Canyon Records
Encyclopedia
Canyon Records of Phoenix, Arizona
has produced and distributed Native American
music for 56 years. Canyon was founded in 1951 by Ray and Mary Boley, who had opened the first recording studio
in Phoenix, Arizona Recording Productions, in 1948. The Boley's involvement with Native American music
began when Ray was asked by the Phoenix Little Theater to record a Navajo
singer named Ed Lee Natay. Boley was so taken with what he heard that he recorded a collection of songs titled Natay, Navajo Singer, an album
still in active release (and earning royalties for Natay's family).
To promote the album, the Boleys took a booth at the 1951 Arizona State Fair
. For most of the fairgoers, the recording was only a curiosity, but for Native Americans it was a revelation. They had never seen any of their music available on record before, and the album was well received within the Native community. Before the close of the fair, a Hopi
jeweler at a booth next to the Boleys suggested they record Hopi music.
The Boleys took the idea to heart and soon began recording music from tribes throughout the southwest. Their new label, Canyon Records, was a sister company to Canyon Films, a company also founded in 1951 specializing in documentaries and commercial work.
From the beginning Canyon Records had a different focus from the few other record labels releasing Native American music. Prior to the Boleys' efforts most recordings were produced and released for the benefit of scholars and academics. The Boleys saw their Native American neighbors as customers and tailored their releases to fit the needs and requests of the Native community. In an era when Native Americans were a little-understood, often ignored, and a frequently oppressed minority, Canyon Records served as an important validation of the music, artists, culture
, and community
.
In 1971, the Boleys sold Canyon Films and expanded the efforts of Canyon Records. They opened a retail
operation in Phoenix, and began building a distribution network. This development was laborious, and involved extensive travel by motor home across the country. Many store owners didn't see the potential of selling Native American music. One shopkeeper in Bemidji, Minnesota
(adjacent to a significant reservation) responded with, "Indian music...who wants it?" and thus ignoring the potential customers passing his door. Despite this resistance, the Boleys persevered and a built a distribution network throughout the western United States and Canada to sell Canyon titles as well those of other Native American music producers.
In 1984, in an attempt to semi-retire, the Boleys sold their store and distribution company (which still operates under the name Drumbeat Indian Arts) to focus solely on production. Semi-retirement didn't happen. At this time Boley made contact with a Native American flutist named R. Carlos Nakai
(Boley had known Nakai's father, Raymond Nakai, who played Canyon music on his Navajo language radio program before becoming Navajo tribal chairman). R. Carlos Nakai had produced a recording of solo flute music called Changes, and Boley asked to distribute it. Nakai, who had been turned down by several record labels, agreed and a new era in Native American music began.
Prior to Changes, most of Canyon's sales were to the Native American community. With the release of Changes Canyon began to place this recording in gift shops, art galleries, and new age oriented retailers. As it became clear that Nakai's music had significant cross-over potential in the gift/tourist and new age markets, Canyon began to build new distribution. The soothing, transporting quality of Nakai's flute music was instantly attractive, and for non-Native listeners, his recordings quickly defined Native American music. Nakai's music would lead the expansion of Native American music into mainstream retailing in the 1990s and Nakai would release more than thirty-five albums and publish a book with Canyon.
The 1980s and 1990s also saw the growth of other styles of Native American music such as Pow-wow
, peyote song
, and contemporary fusions
(rock, rap, new age) as the Native American community increased in population and acculturation. The non-Native community began to share greater interest in Native American culture, fueled by major media productions like Dances with Wolves
, Geronimo: An American Legend
, 500 Nations
, and others.
In 1992, Boley sold Canyon to his long-time executive assistant, Robert Doyle and retired (Mary died in 1991, Ray would die in 2002). Canyon continued to develop its relationship with Nakai and both traditional and contemporary artists. In 2000, Canyon, needing more warehouse space, purchased its present location as well as acquiring a commercial recording studio (Jack Miller Productions) and adding a website management and graphic design company (Nile Graphics).
Canyon has earned the only two gold records for Native American music, both by Nakai
, for Canyon Trilogy and Earth Spirit. Additionally, Canyon albums have received twenty-two Grammy nominations with one win for Primeaux & Mike's Bless the People. Canyon has won four INDIE Awards (the Grammy for independent record labels) as well as twenty-five Native American Music Awards
(Nammies).
