{{Infobox musical artist | name = | image = | image_size = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada | genre = Powwow | years_active = 1982–present | label = | associated_acts = | website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} or {{Official URL}} --> | current_members = | past_members = | module = | module2 = | module3 = }}
'''Northern Cree''', also known as the '''Northern Cree Singers''', is a powwow and Round Dance drum and singing group based in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada.<ref name="Nokum">{{cite book|last=Bouchard|first=David|author-link=David Bouchard|title=Nokum Is My Teacher|date=2006|location=Calgary|publisher=Red Deer Press|isbn=9780889953673|oclc=71344719}}</ref><ref name="Softly">{{cite book|last=Bouchard|first=David|title=The Drum Calls Softly|date=2008|location=Calgary|publisher=Red Deer Press|isbn=9780889954212|oclc=198523387}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/grammy-nominations-1.3882253|last=Wong|first=Jessica|title=Beyoncé, Drake, Adele and Justin Bieber to vie for Grammy Awards|publisher=CBC|date=6 December 2016|access-date=2016-12-07}}</ref> Formed in 1982 by Randy Wood, with brothers Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the group's members originate from the Treaty 6 area.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography|website=Northern Cree Singers|url=http://www.northerncree.com/biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006171150/http://www.northerncree.com/biography|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="Nokum" /><ref name="Softly" /> These include Ferlin McGillvary, Steve Wood and Joel Wood.<ref name=AllMusic>{{cite web |title=Northern Cree Singers |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/northern-cree-singers-mn0000453924/ |website=AllMusic |access-date=15 March 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref> Additional members are Shane Dion, Leroy Whitstone, Penny McGilvery, Jonas Tootoosis, Marlon Deschamps, Conan Yellowbird, Dezi Chocan, Ben Cardinal, Kyle Pasquayak, JohnBoy Moosomin, Randall Paskemin, and Mickso Deschamps.<ref name=LaRose />
Northern Cree has performed regularly at folk festivals Native American powwows across Canada and the United States and has won hundreds of championship powwow singing titles.<ref name=Buffalo />
They are the only traditional Canadian Aboriginal group to have been nominated for a Grammy.<ref name=LaRose /> In 2017, the Singers, along with founder Randy Wood and Tanya Tagaq, won a Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble for the album ''Going Home Star''.<ref name=LFP>{{cite news|last1=Saxberg|first1=Lynn|last2=Hum|first2=Peter|title=Gord Downie wins three Junos at music awards gala dinner Saturday night|work=The London Free Press|date=1 April 2017|url=https://lfpress.com/2017/04/01/gord-downie-wins-three-junos-at-music-awards-gala-dinner-saturday-night|access-date=30 June 2025}}</ref>
==Discography== Northern Cree has released 38 recordings.<ref name=Buffalo>{{cite web|title=Northern Cree|website=Buffalo Jump Records|url=https://buffalojumprecords.com/northern-cree/|access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref> Many are live recordings on Canyon Records.
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;" |- ! Year ! Album |- |rowspan="3"|1991 |''Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 1'' |- |''Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 2'' |- |''Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 3: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Fort Duchesne'' |- |rowspan="2"|1993 |''Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 4: No Word Songs Please: Straight Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live'' |- |''Vol. 5: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live'' |- |1994 |''Vol. 6: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live'' |- |rowspan="2"|1996 |''Vol. 7: Pow Wow Songs, Live at Lummi'' |- |''Vol. 8: Come and Dance — Pow Wow Songs, Live at Whiteriver'' |- |1997 |''Dance Hard! : Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Poundmaker's Lodge'' |- |rowspan="2"|1998 |''Honor the Eagle Feather: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in Kamloops'' |- |''It's Time to Round Dance!'' |- |rowspan="3"|1999 |''Here to Stay'' |- |''In Our Drum We Trust'' |- |''Showtime: Round Dance Songs'' |- |rowspan="2"|2000 |''Rockin' the Rez: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake'' |- |''Second Song: Dancer's Choice!: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake'' |- |rowspan="3"|2002 |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 1: Round Dance Songs Recorded Live'' |- |''Round Dance Jam'' |- |''Still Rezin′'' |- |2003 |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 2: Honoring Singers and Songmakers'' |- |rowspan="2"|2004 |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 3: Honoring Singers and Songmakers'' |- |''Rezonate: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake'' |- |rowspan="2"|2005 |''Nikamo = "Sing": Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Samson'' |- |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 4: Slide and Sway'' |- |rowspan="2"|2006 |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights: Round Dance "Live!"'' |- |''Stay Red: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Pullman'' |- |rowspan="2"|2007 |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 6: Calling All Dancers'' |- |''Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 7: Dancin' til Sunrise'' |- |2008 |''Red Rock: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot'' |- |2009 |''True Blue'' |- |2010 |''Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |- |2011 |''Drum Boy: Mistikwaskihk Napesis: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake'' |- |2012 |''Dancerz Groove: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |- |2013 |''Loyalty to the Drum: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live in Rocky Boy'' |- |rowspan="2"|2014 |''Breaking Boundaries: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain'' |- |''Ewipihcihk (ᐁᐏᐱᐦᒋᐦᐠ){{efn|Title translates to "to go Round Dancing (with)," or, "he/she goes Round Dancing (with)"}}: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |- |2016 |''It's a Cree Thing: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |- |2017 |''Mîyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain'' |- |2018 |''Nîtisânak (Brothers and Sister): Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Shakopee'' |- |2019 |''When It's Cold: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |- |2022 |''Drums In the Pines: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in Keshena'' |- |}
===Other appearances=== Northern Cree was featured in the 1999 film ''Grey Owl''.<ref name=LaRose>{{cite news|last=La Rose|first=Lauren|title=Grammy award nominees Northern Cree will kick off ceremony in L.A.|website=CBC News|date=6 February 2017|access-date=2 July 2025|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indigenous-northern-cree-grammy-awards-1.3968735}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Northern Cree - In Our Drum We Trust (CR-6291)|website=Canyon Records|url=https://canyonrecords.com/product/northern-cree-in-our-drum-we-trust-cr-6291/|access-date=3 July 2025}}</ref><ref name=Buffalo /> They are featured on the album ''Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 1999'', which won a Grammy in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/21/grammy.winners/ |title=43rd Grammy Awards |access-date=July 15, 2010 |publisher=CNN |date=February 21, 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106040823/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/21/grammy.winners/ |archive-date=November 6, 2008 }}</ref> The group is featured in the song and music video "Indomitable" by DJ Shub, which was nominated for Best EDM/Dance Video in the 2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards<ref>{{cite news|last=Bliss|first=Karen|title=Shawn Mendes, Grimes And A Tribe Called Red Lead The 2017 iHeartRadio MMVA Nominations|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/shawn-mendes-grimes-a-tribe-called-red-2017-iheartradio-mmvas-nominations-7800961/|work=Billboard|access-date=7 July 2025|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419101707/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/shawn-mendes-grimes-a-tribe-called-red-2017-iheartradio-mmvas-nominations-7800961/|archive-date=19 April 2022}}</ref> and won Best Music Video in the 2017 Native American Music Awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Native American Music Awards 2017 Winners|website=Native American Music Awards|url=https://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/nama-17|access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref> In 2017, the group performed live as part of the pre-telecast for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, which was the first time that traditional Native American or Indigenous music was performed on the Grammy stage.<ref name=Buffalo />
Northern Cree is featured on the CDs which accompany David Bouchard's children's books in Cree and English: ''Nokum Is My Teacher'' (2006) and ''The Drum Calls Softly'' (2008), both on Red Deer Press.<ref name="Nokum"/><ref name="Softly"/>
== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable" !Year !Award !Category !Nominated work !Result !Ref |- |2001 |Native American Music Awards |Best Pow Wow Album | |{{won}} |<ref name=NAMA>{{cite web|title=Winners Directory|author=Native American Music Awards & Association Inc.|website=Native American Music Awards|date=2024|url=https://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/winners-directory|access-date=13 October 2025}}</ref> |- |2002 |rowspan="2"|Grammy Awards |rowspan="2"|Best Native American Music Album |''Rockin' the Rez'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/complete-list-of-grammy-nominees/|title=Complete List Of Grammy Nominees|date=January 4, 2002|access-date=July 15, 2010|publisher=CBS News}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"|2004 |''Still Rezin''' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/ref/arts/music/08grammy-list.html|title=Grammy Award Winners|author=The Associated Press|date=December 8, 2003|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 15, 2010}}</ref> |- |Native American Music Awards |Best Compilation Recording | |{{won}} |<ref name=NAMA /> |- |rowspan="2"|2006 |rowspan="2"|Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards |Best Contemporary Pow-Wow Album |''Nikamo – "Sing!"'' |{{won}} |rowspan="2"|<ref>{{cite web|title=Northern Cree Receives Two Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards|website=World