Cameron Davidson
Associate Professor Karen Werner
Music of America
28 September 2015
Paper #1: R. Carlos Nakai and Native American Music
Chants, field hollers, certain rituals, what do all of those have in common? This is the idea of Native American music. According to indians.org “Music plays an integral role in the life of Native Americans. It is used for ceremonial purposes, recreation, expression, and healing.”
This type of music isn't your ordinary popular music exactly. Part of a myriad of different musical styles, instruments of this particular genre of music include “drums, flutes, and other percussion instruments. Perhaps the most important element of their music is the voice.”(indians.org).
There is one man who fits the exact description, who, according to his website, has been nominated for a grammy award eleven times over the past few years. He incorporates the flute into his musical styles and has been around for over three decades. That man is R. Carlos Nakai. He relates to the field of Native American music well and is one of the many well known Native American musicians in the world today. Nakai was born in Flagstaff, Arizona on April 16, 1946. He…show more content… With its myriad of instruments, ranging from the flute to the drums to the powerful Native American voices that make the music great. Remember also that Native American music wasn't just for singing, but for many other purposes as well. As for R. Carlos Nakai, he is a Native American legend, incorporating the flute into his music, and that instrument has been what has driven him to produce quality music that is loved by many around the world, both in the past, present, and hopefully future. Music, no matter the genre, whether it's classic opera to Native American to ragtime, will continue to grow, and some talent, along with creative minds will grow with