Joanne Shenandoah

Born

1957-06-23

Died

2021-11-22

Birthplace

Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Biography

Joanne Shenandoah was one of "America's most celebrated and critically acclaimed Native American musicians of her time," Associated Press. A Grammy and multiple award winner, she was considered an Ambassador of Peace. "Joanne Shenandoah is one of the finest attributes to Native American Music and Culture." Neil Young "She weaves you into a trance with her beautiful Iroquois chants and wraps her voice around you like a warm blanket on a cool winter's night," Robbie Robertson.Shenandoah was a Native American singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, a member of the Oneida nation. Her father was Clifford Shenandoah (1934-1972), a chief of the Onondaga who was noted as a jazz guitarist. Her mother was Oneida clan mother Maisie Shenandoah (1942-2019). Joanne grew up on the Oneida reservation in New York and was involved with music and singing from an early age. However, she worked as a computer systems architectural engineer for fourteen years before discovering her calling as a musician through her people's songs and stories. Her music is a fusion of traditional songs, new age, western and pop. Her style has been entirely unique. Joanne's lovely, clear voice, exemplified by such songs as "To Those Who Dream", has been described as 'Native American trance'. Her instruments included acoustic guitar, piano and flute.In addition to her many recordings, Joanne performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden. In 1994, she opened the Woodstock and Earth Day concerts in Washington D.C.. Her original compositions have featured in several documentaries, as well as the acclaimed TV series Northern Exposure (1990). She was also a guest artist on the CD-ROM video game version of The Indian in the Cupboard (1995), released by Viacom. Joanne was a winner of fourteen 'Nammys' (Native American Music Awards) and a recipient of the inaugural Atlas Award in 2012 for her contribution to the climate change movement. - IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis