Artist Bio:
A Wolf Clan member of the Iroquois Confederacy (Oneida Nation), Joanne Shenandoah has fulfilled the promise of her Native American name, Tekalihwa, which means "she sings." She's become one of the most acclaimed Native American recording artists of her time. Since emerging as an artist in 1989, she's done such high-profile gigs at the White House, Kennedy Center, Earth Day on the Mall and Woodstock '94, which she opened.
Shenandoah studied voice, flute, piano, clarinet, guitar and cello as a child living in upstate New York, yet she went on to a 9-to-5 career for 14 years as a computer programmer in Washington, D.C. She gave that up one day when a two-centuries-old tree that stood outside her office window was cut down. Shenandoah chose to reconnect with her people and fully devote herself to music.
Often compared to the angelic-voiced Enya, Shenandoah's crystal-clear singing is perfectly suited for her singer-songwriter originals and for the traditional songs of the Iroquois, featuring backing music that blends traditional and contemporary instrumentation. She typically sings in the Iroquois language, and Shenandoah claims to be able to sit down at any time and write a song, guided by her ancestors.
"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," said Robbie Robertson, formerly of the Band, who used her voice on his solo album Contact From the Underworld of Redboy. Shenandoah has also collaborated with Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne and Rita Coolidge.
Shenandoah made her self-titled debut in 1989 on the popular Canyon label and has recorded steadily since for a number of companies. Over time she's been able to channel her love of pop, folk and classical into her ancestrally inspired music.
Amid her many albums, a distinct highlight is 1996's Matriarch: Iroquois Women's Songs. A tribute to the women of the tribe, many of whom were healers, spiritual or political advisors, this album has a soothing feel to it that is as comforting as a mother's lullaby. Her voice and harmonies are surrounded by autoharp, bass, guitar and percussion as well as the use of ambient backdrops where she recorded in sacred grottos and caverns. Another effort worth seeking out is her soundtrack for the PBS documentary Warrior in Two Worlds, about the Civil War general and Seneca Chief Ely Parker.
Shenandoah herself has done some acting, playing a major role in The Last Winter, a 2005 thriller film on global warming. Among her many awards, Shenandoah was recognized as a "Native American Woman of Hope" in 1997. She also cowrote Skywoman: Legends of the Iroquois with Doug George, which sets down on paper nine creation stories from the Iroquois tradition. —Tad Hendrickson
