Joanne Shenandoah is an Iroquois

Iroquois

The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...

 singer, composer and acoustic guitarist. She is a member of the Wolf Clan of the Oneida Nation

Oneida tribe

The Oneida are a Native American/First Nations people and are one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in the area of upstate New York...

, of the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. Her music is a combination of traditional songs and melodies with a blend of traditional and contemporary instrumentation. She has recorded more than 15 albums and won a multitude of awards, and given an Honorary Doctorate of Music by Syracuse University. She was awarded a Grammy Award for her part in the album "Sacred Ground".

Roots

Shenandoah is the daughter of the late Maisie Shenandoah, Wolf Clanmother of the Oneida Nation, and the late Clifford Shenandoah, an Onondaga Nation chief. She is the direct descendent of John Skenando (Skenandoa, Shenandoah) after whom the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia is named. A compatriot of George Washington, Shenandoah played a key role in rallying some Iroquois to support the rebels during the American Revolution. John Shenandoah was the co-founder of the Hamilton-Oneida Academy which later became Hamilton College.

Works

Joanne Shenandoah, Ph.D, is one of America’s most celebrated and critically acclaimed musicians. She is a Grammy Award winner, with over 40 music awards (including a record13 Native American Music awards). She has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world, from North and South America, South Africa, Europe, Australia and Korea, with praise for her work to promote universal peace. She is a board member of the Hiawatha Institute for Traditional Knowledge www.hiawatha.syr.edu. Shenandoah has performed at prestigious events such as The White House, Carnegie Hall, 3 Presidential Inaugurations, Madison Square Garden, Crystal Bridges Museum, The NMAI-Smithsonian, The Ordway Theater, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto Skydome, The Parliament of the Worlds Religions,(Africa, Spain and Australia) and Woodstock ‘94.

"Joanne Shenandoah is one of the finest tributes to Native American Music and Culture" Neil Young

Recognition

Shenandoah is a Grammy Award Winner with 15 CD's. She has received more 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...

 (13 to date) than any other Native Artist. She has also received numerous Indie Awards and Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYS) and was presented with the the Rigoberto Menchu - Highest award by the Native Film Festival in Montreal, Canada for her soundtrack in the documentary "Our Land Our Life".

Personal

She is married to Doug George-Kanentiio, a Co-Founder of the Native American Journalists Association

Native American Journalists Association

The Native American Journalists Association, based in Norman, Oklahoma on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, is dedicated to supporting Native Americans in journalism, and focuses on improving communications among Native peoples, and between Native Americans and the general public...

External links

• Shenandoah's web site

Discography

• http://www.joanneshenandoah.com/DISCOGRAPHY.html