Singing with Legendary Groups/Singers?

eflightONT · 04-04-2007, 01:59 AM

Is there any of you singers out there who have had the chance or got to experience singing with a drum group or singer from past or present? If so, share a particular time you had with them like this:

I've always know how to sing from when I was a young boy as my father was a singer and still jams with us today when he can. As I got into my early teens, I got more and more into my singing when I lived with my father out west. One of my passions when it comes to pow wow singing, is my love for the old style/original way of jamming. Now, besides my dad being my ultimate teacher and idol, the late great BILLY BAKER and the Mandaree drum was also on the top of my list. In fact, I still have an old cassette tape with late Bill's signature on it that my dad gave me from a pow wow in New Town, 1983. They knew each other and ocassionally swapped the odd tune back in the day.

One weekend back in 1992 before I made a trip back east to my mother's home, my dad, brother and I stopped to check out the Beardy's Pow Wow near Duck Lake, Sask. As we pulled in to the pow wow grounds, we could the Emcee telling MANDAREE to take it away! Soon as we parked the car, I ran over to the Arbor with my tape recorder and tried to squeeze in somewhere within the crowd to tape them. Seeing Billy Baker and the boys jamming out was quite a sight with the cowboy hats bobbing, a skinned bass drum and a beat that was unbeatable! This was in the afternoon on a Sunday. In the evening, I was blown away as late Bill asked my father and I to sit in for that session. I was nervous but very excited to sing with him at that time. It was an honor and definately a singing experience I won't forget. To feel the spirit, power and the songs within certain individuals/drum groups is an awesome feeling!

VJNS
Eagle Flight
Ont. CAN

shinobmatt · 04-04-2007, 05:59 PM

one time a long time ago i was in az wit my uncle harrison cly. we were host drum at a powwow in salt river i believe. we sang all weekend and the dance was over early. so we went to red mountain cuz it was going on at the same time. we got there and was walking around when tim whiteeyes (who was singing wit northern cree at the time) came over too us and asked us to help out no. cree. to our surprise when ended up sing every second song for every contest from tiny tots to adults that night it was a marathon but an exciting experience. ( i knew tim from some travels across ndn country). just one of many stories i can remember

ntownn8ive · 04-06-2007, 03:02 PM

umm....once I sang with the World Class Wreckin' Crew...that was different.

LISA IRONMAKER · 04-10-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eflightONT

Is there any of you singers out there who have had the chance or got to experience singing with a drum group or singer from past or present? If so, share a particular time you had with them like this:

I've always know how to sing from when I was a young boy as my father was a singer and still jams with us today when he can. As I got into my early teens, I got more and more into my singing when I lived with my father out west. One of my passions when it comes to pow wow singing, is my love for the old style/original way of jamming. Now, besides my dad being my ultimate teacher and idol, the late great BILLY BAKER and the Mandaree drum was also on the top of my list. In fact, I still have an old cassette tape with late Bill's signature on it that my dad gave me from a pow wow in New Town, 1983. They knew each other and ocassionally swapped the odd tune back in the day.

One weekend back in 1992 before I made a trip back east to my mother's home, my dad, brother and I stopped to check out the Beardy's Pow Wow near Duck Lake, Sask. As we pulled in to the pow wow grounds, we could the Emcee telling MANDAREE to take it away! Soon as we parked the car, I ran over to the Arbor with my tape recorder and tried to squeeze in somewhere within the crowd to tape them. Seeing Billy Baker and the boys jamming out was quite a sight with the cowboy hats bobbing, a skinned bass drum and a beat that was unbeatable! This was in the afternoon on a Sunday. In the evening, I was blown away as late Bill asked my father and I to sit in for that session. I was nervous but very excited to sing with him at that time. It was an honor and definately a singing experience I won't forget. To feel the spirit, power and the songs within certain individuals/drum groups is an awesome feeling!

VJNS
Eagle Flight
Ont. CAN

hey eflightONT.......Yup, my adopted dad Bill Baker was one of the mighty fine ol'skool singers back in the day......I still have old tapes of him too.......sure miss my dad.....may he rest in peace! That's cool.......how you admire my dad and still have old tunes of him.....

LISA IRONMAKER · 04-10-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinobmatt

one time a long time ago i was in az wit my uncle harrison cly. we were host drum at a powwow in salt river i believe. we sang all weekend and the dance was over early. so we went to red mountain cuz it was going on at the same time. we got there and was walking around when tim whiteeyes (who was singing wit northern cree at the time) came over too us and asked us to help out no. cree. to our surprise when ended up sing every second song for every contest from tiny tots to adults that night it was a marathon but an exciting experience. ( i knew tim from some travels across ndn country). just one of many stories i can remember

hey shinobmatt.......tim white eyes is my adopted bro......aww those were da good old days, huh?