Canyon is at the forefront of developing new forms of Native American music by such artists as Louie Gonnie; Cheevers Toppah, Alex Smith & Kit Landry; Randy Wood; Jay & Tiinesha Begaye among many talented performers. Canyon also continues to work with the very top artists of Pow-Wow music (Black Lodge, Northern Cree, Tha Tribe, Elk Soldier, Warscout) Native Church Music (Verdell Primeaux, Kevin Yazzie, Louie Gonnie, Gerald Primeaux) and chicken scratch
(Thee Express, Southern Scratch).
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
has produced and distributed Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
music for 56 years. Canyon was founded in 1951 by Ray and Mary Boley, who had opened the first recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Phoenix, Arizona Recording Productions, in 1948. The Boley's involvement with Native American music
Native American music
American Indian music is the music that is used, created or performed by Native North Americans, specifically traditional tribal music. In addition to the traditional music of the Native American groups, there now exist pan-tribal and inter-tribal genres as well as distinct Indian subgenres of...
began when Ray was asked by the Phoenix Little Theater to record a Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
singer named Ed Lee Natay. Boley was so taken with what he heard that he recorded a collection of songs titled Natay, Navajo Singer, an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
still in active release (and earning royalties for Natay's family).
To promote the album, the Boleys took a booth at the 1951 Arizona State Fair
Arizona State Fair
The Arizona State Fair is an annual state fair, held at a permanent fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. It was first held in 1884, but has had various interruptions due to cotton crop failure, the Great Depression era, and World War II years. Since 1946, the fair has been held regularly each year...
. For most of the fairgoers, the recording was only a curiosity, but for Native Americans it was a revelation. They had never seen any of their music available on record before, and the album was well received within the Native community. Before the close of the fair, a Hopi
Hopi
The Hopi are a federally recognized tribe of indigenous Native American people, who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The Hopi area according to the 2000 census has a population of 6,946 people. Their Hopi language is one of the 30 of the Uto-Aztecan language...
jeweler at a booth next to the Boleys suggested they record Hopi music.
The Boleys took the idea to heart and soon began recording music from tribes throughout the southwest. Their new label, Canyon Records, was a sister company to Canyon Films, a company also founded in 1951 specializing in documentaries and commercial work.
From the beginning Canyon Records had a different focus from the few other record labels releasing Native American music. Prior to the Boleys' efforts most recordings were produced and released for the benefit of scholars and academics. The Boleys saw their Native American neighbors as customers and tailored their releases to fit the needs and requests of the Native community. In an era when Native Americans were a little-understood, often ignored, and a frequently oppressed minority, Canyon Records served as an important validation of the music, artists, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, and community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
.
In 1971, the Boleys sold Canyon Films and expanded the efforts of Canyon Records. They opened a retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
operation in Phoenix, and began building a distribution network. This development was laborious, and involved extensive travel by motor home across the country. Many store owners didn't see the potential of selling Native American music. One shopkeeper in Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was at 13,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beltrami County. Bemidji is the most major city in North Central Minnesota and the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth,...
(adjacent to a significant reservation) responded with, "Indian music...who wants it?" and thus ignoring the potential customers passing his door. Despite this resistance, the Boleys persevered and a built a distribution network throughout the western United States and Canada to sell Canyon titles as well those of other Native American music producers.
In 1984, in an attempt to semi-retire, the Boleys sold their store and distribution company (which still operates under the name Drumbeat Indian Arts) to focus solely on production. Semi-retirement didn't happen. At this time Boley made contact with a Native American flutist named R. Carlos Nakai
R. Carlos Nakai
Raymond Carlos “R.” Nakai is a Native American flautist of Navajo/Ute heritage.-Biography:Born Ray Carlos Nakai, in Flagstaff, Arizona, he released his first album, Changes, in 1983...
(Boley had known Nakai's father, Raymond Nakai, who played Canyon music on his Navajo language radio program before becoming Navajo tribal chairman). R. Carlos Nakai had produced a recording of solo flute music called Changes, and Boley asked to distribute it. Nakai, who had been turned down by several record labels, agreed and a new era in Native American music began.
