by Judy Thompson

Created on: June 01, 2009

R. Carlos Nakai, Robert Tree Cody, and Robert Mirabal are three popular Native American flute players and are very talented. They have a very traditional sound, yet contemporary. They, also, have been awarded Nammy's or been nominated throughout the years. Nammy's are the Native American Music Awards. R. Carlos Nakai won the 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award, which is an honor to the work that he has done for the Native American Culture through his music.

There are, also, three well-known Native American flutists around the southeast, which they have also been nominated for the Nammy's throughout the years. These artists include Tommy Wildcat, who won the 2002 Flutist Award, Mike Serna, and JJ Kent.

Tommy Wildcat has a versatile sound. He is a full-blooded Cherokee from Oklahoma. He tells stories with his music, which includes positive messages about the Cherokee culture.

Mike Serna is very traditional within his flute making and sound. He is a Mescalero Apache-Gabrileno descent. He has been a songwriter, a flute player, and a flute maker for 9 years. When you hear his songs, you are hearing and visualizing life or the Native American culture through his eyes. Most of his songs reflect his life from heartache, love, and family. His new CD, Warrior's Last Breath, is about his own personal journey through life.

Then, there is my beloved friend, JJ Kent. JJ Kent is of the Muskogee Creek heritage and was adopted by a Lakota woman of the Oglala band. He is an educator and musician, whom educates about the misconceptions of the Native American culture and spirituality that have dominated for years. He, also, teaches the Seven Spiritual Laws of the Lakota people, which is the philosophy that the Lakota's beliefs are built on. In 2008, JJ Kent was the recipient of the Native American Music Recording Association Silver Arrow Award. JJ has touched many lives and hearts through his music and efforts to educate people about the Native American heritage. His CD, Tate Topa Win, is dedicated to his wife, who was tragically killed in 2008. Tate Topa Win stands for Four Winds Woman, which was his wife's Lakota name. This CD is a reflection of her life, how they met, and their work within the Native American Community. When recording this CD it was about hope and healing within a tragic situation. There is, also, a story about how to remember a loved one positively who has crossed over to the Spirit World. With every song, you can feel his heart and the love that he carries for his wife.

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