Winner of the Native American Music Awards for Best Female Artist, Annie Humphrey was born and raised on an Ojibwe Indian reservation in Northern Minnesota where she learned first-hand the struggles of growing up as a minority. Eager to explore a wider world, she left the reservation and joined the United States Marines, traveled the country coast to coast, and was stationed in Japan.
When Annie returned home to her Ojibwe homeland, it was on her own terms. She's now living close to nature, no electricity, no Running water, in an A-frame cabin she helped build.
Annie does more than just sing. She works at local prisons writing newsletters and singing for inmates, is dedicated to preserving the land and protecting wildlife and natural medicines, supports efforts to control logging in the Chippewa National Forest and teaches the traditional skills of beadwork, wild rice harvesting and maple sugaring to reservation youth.
Songs on The Heron Smiled reflect Annie's Anishinaabe Ojibwe heritage and vision with a foundation in Native American and folk music. The album begins and ends with different versions of the song "Spirit Horses" based on her mother's story about a boy who learns a dream song and uses it to call spirit horses. It tells of the tribe's hope for a child of this generation to learn their song. The songs on The Heron Smiled include not only songs founded on the Native American experience but tender love songs as well.
On Edge of America, Annie, on vocals, acoustic guitar and piano, focuses on the experiences of America, erasing social boundaries with engaging lyrics about the realities of life. Annie's experiences have given her the drive to continually seek social justice for all, the call to protect our environment, stop abuse and questions our political decisions. Her vocals and lyrics are a potent combination of intelligence, wisdom and compassion.
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"Journeys of feeling
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Story telling
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People's story
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Woman's story
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Helping the music
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To remember
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What is real
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Ancestor memories
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Dealing with nows
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Shadow worlds
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Ancient way
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For the healing
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A woman sings"
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written by John Trudell
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