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Native American Music Awards - NAMA LIVE

Honoring The Best In Native American & Indigenous Music

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Founded and incorporated in 1998, The Native American Music Association and The Native American Music Awards (NAMA) remain the world's largest and only professional membership-based organization dedicated to music and entertainment initiatives by Native North Americans and Indigenous peoples. The Native American Music Association was established in 1998 as a 501(c)(3) following the debut of the Native American Music Awards in order to promote greater cultural understanding of Native American music and culture
Native American Music Awards · Indigenous music of North America · Native American Indians · Tribal house · Pow wows The new series, Reservation Dogs, currently features many of our award winners

10/16/2026

Legendary frontman, Chuck Billy (Pomo) of Testament, is set to release a memoir entitled, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy on November 10th and distributed by Simon and Schuster.

Billy is of Pomo heritage, the indigenous people of Northern California and Mexican-American. His heritage has always remained an important part of his identity. Beyond the stage, Billy’s personal story reflects the importance of cultural identity, family, and perseverance. He attended the inaugural Native American Music Awards as a special guest presenter, helping connect Indigenous representation with a genre not always associated with Native artists. He received recognition from the California State Assembly for his positive influence on Native communities, was featured in a Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian exhibition and won Best Music Video at the American Indian Film Festival for Testament’s “Native Blood,” a powerful statement about Indigenous identity, history, and survival.

His book release tells it all, and so much more. Pre-Order his book here: chuckbillybook.com

Upcoming Chuck Billy Appearances:

October 29
In-Store Appearance in Phoenix, AZ at Changing Hands Bookstore/Bar, 300 West Camelback Road 7PM

November 10
Party in Seal Beach, California with Jose Mangin Sirius XM Metal Ambassador and co-host Comedian and Metal fanatic Brian Posehn 4 to 8 PM

November 14
Party in Dublin, CA at Metal Community Bar - The Back Lounge with Phil and Marta Demmel + Brian Posehn to host 7138 Village Parkway 2 to 6 PM

Chuck Billy is available for interviews and his book is available for the media to review.

10/15/2026

Robert Plant attends the 38th Annual Black Hills Powwow in Rapid City South Dakota. Prior to his Concert on Sunday, October 11th, Robert Plant, one of the most influential frontmen in music history, best known as the legendary lead vocalist of Led Zeppelin, made a surprise appearance at the 38th Annual He Sapa Wacipi Na Oskate or the Black Hills Powwow in Rapid City, South Dakota.

According to Lakota Times, Plant used the opportunity “to engage with the indigenous cultural gathering, support the community, and experience tribal traditions”.

Later that evening, Plant took the stage with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian as part of his Up the Sharp End tour at The Monument’s Fine Arts Theatre. Plant shared his appearance at the Black Hills Pow Wow with a post on his official Social media pages stating, Brothers and sisters … strong, focused with very long memories — Oglala Sioux Lakota in South Dakota Black Hills Powwow

https://www.facebook.com/robertplant

10/12/2026

American Indian Music, Native American Music, Music Awards, pop, rock, country, blues, pow wow, waila, folk, artist of the year, group of the year, Nammys, NAMA, Native American Music Awards, Native American Music Association.

10/06/2026

New music submission announcement coming this November. Stay tuned!

09/29/2026

The award-winning musical group Pamyua is featured on the official soundtrack of Paramount Pictures’ newly released motion picture, Heart of the Beast, starring Brad Pitt. The survival thriller opened in theaters nationwide on September 25, 2026.

Pamyua members Phillip Blanchett and Ossie Kairaiuak co-composed and performed the song “Ak’a Tamaani” with film composer Jared Michael Fry and award-winning musician and composer Wayne Ingram.

“Ak’a Tamaani,” meaning “a long time ago,” appears as Track 5 on the official Heart of the Beast (Music From The Motion Picture) soundtrack. The song features lyrics in Yugtun (the Yup’ik language) and speaks about living on the land and the traditional knowledge passed down through generations, including learning from grandparents. Congratulations to Phillip Blanchett and Pumyua!

09/28/2026

AWARD WINNERS PAMYUA FEATURED ON PARAMOUNT PICTURES’ HEART OF THE BEAST SOUNDTRACK FEATURING BRAD PITT

The award-winning Alaska-based Yup’ik Inuit musical group Pamyua is featured on the official soundtrack of Paramount Pictures’ newly released motion picture, Heart of the Beast, starring Brad Pitt. The survival thriller opened in theaters nationwide on September 25, 2026. Pamyua members Phillip Blanchett and Ossie Kairaiuak co-composed and performed the song “Ak’a Tamaani” with film composer Jared Michael Fry and award-winning musician and composer Wayne Ingram.

“Ak’a Tamaani,” meaning “a long time ago,” appears as Track 5 on the official Heart of the Beast (Music From The Motion Picture) soundtrack. The song features lyrics in Yugtun (the Yup’ik language) and speaks about living on the land and the traditional knowledge passed down through generations, including learning from grandparents. The soundtrack features the original score by Jared Michael Fry and was released by Lakeshore Records on September 25. Official soundtrack credits identify Phillip Blanchett and Ossie Kairaiuak of Pamyua as featured vocal performers, with original Yup’ik lyrics by Phillip Blanchett.

