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Joanne Shenandoah grew up on the Oneida Iroquois Territory in central New York in a large house without running water. A descendent of Revolutionary War hero Chief John Shenandoah, she was raised by her mother, Maisie, an Oneida Wolf Clan mother, and her father, Clifford Shenandoah. Music was commonplace in her upbringing; Shenandoah's parents would sing the songs of Billie Holliday, Hank Williams, and Patsy Cline to her and her four siblings. Shenandoah's father, a jazz guitarist, was interested in jazz and early rock 'n' roll. In Native Peoples, Shenandoah wrote, "singing was as natural to me as breathing." Her native name, given to her before she could talk, is Tekaiawahway (pronounced De-gal-la-wha-wha), which means "she sings."
As the only Native American student at the private Union Springs Academy in New York, she threw herself into music. She experimented with various musical instruments, including French horn, cello, clarinet, and flute. She spent hours practicing piano and learning to read and write music while developing her talent for singing and composing original music. In the early 1970s, there were few Native American performers for Shenandoah to look up to. Her childhood idols included Rita Coolidge, Buffy Saint-Marie, Floyd Westerman, Paul Ortega, Jim Pepper, and the rock bands Redbone and XIT.
Shenandoah did consider the idea of a professional career as a performer before taking a job in the corporate world as a computer specialist in Washington D.C. "I was working very hard and was doing all the things I thought were important in life," she said in an interview with the Observer-Dispatch. But that quickly changed. She released her debut album, Joanne Shenandoah, in 1989, and only months later was performing on stage at a benefit with Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Kris Kristofferson, and Neil Young, who became a long-time supporter. Her early work was a blend of "traditional Native American style with traditional American folk and even country," wrote Mark Bialczak in the Syracuse Herald American.
Once committed to life as a performer, Shenandoah did not hold back. She went on to release a total of ten albums in just over ten years, in addition to countless live performances. Some critics suggested her popularity was a result of the crossover power of her music. Though she did not sing in English, but in her native Iroquois language, Shenandoah's music seemed to transcend the language barrier with her voice and message of peace. Alan Bisbort of the Hartford Advocate noted that Shenandoah's 1996 release, Matriarch, lacked conventional songs and song structure and called it the "Iroquois version of Gregorian chanting," adding, "You don't need to understand the words to feel the spirit." He also noted Shenandoah's "remarkably soothing voice." Her children's record, All Spirits Sing, won the Native American Music Award (NAMMY) for Best Children's Album in 1998, and her album Orenda won the NAMMY for Best Traditional Album a year later. As of 1999, each of Shenandoah's recordings had sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.
Award-winning Iroquois singer and storyteller Joanne Shenandoah presents this epic musical journey of a young Iroquois girl searching for her own voice and song. Join her in her quest filled with adventure and magic, as she gets crooned to by the moon, meets a turtle who speaks in "funny riddles", and sings with the wolves. The music offers a beautiful blending of traditional Iroquois chants and Shenandoah's contemporary expression of her culture's values through song. There's a warm and humorous message for anyone who has ever felt shy about singing, yet wished more than anything that they could.
| 1. Friendship Song |
| 2. Rabbit Dance Song |
| 3. Everybody Else Can Sing |
| 4. Light Up The World |
| 5. I Am The River |
| 6. Tise Old Wurtle |
| 7. Roots and Wings |
| 8. Bear In Mind |
| 9. Three Sisters: Corns, Beans and Squash |
| 10. Sing Away Your Cares |
| 11. All Spirits Sing |
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For over a decade, Joanne Shenandoah has been a driving force in Native American music, a voice that embodies the spirit of the Oneida people. With COVENANT, Shenandoah embarks on her most ambitious and rewarding release to date. The most obvious difference between COVENANT and her past releases is that this album has one foot in the beat-infused world of electronic music. Don't get the idea that this is simply "Joanne Remixed" however, because COVENANT is a highly polished, multi-layered album that rivals her best works. Complex rhythms underlie the organic beauty of Shenandoah's voice, while Native instrumentation and string arrangements are melded with precision to synthesized, keyboard effects-laden atmospheres. This is an unexpected turn for the singer, but an impressive one nonetheless.
