Bill Nevins

The Black Eagle Drum Group brought honour, big time, to Jemez Pueblo and to all of New Mexico when it won a Grammy award for best Native American music album in February. Black Eagle - Flying Free, is the group’s sixth recording and the latest in a series of award-winning albums.

Black Eagle started out in 1989 when leader Malcom Yepa of Jemez Pueblo learned about powwow styles and traditions from his friend Jimmy Little Coyote of Montana. With his brother David Yepa and some then-teenage cousins, Yepa began to learn and imitate the repertoires of famed powwow bands like Black Lodge. Soon Black Eagle was striking out on its own with original songs and attracting dancers and listeners, first at Jemez, and then from across Indian Country.

Black Eagle’s first album came out in 1995 and they have released a steady stream of popular albums since. In 1999 the group linked up with Sound of America Records (of Albuquerque) and also began working with producer Tom Bee, the lead singer of legendary 1970s native rock band XIT. Their music is often featured on Native America Calling and other native-music radio shows.

Black Eagle now writes their own songs in the ancient Towa language of Jemez Pueblo. In this way, the special culture of native New Mexico people is brought to the rest of the world.

A Black Eagle compilation CD and a new Black Eagle album are in the works. Black Eagle performs at powwows and concerts throughout the south-west and beyond. Catch them at the Gathering of Nations Powwow this April in Albuquerque!

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From Green Left Weekly, April 29, 2004.
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