Northern Cree

Northern Cree, also known as the Northern Cree Singers, is a powwow and Round Dance drum and singing group based in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada.^[1][2][3] Formed in 1982 by Randy Wood, with brothers Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the group's members originate from the Treaty 6 area.^[4][1][2] These include Ferlin McGillvary, Steve Wood, Joel Wood,^[5] and Conan Yellowbird.^{[citation needed]}

Northern Cree
Origin	Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada
Genres	Powwow
Years active	1982–present

Regarded as one of the best acts in modern Native American powwow music, they have been named one of the most respected powwow groups in North America and the world.^[6][1][2] The group, or their music, has been described as "remarkably unified and powerful," "attention-grabbing," and "energetic."^[7][8]

They have been nominated for six Grammy Awards^[9] and two Juno Awards. In 2017, the Singers, along with founder Randy Wood and Tanya Tagaq, won a Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble for the album Going Home Star.^[10]

Discography

According to Allmusic they have over twenty albums out; according to their website, they have released 37, mostly live recordings, on Canyon Records. Albums include:

• Rockin' the Rez (2001)
• Still Rezin' (2003)
• Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights (2006)
• Stay Red (2006)
• Red Rock: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot (2008)
• True Blue (2009)
• Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs (2010) It's a Cree Thing (2016)
• Ewipihcihk: ᐁᐏᐱᐦᒋᐦᐠ ["to go Round Dancing (with)," or, "he/she goes Round Dancing (with)"] (2016)
• Nitisanak - Brothers and Sister (2018)

Northern Cree was featured in the film Grey Owl (1999).^[11][12] They are featured on the album Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 1999 (2000, Soar Records), which won a Grammy in 2001.^[13] The group is featured in the song and music video "Indomitable" by DJ Shub, which was nominated for Best EDM/Dance Video in the 2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards^[14] and won Best Music Video in the 2017 Native American Music Awards.^[15] They are featured on the CDs which accompany David Bouchard's children's books in Cree and English: Nokum Is My Teacher (2006) and The Drum Calls Softly (2008), both on Red Deer Press.^[1][2]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee/Work	Result	Ref
2002	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	Rockin' the Rez	Nominated	[16]
2004	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	Still Rezin'	Nominated	[17]
2007	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights	Nominated	[18]
2007	Juno Award	Aboriginal Recording of the Year	Stay Red	Nominated	[19]
2009	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	Red Rock: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot	Nominated	[20]
2010	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	True Blue	Nominated	[21]
2011	Grammy	Best Native American Music Album	Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs	Nominated	[22]
2017	Grammy	Best Regional Roots Music Album	It's a Cree Thing	Nominated	[23]
2017	Juno Award	Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble	Going Home Star	Won	[10]
2018	Grammy	Best Regional Roots Music Album	Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand [Live]	Nominated	[24]
2019	Juno Award	Indigenous Music Album of the Year	Nitisanak - Brothers and Sister	Nominated	[25]
2020	Grammy	Best Regional Roots Music Album	When It's Cold - Cree Round Dance Songs	Nominated	[26]

Members

• Charlie Wood
• Earl Wood
• Ferlin McGilvery
• Joel Wood
• Steve Wood^[27]