Directed by David Ayer and written by Cameron Alexander, Heart of the Beast is an American survival thriller set in the remote Alaska wilderness. The film follows former Army Special Forces officer James Belmont, played by Brad Pitt, and his retired combat dog, Odin, after a plane crash leaves them stranded in the wilderness. Together, they face harsh weather, dangerous terrain and other challenges as they fight to survive and return to civilization.

PAMYUA: INUIT SOUL FROM ALASKA
Founded in Anchorage in 1995 by brothers Phillip Blanchett and Stephen Blanchett, Pamyua later welcomed Ossie Kairaiuak and Karina Møller to the group. Pamyua is known internationally for its distinctive fusion of traditional Inuit and Yup’ik music with contemporary vocal harmonies and R&B, funk and other modern influences. Pamyua performed live at the Native American Music Awards and their live album "Caught in the Act" won Record of the Year at the Native American Music Awards, bringing the Alaska Native group national recognition.

Listen to the soundtrack:
Spotify | Apple Music

Congratulations to Pamyua, Jared Michael Fry, Wayne Ingram, and everyone involved in bringing this powerful collaboration to the screen.

Follow Pamyua:
Instagram:

Follow Paramount Pictures:
Instagram: Paramount Pictures

09/17/2026

SONGS FOR THE WOLF
Our FREE Wolf Song Compilation from a Native American perspective, featuring award-winning and nominated artists who generously donated their music to support wolf advocacy and endangered species protection.Today, the future of the Mexican gray wolf remains uncertain due to an executive order to determine whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves meet the criteria for downlisting or delisting under the Endangered Species Act.

Our conception of the world should not be to dominate, but rather to cooperate as creatures living in harmony with one another.

🎵 LISTEN AND SHARE OUR FREE WOLF CD AS WE RAISE OUR VOICES FOR THE GRAY WOLF AND THEIR PROTECTIONS

We are all related. What affects one part of creation affects us all.

https://nativeamericanmusicawards.com/album/135593/wolf-song-compilation-cd-plus-bonus-tracks

09/09/2026

Georgina Lightning, a Canadian-born Indigenous actor, filmmaker, and advocate, died following a tragic accident at an Indian Relay event at Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta. Lightning was photographing and filming for an upcoming documentary when a horse veered from the track and struck her. She was 63.

For more than three decades, Lightning made her mark in film and television, appearing in projects including Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Walker, Texas Ranger, Dreamkeeper, and Older Than America. Beyond acting, she was a passionate advocate for Indigenous representation in the entertainment industry and co-founded Tribal Alliance Productions.

Her daughter, actor and musician Crystle Lightning remembered her as her “matriarch, my role model, my confidant.” In a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook, she wrote, “I looked in your eyes and waved and said ‘have fun mama.’”

In a statement, Enoch Cree Nation said the community was in mourning following the loss of one of its members "Chief and Council extend our most sincere condolences to the family," stated the office of Chief Cody Thomas. "Our community is grieving, and we are holding them in our thoughts and prayers."

Lightning leaves behind a lasting legacy as a trailblazer for Indigenous voices in entertainment. Through her work in film and television, she helped bring greater visibility to Indigenous stories and perspectives while inspiring others through her strength, determination, and passion. For her family, friends, and community, she will be remembered as much for the woman she was as for the artist she became. There will be a celebration of life in her honor on September 15 & 16. Our condolences to Crystle Lightning and her family.
https://www.facebook.com/crystle.lightning.9
https://www.facebook.com/georgina.lightning

05/03/2026

JIM PEPPER GAVE AMERICA ITS FIRST INDIGENOUS HIT

Jim Pepper is credited with giving Billboard Magazine its first Top 100 hit song featuring an Indigenous artist and a traditional chant with "Witchi Tai To" in 1969. As part of the jazz-rock ensemble Everything Is Everything, Kaw/Muscogee artist Jim Pepper recorded "Witchi Tai To," a song based on a traditional pe**te chant taught to him by his grandfather. It reached No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969.

Inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2000 with a star-studded tribute performance held by his mother Floy Pepper and partner Caren Knight Pepper along with Mickey Hart, John Densmore, Bill Miller, Jim Boyd, Joanne Shenandoah, Rita Coolidge, Jennifer Warnes and others performed a special tribute of "Witchi Tai To" as part of his induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame.

Jim Pepper’s "Witchi Tai To" has become a jazz-rock standard over the years. It spawned dozens of covers by artists as wide-ranging as The Supremes, Bill Miller, Brewer & Shipley, Harpers Bizarre, and more. It's also a rare example of an Indigenous-themed song by an Indigenous artist making its way onto the pop charts. "Witchi Tai To" came from the mind of Jim Pepper, a major figure in the 1960s fusion jazz movement, and an undervalued innovator in American music.

Redbone came later in 1974. Founded by Native American brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas, Redbone is recognized as the first Native American band to reach the Top Billboard Hot 100 with their 1974 pop hit "Come and Get Your Love," which peaked at No. 5.

"Witchi Tai To" remains the only Billboard hit song in U.S. chart history to incorporate an actual chant from an Indigenous American tribe.

Throughout his career, "Witchi Tai To" remained his signature song. He recorded multiple interpretations of the tune over the years as he explored new combinations of Native tradition and jazz experimentation. Pepper died of lymphoma at age 50 in 1992, leaving behind a trailblazing legacy in the worlds of jazz, rock, and Indigenous music.

A NAMALIVE special for Native American Music Hall of Fame

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