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FEBRUARY 20, 2001

When Indian Country tunes into the 43rd annual GRAMMY awards ceremony tomorrow night, they'll get an added surprise.

No, Litefoot hasn't been added to the list of performers, which includes controversial rapper Eminem and pop legend Elton John. Instead, the winner of the Best Native American Music Album will be announced on air.

After a decade of lobbying, the Native music industry finally got the rest of the world to take notice of the ever-growing field with the creation of a category dedicated solely to traditional Native artists. Five carefully selected recordings are up for the award, including "Peacemaker's Journey" by Joanne Shenandoah and "Cheyenne Nation" by Joseph Fire Crow.

But like most categories in the GRAMMY lineup, the winner wasn't actually going to be shown on air. Michael Greene, President and CEO of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), earlier this month told Native America Calling that only a few make the cut to the televised broadcast.

"We have 100 categories and we'll probably only get about eight or nine of them on the live telecast," said Greene.

The Academy has now changed its mind, said spokesperson Heather Miller. On Monday, she confirmed that the Native category will indeed be presented on air.

But as is common in the entertainment industry, the new addition isn't set in stone. "Anything like this always is subject to change," said Miller.

And any chance that one of the nominees will be added as a last-minute performer? Don't count on it, said Miller.

Still, the outlook looks positive for tomorrow's show -- barring a 20-minute extended performance by Paul Simon, that is. Not only will fans of the nominees get to see their favorite performer step up and accept the historic award, but the millions who tune in will get an introduction to the music which has been pleasing Indian Country for years.

The only question now is, who will the winner be? The awards will be broadcast on CBS tomorrow at 8PM Eastern Standard Time. And visit the GRAMMY website for backstage features and other goodies -- Joseph Fire Crow plans on stopping by the Staples Center today.

The Nominees:
Tribute To The Elders - The Black Lodge Singers (Canyon)
Cheyenne Nation - Joseph Fire Crow (Makoche)
Veterans Songs - Lakota Thunder (Makoche)
Peacemaker's Journey - Joanne Shenandoah (Silverwave)
Gathering of Nations Pow-Wow - Various Artists (SOAR)

Special Offer from AllNative:
Get your GRAMMY Pack featuring the Black Lodge Singers, Joseph Fire Crow, Joanne Shenandoah, and Gathering of Nations.

Relevant Links:
The GRAMMYs - www.grammy.com

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