Music Central|date=5 December 2006|url=https://worldmusiccentral.org/northern-cree-receives-two-canadian-aboriginal-music-awards/|access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> |- |Best Hand Drum Album |''Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 4 – Slide & Sway'' |{{won}} |- |rowspan="3"|2007 |Grammy Awards |Best Native American Music Album |''Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/49th-annual-grammy-awards|title=49th Annual Grammy Awards|website=Grammy Awards|access-date=10 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208042944/https://www.grammy.com/awards/49th-annual-grammy-awards|archive-date=8 February 2013}}</ref> |- |Juno Awards |Aboriginal Recording of the Year |''Stay Red'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=Past Nominees + Winners|website=The JUNO Awards|url=https://junoawards.ca/awards/past-winners-nominees/|access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref> |- |Native American Music Awards |Best Pow Wow Album | |{{won}} |<ref name=NAMA /> |- |2009 |rowspan="4"|Grammy Awards |rowspan="3"|Best Native American Music Album |''Red Rock: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":4">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/awards/2008/12/complete_list_of_grammy_nomine_1.html|title=Complete list of Grammy nominees|last=Conner|first=Thomas|author-link=:de:Thomas Conner|date=December 3, 2008|work=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=July 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207123200/http://blogs.suntimes.com/awards/2008/12/complete_list_of_grammy_nomine_1.html|archive-date=December 7, 2008|url-status=dead|publisher=Sun-Times Media Group}}</ref> |- |2010 |''True Blue'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://www2.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx#13|title=The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Nominees List|website=Grammy.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618185140/http://www2.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/52nd_show/list.aspx|archive-date=June 18, 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=July 15, 2010}}</ref> |- |2011 |''Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":6">{{cite news|url=http://theenvelope.latimes.com/news/breaking/newsletter/la-et-env-grammys-nominees-2010-list,0,4822287.htmlstory|title=53rd Annual Grammy Awards nominees list|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=December 2, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205235642/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/news/breaking/newsletter/la-et-env-grammys-nominees-2010-list,0,4822287.htmlstory|archive-date=5 December 2010}}</ref> |- |rowspan="5"|2017 |Best Regional Roots Music Album |''It's a Cree Thing'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 12, 2017|title=59th Annual GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees|url=https://www.grammy.com/nominees|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213051242/https://www.grammy.com/nominees|archive-date=February 13, 2017|access-date=February 5, 2022|website=GRAMMY.com}}</ref> |- |Indigenous Music Awards |Lifetime Achievement Award | |{{won}} |<ref name=Buffalo /> |- |Juno Awards |Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble |''Going Home Star'' |{{Won}} |<ref name=LFP /> |- |rowspan="2"|Native American Music Awards |Best Music Video | |{{won}} |rowspan="2"|<ref name=NAMA /> |- |Best Pow Wow Recording | |{{won}} |- |2018 |Grammy Awards |Best Regional Roots Music Album |''Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand [Live]'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 November 2017|title=60th GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees List|url=http://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/60th-grammy-awards-full-nominees-list|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127000540/http://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/60th-grammy-awards-full-nominees-list|archive-date=27 January 2018|website=Grammy.com}}</ref> |- |2019 |Juno Awards |Indigenous Music Album of the Year |''Nitisanak - Brothers and Sister'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://junoawards.ca/nominees/printer-friendly/|title=2019 JUNO Award Nominees|website=The JUNO Awards|access-date=2019-03-12|archive-date=2019-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423141221/https://junoawards.ca/nominees/printer-friendly/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- |2020 |Grammy Awards |Best Regional Roots Music Album |''When It's Cold - Cree Round Dance Songs'' |{{Nominated}} |<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 26, 2020|title=2019 Grammy Winners & Nominees|url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/62nd-annual-grammy-awards-2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129234322/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/62nd-annual-grammy-awards-2019|archive-date=January 29, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2022|url-status=live|website=GRAMMY.com}}</ref> |- |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:First Nations musical groups Category:Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment winners Category:Musical groups from Alberta Category:Plains Indian music Category:Cree culture