**kneegrow_native** · 04-10-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntownn8ive

umm....once I sang with the World Class Wreckin' Crew...that was different.

I think that W.C.W.C are legends in their own minds...

**50cal** · 04-10-2007, 06:25 PM

I remember and will always remember when I got to sing with Blackstone back '92 when they hosted the Dine nation powwow in Tuba City, AZ. I had just started singing the year before and I got to know my brother Darryl P. thru my aunt and he made room for me to sing with them. That was the same time Eyabay and Blacklodge were host drums. To me as an impressionable young kid then, I felt so much pride and took Terry Paskemin's words to heart about singing and drumstick making that I still follow what he taught me then, now. Another time was when I was asked by my brother Kenny Merrick Jr. to sing with them and he asked me to lead a verse on one of their songs!!! I tell you what, if there was ever a time besides the one I mentioned before that I felt so happy and proud this was it!!! I've had the opportunity to sing with Bill RunsAbove once. That made my day as well, for I am a big fan of straight singing, cuz I feel personally that they are songs of the heart and the interpretations are there for you, unlike contemp. singing which tells you what it means. anyway....

Pheji Wanbli · 04-11-2007, 12:18 PM

was also my fathers relitive, my coisisn sang with mandaree back in the day old/skool..some of my uncles now have the newtown drum..thanks so much for keeping the baker name strong. ive sit in with midnite express at a dinner/confrance back in the day at AKRON OH. at a big hotel, we were there also. attending...

LISA IRONMAKER · 04-11-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pheji Wanbli

was also my fathers relitive, my coisisn sang with mandaree back in the day old/skool..some of my uncles now have the newtown drum..thanks so much for keeping the baker name strong. ive sit in with midnite express at a dinner/confrance back in the day at AKRON OH. at a big hotel, we were there also. attending...

hey Pheji Wanbli.......so your related to da bakers, huh? hhhmmmm........that's cool....Yeah, back in da day....we used to live in Mandaree, so I know alot of peeps there.....when pappa Bill was alive him and my dad used to always go to pow-wows and set up da drum, they even use to pull out their guitar's......maybe I know you????

ntownn8ive · 04-12-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kneegrow_native

I think that W.C.W.C are legends in their own minds...

I know, they shoulda been called the Def Tones!

**kneegrow_native** · 04-12-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntownn8ive

I know, they shoulda been called the Def Tones!

Hhhmmmmm, now that's pretty catchy!!

kguerito · 04-12-2007, 09:26 PM

I remember seeing young bird for the first time. when the mc called out open gourd, i grabed my chair and stick and ran to the center of the arena. it was so cool to sing with them that day.

i also got to sing with Miller Clark. that was so cool. i was so star struck. he was so cool, he even signed my dad's old cassette "powwow songs from oklahoma." that whole weekend i sang with him. i never thought i would ever get sing with him.

recently, i got to sing with thunderhill for gourd. i couldn't believe it. there singers were runing late and i was recording them and the lead singer turned around and ask me to sing with them. when i sat down, the rest of the singers came. i was so happy and blow away from the way they sang gourd. it overwhelming me. i looked to my friend ricky learoy and said this is so amazing. i even got to kick out a gourd song with them. my dad was dancing gourd and he was standing right behind me and he was so proud of me. i still listen to the tape of me leading out a song.( i asked for permission to record before the powwow started from the lead singer.)

these are my lights of my singing career in northern cali.

04-04-2007, 01:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
eflightONT Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 3	Singing with Legendary Groups/Singers? Is there any of you singers out there who have had the chance or got to experience singing with a drum group or singer from past or present? If so, share a particular time you had with them like this: I've always know how to sing from when I was a young boy as my father was a singer and still jams with us today when he can. As I got into my early teens, I got more and more into my singing when I lived with my father out west. One of my passions when it comes to pow wow singing, is my love for the old style/original way of jamming. Now, besides my dad being my ultimate teacher and idol, the late great BILLY BAKER and the Mandaree drum was also on the top of my list. In fact, I still have an old cassette tape with late Bill's signature on it that my dad gave me from a pow wow in New Town, 1983. They knew each other and ocassionally swapped the odd tune back in the day. One weekend back in 1992 before I made a trip back east to my mother's home, my dad, brother and I stopped to check out the Beardy's Pow Wow near Duck Lake, Sask. As we pulled in to the pow wow grounds, we could the Emcee telling MANDAREE to take it away! Soon as we parked the car, I ran over to the Arbor with my tape recorder and tried to squeeze in somewhere within the crowd to tape them. Seeing Billy Baker and the boys jamming out was quite a sight with the cowboy hats bobbing, a skinned bass drum and a beat that was unbeatable! This was in the afternoon on a Sunday. In the evening, I was blown away as late Bill asked my father and I to sit in for that session. I was nervous but very excited to sing with him at that time. It was an honor and definately a singing experience I won't forget. To feel the spirit, power and the songs within certain individuals/drum groups is an awesome feeling! VJNS Eagle Flight Ont. CAN

