Northern Cree Singers aim to inspire with Grammy nomination

ALBERTA – The Northern Cree Singers were nominated for a Grammy on Monday, December 5 for the 59th Grammy Awards.

This group of talented Cree singers formed in 1982, with founder Steve Wood and his brothers Earl and Randy Wood beginning what has since released 37 albums, and has been nominated now seven times for a Grammy.

Their founder’s motto is something the group lives. It inclines: “if you believe in yourself, who you are, where you come from, your culture and more importantly your language, it will take you to places you have never even dreamed of,” so it’s easy to tell that their nomination is focused on inspiring those around them, especially youth.

“We need positive stories for our young people so that they know that they can aspire to great things,” said Steve Wood in an interview with CBC Canada. “And they don’t have to be anybody else. They can be themselves.”

Wood is not only the founder of the group, but is also currently teaching Cree language courses at Ermineskin Junior Senior High School. He explained that if they earn the award they will dedicate it to unity.

“If we ever garner that award, what do you think we’re going to do with it first? We’re going to bring it to places like this. To schools to show the kids that anything is possible.”

Although that Native American Music Category no longer exists, Northern Cree was nominated for Best Regional Roots Music Album and will have them standing up against non-indigenous music and artists.

To top it off, the group seems to immortalize in the sense that former members have passed away, and younger members have stepped up to strengthen the group. As well, other groups including A Tribe Called Red have sampled Northern Cree’s songs to use in modernized versions.

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