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This recording is dedicated to Wolf Clan Mother, Maisie Shenandoah. A matriarch, leader and honorable woman, she has dedicated her life to the Oneida people. She is widely known throughout the Iroquois Confederacy as an elder who has carried out her responsibilities in caring for the spiritual, political and social welfare of the people. I am proud to honor my mother, as she has always believed in freedom, justice and unity for the Oneida people.
LIFEBLOOD melds the rich heritage of one of the most prominent and respected Native recording artists with the versatile talents of one of contemporary instrumental music's most prolific composers. Joanne Shenandoah's voice has a sense of truth and purity, and her chant-like vocals are set to Peter Kater's vividly colored and rhythmic piano arrangements on this collection of ancient Iroquois melodies. Impressive support is provided by guest artists Kazu Matsui on shakuhachi, Tony Levin on bass, Randy Chavez on guitar, and Michael Tirsch on percussion.
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The voices and guitars of Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida Six Nations Iroquois) and A. Paul Ortega (Mescalero Apache) join in original songs about the ways of living and loving among Native peoples. Featured on "Northern Exposure."
MATRIARCH is a splendid collection of Iroquois women's songs and melodies rooted in the history of the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse). Recognized as one of America's most talented and versatile singers, Joanne Shenandoah composed these songs, named after women of the Shenandoah family, to honor all women as the lifegivers and as a series of thanksgivings for the bounties of Mother Earth. Her powerful vocals are joined by sounds from wind, water, fowl, Native American flute, resonating stones and percussion.
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Native American music's most exalted female artist, Iroquois vocalist Joanne Shenandoah, provides a retrospective of some of her most beautiful songs from her four albums on the Silver Wave label. PEACE AND POWER showcases Shenandoah's lush singing against warm acoustic instrumentation, which includes guitar, percussion, Native American flute and keyboards. Highlights include the incredibly haunting title track, a nearly a-cappella piece that displays the sheer power of her voice, as well as the thought-provoking "Prophecy Song," and other classics like "When Eyes Meet," "Mother of Nations" and "Path of Beauty."
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In this album Joanne was compelled to compose songs which tell the story of the beloved Peacemaker who helped bring peace to the Haudenosaunee, the People of the Longhouse, known also as the Iroquois. The prophecy of the Haudenosaunee says that one day everyone will hear about this great message of peace.
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Through her contemporary ballads, Joanne Shenandoah presents the philosophy and experiences of today's Native American. She has drawn upon her Iroquois heritage in establishing an international reputation as one of the foremost Native American recording artists. She has performed with Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Kris Kristopherson, Jackson Browne, Floyd Westerman, Pete Seeger as well as appearing at the White House.
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Twin siblings Maisie Shenandoah and Liz Robert are of Iroquois ancestry, a culture which has blended Native American tradition with Christian spirituality since the early 17th century. This collection of hymns was inspired by their Christian beliefs, yet is sung in the Iroquois language as a gift of healing and love to all children of the earth. Guitar, piano, banjo and cello are all utilized to enhance the stirring vocals of the two singers, which are smooth and beautifully pure. Among the stirring selections are "Amazing Grace," "Jesus Loves Me" and a moving prayer of thanksgiving to the creator, simply titled "Prayer." Special guest Joanne Shenandoah (Maisie's daughter) lends her vocal talents to the album as well.
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There's no question that Joanne Shenandoah is one of the most stunning performers in Native American music (if not music in general). With each album she releases, Shenandoah tends to take a slightly new approach to the material, making each release unique and a joy to listen to. SKYWOMAN is no exception. Taking a cue from the PBS Special "Songs of the Spirit" that she participated in with R. Carlos Nakai and Bill Miller (with the backing of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra) in early 2004, SKYWOMAN is a fully symphonic affair based on Iroquois myths and legends. Included are pieces that were performed on "Songs of the Spirit" as well as new works that utilize the talents of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.
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This soundtrack to the original PBS documentary on the life of Seneca Chief and Brigadier General Ely Parker features music composed and performed by Joanne Shenandoah. Using her striking voice and a blend of traditional and contemporary instrumentation, she paints a stunningly evocative musical portrait of Parker's life, tracing his successes and failures with a sensitivity that touches the heart. Shenandoah's flute, keyboards, dulcimer, clarinet, rattles, bells and more are complemented by the talents of guest vocalists and artists on drums, violins, guitar and harmonica.
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