" by Jana
- Best Long Form Video: Live at Mt. Rushmore: Concert for Reconciliations of Cultures by Brulé and AIRO
- Best World Music Recording: Celebrate by Native Roots
- Native Heart: Ed Stasium, producer for (Silence) is a Weapon
Lifetime Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions
Another feature of the Native American Music Awards is the Lifetime Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions:[1][2][5]
Hall of Fame inductions
- Jimi Hendrix (1998)
- Buddy Red Bow (1998)
- Hank Williams (1999)
- Jim Pepper (2000)
- Crystal Gayle (2001)
- Kitty Wells (2002)
- Doc Tate Nevaquaya (2006)
- Link Wray (2007)
- Redbone (2008)
- Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd/Blackfoot (2008)
- Janice Marie Johnson of A Taste of Honey (2008)
- Felipe Rose of Village People (2008)
- Ritchie Valens (2009)
Lifetime Achievement Awards
- Robbie Robertson (1998)
- Rita Coolidge (1999)
- Tom Bee of XIT (2000)
- R. Carlos Nakai (2001)
- John Densmore (2003)
- Tiger Tiger (2007)
- Joanne Shenandoah (2008)
- Bill Miller (2008)
- Stevie Salas (2009)
- John Trudell (Living Legend, 1998)
- Navajo Code talkers (Living Legend, 1999)
- The Neville Brothers (Living Legend, 2001)
- Floyd Red Crow Westerman (Living Legend, 2002)
- Tommy Allsup (Living Legend, 2009)
Past honorees
Past recipients of Nammy awards include: Jana, Notah Begay III (Thorpe Sports Award), Black Lodge Singers, Jim Boyd, Brulé, Pura Fé, Cozad Singers, Joseph Fire Crow, Indigenous, Litefoot, Buggin Malone, Robert Mirabal, Pamyua, Red Earth, Martha Redbone, Keith Secola, and Shadowyze.
References
- ^ a b Nominees Announced for the Eleventh Annual Native American Music Awards [PDF file, 120 KB)
- ^ a b Native American Music Awards official site
- ^ "NAMMY 2009 Winners Announced." Censored News. October 4, 2009. Retrieved 10-05-09.
- ^ Native American Music Awards - NAMA 10 WINNERS
- ^ Native American Music Awards - Hall of Fame
Categories:- American Indian music
- American music awards
- Awards established in 1998
- Awards honoring indigenous people
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