List of Native American musicians facts for kids
This is a list of Native American musicians and singers. They are notable musicians and singers, who are from peoples Indigenous to the contemporary United States, including Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Americans in the United States. While Native American identity can at times be a complex and contested issue, the Bureau of Indian Affairs defines Native American as having American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry, and legally, being Native American is defined as being enrolled in a federally recognized tribe or Alaskan village. Ethnologically, factors such as culture, history, language, religion, and familial kinships can influence Native American identity.
All individuals on this list should have reliably-sourced Native American citizenship, to be listed as Native American (or ancestry, to be listed as a descendant) not just personal claims/belief. Historical figures might predate tribal enrollment practices and would be included based on ethnological tribal membership, while any contemporary individuals should either be enrolled members of federally recognized tribes or have cited Native American ancestry and be recognized as being Native American by their respective tribes(s). Contemporary unenrolled individuals are listed as being of descent from a tribe. For guidelines on naming conventions and sourcing Native American and identities, see Determining Native American and Indigenous Canadian identities and WP:Ethnicity.
For Indigenous musicians in and from Canada, see List of Indigenous musicians in Canada.
Contents
Classical
- Steven Alvarez (composer, percussionist, film & stage producer)(Yaqui/Mescalero Apache/Upper Tanana Athabascan)
- Timothy Archambault (composer and flutist)(Kichesipirini Algonquin First Nation)
- Dawn Avery (Mohawk), composer, cellist, vocalist, educator
- Louis W. Ballard (Quapaw/Cherokee), "known as the father of Native American composition
- Raven Chacon (Navajo), composer and visual artist
- Atalie Unkalunt (Cherokee, 1895-1954), opera and Indianist singer
Country and folk
- Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida Indian Nation, 1957–2021)
- Buddy Red Bow (Lakota)
Gospel
- Johnny P. Curtis (San Carlos Apache)
- Klaudt Indian Family (Lillian White Corn Little Soldier, Arikara-Mandan)
Jazz
- Mildred Bailey (jazz singer) (Coeur d'Alene)
- Jim Pepper (Muscogee/Kaw)
- Big Chief Russell Moore (Pima, 1912–1983)
Native American flute
- Robert Tree Cody (Hunkpapa/Maricopa)
- Brent Michael Davids, (Stockbridge Mohican) composer and flutist
- Joseph FireCrow (Northern Cheyenne)
- Charles Littleleaf (Warm Springs/Blackfoot)
- Kevin Locke (Lakota)
- Tom Mauchahty-Ware (Kiowa/Comanche)
- Bill Miller (Mahican)
- Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo)
- R. Carlos Nakai (Navajo/Ute)
- Sonny Nevaquaya (Comanche)
- Andrew Vasquez (Kiowa Apache)
- Tommy Wildcat (Cherokee Nation/Muscogee/Natchez)
- Mary Youngblood (Aleut/Seminole)
Native American protest singers
- Floyd Red Crow Westerman (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate)
- John Trudell (Santee Dakota)
New age and world music
- Brulé (Sioux)
- Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida Indian Nation, 1957–2021)
- Verdell Primeaux and Johnny Mike (Oglala/Yankton/Ponca/Navajo)
Pop and rock
- Chuck Billy of Testament (Pomo)
- Jimmy Carl Black (Southern Cheyenne descent)
- Blackbraid
- Blackfire (Navajo)
- Blackfoot
- Jim Boyd (Colville)
- Jesse Ed Davis (Comanche/Kiowa/Muscogee/Seminole)
- Willy DeVille (Pequot)
- Gary Duncan of Quicksilver Messenger Service (Skidi Pawnee)
- Nokie Edwards (Cherokee)
- Joy Harjo and Poetic Justice (Mvskoke)
- Indigenous (Nakota)
- Debora Iyall of Romeo Void (Cowlitz)
- Jana (Lumbee)
- Grant-Lee Phillips (Muscogee (Creek)), Red Earth
- Redbone, members are mostly Yaqui/Shoshone descent
- Keith Secola (Bois Forte Chippewa)
- John Trudell (Santee Dakota)
- XIT, members are Colville, Isleta Pueblo, Diné, and Muscogee Creek
- Spencer Battiest (Seminole/Choctaw)
- Sky Ferreira (Chippewa Cree)
- Samantha Crain (Choctaw Nation)
- Black Belt Eagle Scout (Swinomish/Iñupiaq)
- Quinn Christopherson (Alaskan Athabaskan/Iñupiaq)
Rap and hip hop
- Jaynez (Navajo)
- Julian B. (Muscogee)
- Lil Mike and Funny Bone (both Pawnee/Choctaw)
- Litefoot (Cherokee Nation/Chichimeca)
- Supaman (Apsáalooke)
- Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota)
Powwow music
See also
- Native American composers