KLEE BENALLY PASSES AT AGE 48
It is with great sadness that the Native American Music Awards shares the news of the passing of Klee Jones Benally. Klee Jones Benally was a multiple award winner and multi-talented artist. His family group, Blackfire, which was founded in 1989 in Flagstaff, Arizona along with siblings Jeneda, and Clayson Benally won Best Pop Rock Album in 2002, Group of the Year in 2004, and Record of the Year in 2008. Joey Ramone called their music "Native American fireball punk." Klee’s deep rugged voice and strong lyrics were a featured part of the group as well as on his solo efforts. Blackfire began as a Native American punk rock group performing around the country including NYC’s East Village and then around the world. The musical style of these three siblings was influenced by traditional Navajo Diné music and alternative rock, with political messages about government oppression, sacred sites and human rights. Their mother and momager, Berta, was a folk singer-songwriter of Russian-Polish Jewish descent and their father, Jones Benally, is a traditional Navajo medicine man. In 2012, the members formed the award winning band Sihasin. Sihasin has won three awards including most recently; Debut Group of the Year, Best Rock Recording and Best Producer with Ed Stasium (Ramones, Talking Heads, Motörhead, the Smithereens and Living Colour.) Klee Benally will be remembered as an award winning musician, cultural advocate and land defender He has passed away at the age of 48. The Benally family will be sharing a formal announcement in the future. We extend our deepest condolences to the Benally family.
JIMMY PAGE INDUCTS HIS HERO LINK WRAY INTO THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME
11/3/2023, Brooklyn, New York - One of the world's greatest guitarists, Jimmy Page, gave a surprise presentation and tribute performance at the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony for his “hero” the legendary guitarist Link Wray (Shawnee). Held at Barclays Center in New York on Friday night, Page's onscreen prerecorded presentaton was followed by a surprise live tribute performance and rendition of Wray's classic instrumental, “Rumble.” This was reportedly Page's first public performance in a decade.
The now 79 year old lead guitarist of Led Zeppelin recalled hearing Wray’s classic instrumental “Rumble” for the first time when he was 14 year's old. Page recalled, “The vigor in it. The strength in it. The power in it. This was something else. It was fearless. It was just phenomenal. It was the essence of cool. Its just a masterpiece that sort of melted its way into the fibers of my body and my consciousness."
Link Wray's eldest children were in attendance, Beth Wray Webb and Link Wray III who met Page after the performance and exchanged their mutual respect and admiration for each other. Beth's two sons, Chris and Tommy are also musicians and coincidentally were also influenced by Page's work in Zeppelin.
JIMMY PAGE'S FULL INDUCTION SPEECH ON LINK WRAY
The Vigor in it. The Strength in it. The Power in it. .. It’s just a masterpiece that sort of melted its way into the fibers of my body and my consciousness
“I’m really proud and honored to induct Link Wray into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If ever there was a guitarist to deserve this. If ever there was a guitarist who changed people’s attitude to what they heard, its Link Wray.
I first heard Link Wray’s music by the Rumble and it was when I was 14 years old. It wasn’t necessarily the sort of music that was being played on the BBC radio. But I heard it through a jukebox. The first time I heard it I remember listening to it with such awe because I thought what is this?
In those days there were many guitar instrumentals but as a 14 year old kid barely playing the guitar, it really had an effect on me. The Vigor in it. The Strength in it. The Power in it. There was something else, It was fearless. It was just phenomenal. It’s the essence of cool. It’s just a masterpiece that just sort of melted its way into the fibers of my body and my consciousness, as far as the drama that you can set up with six strings. Its the sort of stuff that can’t be taught. It’s the sort of stuff that you feel and you can take it on board if you like it.
I’m really thrilled and honored to be the one to be able to induct Link Wray, my hero, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.” - JIMMY PAGE, November 3rd, 2023
For Interviews with Link Wray’s eldest daughter, Beth Wray Webb, please email us at Nativemusicawards@gmail.com.
The 20th Annual Native American Music Awards Show, was hosted by actor Rodney A. Grant, and aired on The Cowboy Channel and their network which is one of America’s fastest
growing cable networks providing family-friendly entertainment dedicated to serving the needs and interest of rural America.
The 20th Annual Native American Music Awards show was held at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, and celebrated and honored some of the most powerful voices from across the country following a historic snowstorm. Hosted by actor Rodney A. Grant, a member of the Omaha tribe of Nebraska, who was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding work as an actor in the motion picture and television industries. Rodney is best known for his memorable role as ”Wind In His Hair” in the 1990 film, "Dances With Wolves" with Kevin Costner.
The event also honored Paul LaRoche of Brule and Robert Tree Cody as Lifetime Achievement recipients and Wisdom Keeper, Oren Lyons, a member of the Onondaga and Seneca nations, as a Living Legend who is an author and environmental activist for Indigenous peoples worldwide and is also in the All-American Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Grammy Award winner & multiple Native American Music Award winner of Comanche and Cherokee descent, Micki Free, was inducted into the N.A.M.A. Hall of Fame.
Originally discovered and managed by Gene Simmons of KISS, Micki was the guitarist in the R&B sensation, Shalamar who boasted mega platinum hit songs like "Dancing In The Sheets" from the movie soundtrack "Footloose" and "Don't Get Stopped In Beverly Hills" from the "Beverly Hills Cop" soundtrack.
This year’s Awards program also featured performances by multiple 
nominees: Cody Blackbird who won Best Rock
Recording, Earl Slick (David Bowie) and the Fabulous Ripcords who won Best Blues Recording and Group of the Year, The Halluci Nation who won Best Animation in A Video, and artist and actor, Sten Joddi, known for his recent role as 'Punkin Lusty' aka Mr. Greasy Frybread, in the Award Winning FX Networks series, ‘Reservation Dogs’ who won Best Rap Hip Hop Recording and Best Male Artist.
You can watch the broadcast on The Cowboy Channel (cable and satellite) by streaming it on their paid subscription service TCC+ (www.cowboychannelplus.com).
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