04-06-2007, 03:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
ntownn8ive As you can see... Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: We get a lot of sun in Ntown! Posts: 5,786 Blog Entries: 1	umm....once I sang with the World Class Wreckin' Crew...that was different. __________________

04-10-2007, 06:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
50cal Natural Born Killer...... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Looking for some bad guys... Posts: 7,328	I remember and will always remember when I got to sing with Blackstone back '92 when they hosted the Dine nation powwow in Tuba City, AZ. I had just started singing the year before and I got to know my brother Darryl P. thru my aunt and he made room for me to sing with them. That was the same time Eyabay and Blacklodge were host drums. To me as an impressionable young kid then, I felt so much pride and took Terry Paskemin's words to heart about singing and drumstick making that I still follow what he taught me then, now. Another time was when I was asked by my brother Kenny Merrick Jr. to sing with them and he asked me to lead a verse on one of their songs!!! I tell you what, if there was ever a time besides the one I mentioned before that I felt so happy and proud this was it!!! I've had the opportunity to sing with Bill RunsAbove once. That made my day as well, for I am a big fan of straight singing, cuz I feel personally that they are songs of the heart and the interpretations are there for you, unlike contemp. singing which tells you what it means. anyway.... __________________ "Sweat dries, blood clots, bones heal. Suck it up. Be a Marine"

04-11-2007, 12:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Pheji Wanbli Ta' Shunke Witko Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: goes ahead Posts: 256	billy baker was also my fathers relitive, my coisisn sang with mandaree back in the day old/skool..some of my uncles now have the newtown drum..thanks so much for keeping the baker name strong. ive sit in with midnite express at a dinner/confrance back in the day at AKRON OH. at a big hotel, we were there also. attending... __________________ MITAKUYE OYASIN... "then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all , and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world . and while i stood there I saw more than I can tell . and I Under Stood more then I saw . for I Was Seeing in a Sacred manner the Shapes of All . Hehaka Sapa. dec 1863-aug 17 or 19 , 1950..

04-12-2007, 09:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
kguerito Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 29	I remember seeing young bird for the first time. when the mc called out open gourd, i grabed my chair and stick and ran to the center of the arena. it was so cool to sing with them that day. i also got to sing with Miller Clark. that was so cool. i was so star struck. he was so cool, he even signed my dad's old cassette "powwow songs from oklahoma." that whole weekend i sang with him. i never thought i would ever get sing with him. recently, i got to sing with thunderhill for gourd. i couldn't believe it. there singers were runing late and i was recording them and the lead singer turned around and ask me to sing with them. when i sat down, the rest of the singers came. i was so happy and blow away from the way they sang gourd. it overwhelming me. i looked to my friend ricky learoy and said this is so amazing. i even got to kick out a gourd song with them. my dad was dancing gourd and he was standing right behind me and he was so proud of me. i still listen to the tape of me leading out a song.( i asked for permission to record before the powwow started from the lead singer.) these are my lights of my singing career in northern cali. Last edited by kguerito; 04-12-2007 at 09:32 PM.

04-04-2007, 05:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
shinobmatt Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: May 2006 Location: OKC Posts: 69	one time a long time ago i was in az wit my uncle harrison cly. we were host drum at a powwow in salt river i believe. we sang all weekend and the dance was over early. so we went to red mountain cuz it was going on at the same time. we got there and was walking around when tim whiteeyes (who was singing wit northern cree at the time) came over too us and asked us to help out no. cree. to our surprise when ended up sing every second song for every contest from tiny tots to adults that night it was a marathon but an exciting experience. ( i knew tim from some travels across ndn country). just one of many stories i can remember

04-13-2007, 02:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
ndnsooner Pow Wow Committee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: North Dakota Posts: 865