Prior to Changes, most of Canyon's sales were to the Native American community. With the release of Changes Canyon began to place this recording in gift shops, art galleries, and new age oriented retailers. As it became clear that Nakai's music had significant cross-over potential in the gift/tourist and new age markets, Canyon began to build new distribution. The soothing, transporting quality of Nakai's flute music was instantly attractive, and for non-Native listeners, his recordings quickly defined Native American music. Nakai's music would lead the expansion of Native American music into mainstream retailing in the 1990s and Nakai would release more than thirty-five albums and publish a book with Canyon.
The 1980s and 1990s also saw the growth of other styles of Native American music such as Pow-wow
Pow-wow
A pow-wow is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader". A modern pow-wow is a specific type of event where both Native American and non-Native American people meet to dance, sing, socialize, and honor American...
, peyote song
Peyote song
Peyote songs are a form of Native American music, now most often performed as part of the Native American Church. They are typically accompanied by a rattle and water drum, and are used in a ceremonial aspect during the sacramental taking of peyote....
, and contemporary fusions
Fusion Music
Fusion Music is a sub genre of Reggaeton. Calle 13 helped introduce this genre, and are the most famous artists to sing it. It's also known as Alternative Reggaeton. Danny Fornaris is the most famous producer in this sub-genre, known as its Luny Tunes...
(rock, rap, new age) as the Native American community increased in population and acculturation. The non-Native community began to share greater interest in Native American culture, fueled by major media productions like Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 epic western film directed by and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the story of a Union Army Lieutenant who travels to the American frontier to find a military post, and his dealings with a...
, Geronimo: An American Legend
Geronimo: An American Legend
Geronimo: An American Legend is a 1993 film, starring Wes Studi as Geronimo, Jason Patric as 1st Lt. Charles B. Gatewood, Gene Hackman as Brig. Gen. George Crook, Robert Duvall as Chief of Scouts Al Sieber, and Matt Damon as 2nd Lt. Britton Davis. The film was directed by Walter Hill from a...
, 500 Nations
500 Nations
500 Nations is an eight part documentary on the Native Americans of North and Central America. It documents from pre-Columbian to the end of the 19th century. Much of the information comes from text, eyewitnesses, pictorials, and computer graphics....
, and others.
In 1992, Boley sold Canyon to his long-time executive assistant, Robert Doyle and retired (Mary died in 1991, Ray would die in 2002). Canyon continued to develop its relationship with Nakai and both traditional and contemporary artists. In 2000, Canyon, needing more warehouse space, purchased its present location as well as acquiring a commercial recording studio (Jack Miller Productions) and adding a website management and graphic design company (Nile Graphics).
Canyon has earned the only two gold records for Native American music, both by Nakai
R. Carlos Nakai
Raymond Carlos “R.” Nakai is a Native American flautist of Navajo/Ute heritage.-Biography:Born Ray Carlos Nakai, in Flagstaff, Arizona, he released his first album, Changes, in 1983...
, for Canyon Trilogy and Earth Spirit. Additionally, Canyon albums have received twenty-two Grammy nominations with one win for Primeaux & Mike's Bless the People. Canyon has won four INDIE Awards (the Grammy for independent record labels) as well as twenty-five Native American Music Awards
Native American Music Awards
The Native American Music Awards , commonly known as the Nammys, are an awards program presented annually by The Native American Music Association & Awards, which recognizes outstanding musical achievement among Native Americans...
(Nammies).
Canyon is at the forefront of developing new forms of Native American music by such artists as Louie Gonnie; Cheevers Toppah, Alex Smith & Kit Landry; Randy Wood; Jay & Tiinesha Begaye among many talented performers. Canyon also continues to work with the very top artists of Pow-Wow music (Black Lodge, Northern Cree, Tha Tribe, Elk Soldier, Warscout) Native Church Music (Verdell Primeaux, Kevin Yazzie, Louie Gonnie, Gerald Primeaux) and chicken scratch
Chicken scratch
Chicken scratch is a kind of dance music developed by the Tohono O'odham people. The genre evolved out of acoustic fiddle bands in southern Arizona, in the Sonoran desert...
(Thee Express, Southern Scratch).