Blackfire Gets 2 Nammys : AZ IMC

Here's the two pieces I've done so far including one I sent from my phone the other night while the nammys were still going on:

Janice from taste of honey is wailing. Blackfire won record of the year and their producer won native heart

http://twitter.com/atizine/statuses/946789233

So, what about nammys10?

I'm on Amtrak heading home from the Canadian border where we had the 10th annual NAMMYS and so much has happened, I honestly don't know whether to try and capture some of it in reverse chronological order, or linear like a traditional story unfolding, or just spill everything from my mind and heart in one big piece of paper or what?

I think that's best, so here goes, you ready?

Ricky Medlock from Blackfoot and Skynard got inducted into the NAMA hall of fame and his acceptance speech was out of this world. He mentioned how Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame rejected him and that this Hall of Fame award felt so much better than he could ever imagine the R&RHOF feeling anyhow, and gave some good reasons why this ceremony's more important anyhow.

Wayquay and the hiphop dancers. Wow.

And Wayquay and the Cherokee Youth Choir. Bigger wow!

Janice Marie bringing back Boogie Oogie Oogie live on bass with Redbone and Felipe or something, wow. Where to begin even.

And Oh, toward the end. Ricky playing "Gimme Back My Bullets" after something like "Highway Song" or something.

The night before the nammys was pretty powerful too. Star Nayea was one of the 10 "unpresented" awards the Donald Kelly gave out in the Bears Den explaining that there's so much "content" now there just literally not enough time in a day to give kudos for every single person who ought to be showcased.

This is the 10th annual NAMMYS and in a few ways it's very different than the very first one, but in so so so many other ways it's so very much the same. It has NOT lost its energy, its vibe, its spirit. In fact its energy seems to have gathered up so many other positive energies that have gravitated toward it like a smile seeing another smile!

At the after party last nite Shoshona (sp) from Digging Roots was telling me that she walked in sat down, and listened to the prayer that started things off, and immediately felt centered, grounded and positive, and that feeling never left right on up to saying "thank you good nite."

I heard bits and pieces of that prayer, since I was backstage doing all kinds of production/gopher stuff the whole time so didn't get that same feeling that one might get in attendance, but I do remember watching a little backwards on the stage right jumbotron thingamabob

More later.

marco