Quirky, eclectic rock from a Native American Music Award winner who uses her powerful vocals and expert songwriting to express a unique view of the American Indian experience.

14 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Native American, POP: Beatles-pop



Details:
UPDATE: This album contains the 2000 Native American Music Award Song Of The Year winner "Junior Frybread."

A power chord, a remarkable voice and a unique view of contemporary Indian America are the elements behind the phenomenal success of Kickapoo musician and songwriter Arigon Starr. Her second release, WIND-UP builds upon these strengths. Starr adds her sense of fun, purpose and manic energy to the fourteen song collection. Poised like a pitcher on a mound, Arigon Starr delivers her music with the power of a major league player who plays to win while enjoying every aspect of the game.

Following the release of her breakthrough debut album, Meet The Diva, Arigon's music was embraced by Native and college radio programmers across the country who found her three minute pop songs refreshing, significant and highly enjoyable. National Native media also championed her music and message, placing her music in several Top Ten critic's lists. She received the ultimate recognition in 1999 at the Second Annual Native American Music Awards, who bestowed Meet The Diva with four nominations (including Best Female Artist) and an award for Best Independent Recording.

The entertainment industry also took notice of Arigon's music. Filmmaker Valerie Red Horse included Arigon's song Native in her award-winning film Naturally Native, which also featured tracks from Donna Summer and Gloria Estefan. British photographer/author Serle Chapman featured an in-depth interview with Arigon in his best-selling book Of Earth & Elders: Visions and Voices From Native America, along with the words of noted Native personalities such as Pulitzer-Prize winning author N. Scott Momaday, former Principle Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller and actors Floyd Westerman (Dances With Wolves, The X-Files) and Larry Sellers (Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman).

Arigon Starr's incredible live performances continue to stir audiences. She has graced concert stages from London, England to San Francisco, California. She has supported such noted American Indian performers as Buffy St. Marie, John Trudell and Bill Miller -- plus mainstream acts like Hank Williams III and The Lynns. Celebrities as diverse as Queen's guitarist Brian May to country act BR5-49 are fans of Arigon's music.

Arigon Starr began her musical career in Los Angeles. The daughter of Ken Wahpecome (Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma) and Ruth Cornell (Creek-Cherokee-Seneca), Arigon and her military family moved frequently around the United States and overseas. Arigon found her way into the music business through unconventional means. "I went right through the back door," she laughed. "After working in the publicity department for stars like Andy Griffith, Raymond Burr, Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, Jon Voight and others -- I knew that I had to take a big leap and apply everything I learned on the job to my own career. I found the courage to do it for me."

Following a succession of solo acoustic coffeehouse gigs, Arigon formed a band consisting of drums, bass and electric guitar to record her debut CD, Meet The Diva. She returned to San Diego, California to record WIND-UP with a batch of new songs that were honed on the road while promoting Meet The Diva. Reprising their efforts from the first CD project are drummer Nicholas Peters, a member of the Pala Band of Luiseño Indians; Arigon's sister backing vocalist Gay Wahpecome; and engineer and keyboardist Ben Moore.

"These songs reflects my personal beliefs and experiences following the release of my debut CD. When I saw how much people enjoyed the songs from Meet The Diva -- I wanted to reach further into Indian Country. I feel these songs express reality for many Indians. I want to be a voice for the people who struggle to be heard over the noise of mainstream America."