Joanne Shenandoah
Indigenous vocalist Joanne Shenandoah was a member of the Wolf Clan of the Oneida Nation, Iroquois Confederacy. Her parents, Maisie Shenandoah, a Clanmother, and the late Clifford Shenandoah, an Onondaga chief and jazz guitarist, loved music and named Joanne "Tek-ya-wha-wha," which means "she sings" in the Oneida language. As a child, Joanne learned all the tribal songs and studied voice, flute, piano, clarinet, guitar, and cello. She drew upon her rich heritage while bringing traditional songs into a contemporary setting.
In 1994, Shenandoah sang at the Woodstock Festival and appeared on and created soundtracks for numerous television shows, most notably Northern Exposure and How the West Was Lost. She performed and recorded with many accomplished musicians in Europe and America, including pianist/composer Peter Kater, Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, and Rita Coolidge. From traditional chants to contemporary ballads of Indigenous ways, her music has been described as an emotional experience, an "Indigenous trance."
Shenandoah was the co-founder and president of Round Dance Productions, a non-profit educational Indigenous-operated foundation dedicated toward the preservation of Iroquois culture. Round Dance's goal was to create an Indigenous traditional music archive, performing arts center, and recording studio. In 1993, Shenandoah was honored with the "Native American of the Year" award, and the next year she was awarded "Native Musician of the Year," from the First Americans in the Arts Foundation. Shenandoah recorded on Canyon Records and Silver Wave Records, delivering an authentic array of Indigenous music. Highlights of her catalog include 1997's warm and earnest Matriarch: Iroquois Women's Songs and 2001's politically motivated Eagle Cries. Joanne Shenandoah died on November 22, 2021 at the age of 64.
© Carol Wright /TiVo
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Discography
18 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Peace and Power
World - Released by Silver Wave Records on Jan 1, 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peacemaker's Journey
World - Released by Silver Wave Records on Feb 29, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Matriarch
World - Released by Silver Wave Records on Oct 15, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Skywoman - A Symphonic Odyssey Of Iroquois Legends
World - Released by Silver Wave Records on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Life Blood
World - Released by Silver Wave Records on Jan 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
One World Christmas
Joanne Shenandoah, Bambi Niles
Pop - Released by Joanne Shenandoah on Dec 6, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shenandoah Country
World - Released by Joanne Shenandoah on Mar 31, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lifegivers
New Age - Released by Joanne Shenandoah on Nov 21, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Once in a Red Moon
World - Released by Canyon Records on Jan 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All Spirits Sing
World - Released by Music For Little People on May 27, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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A Narrative of the Life of Mrs Mary Jemison
Joanne Shenandoah, Rebekah Presson Mosby
North America - Released by Presson Recorded Books on Dec 15, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Joanne Shenandoah
World - Released by Canyon Records on Jan 1, 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Your Legacy
Folk - Released by Joanne Shenandoah on Jan 17, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Loving Ways
A. Paul Ortega, Joanne Shenandoah
World - Released by Canyon Records on May 26, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo