Music for The Native Americans is a 1994 album by Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...

, compiling music written by Robertson and other colleagues (billed as the Red Road Ensemble) for the television documentary film The Native Americans

The Native Americans

The Native Americans is a three-part American television documentary miniseries that premiered on TBS on October 10, 1994. The remaining two episodes aired on October 11 and 13, 1994...

.

The album was Robertson's first foray into writing music specifically inspired by his Mohawk

Mohawk nation

Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...

 heritage. Robertson brought in his son Sebastian Robertson to handle the drums on "Golden Feather", "Skinwalker", "It Is a Good Day to Die" and "Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood". His daughter Delphine Robertson sings backing vocals on "Coyote Dance".

Track listing

The album is compiled as a soundtrack, being credited to a variety of musicians. Songs listed below are credited to Robertson unless otherwise specified.

1. "Coyote Dance" (Dave Pickell, Jim Wilson) - (4:07)
2. "Mahk Jchi (Heartbeat Drum Song)" (Pura Fé
   Pura Fé
   Pura Fé is a singer-songwriter, poet, musician, artist and social activist. She founded the first native women's a cappella trio, Ulali, and created a style and genre that blends traditional Native American music with contemporary musical styles...
   
   ) - Ulali
   Ulali
   Ulali, founded in 1987, was the first Native American women's a cappella group to create their own sound from strong traditional roots and personal contemporary styles. They created a new genre of Native American music and inspired the creation of other Native women's groups...
   
    (4:17)
3. "Ghost Dance" (Robertson, Jim Wilson) - (5:12)
4. "The Vanishing Breed" (Robertson, Douglas Spotted Eagle
   Douglas Spotted Eagle
   Douglas Spotted Eagle, is a Grammy-winning musician, noted for his live and recorded performances on the traditional Native American flute, sometimes accompanied by either traditional Navajo singers and instrumentalists or a modern band...
   
   ) - (4:39)
5. "It Is a Good Day to Die" (Robertson) - (5:46)
6. "Golden Feather" (Robertson) - (5:22)
7. "Akua Tuta
   Akua Tuta
   Akua Tuta is the third album by Canadian folk rock duo Kashtin, released in 1994.The title track was selected by Robbie Robertson for inclusion on his television soundtrack Music for The Native Americans, and was also used on Due South in the episode "Hawk and a Handsaw".Akua Tuta was the final...
   
   " (Claude McKenzie
   Claude McKenzie
   Claude McKenzie is a Canadian singer-songwriter. An Innu from Maliotenam, he was half of the popular folk music duo Kashtin, the most commercially successful musical group in First Nations history....
   
   , Florent Vollant
   Florent Vollant
   Florent Vollant is a Canadian singer-songwriter. An Innu from Maliotenam, Quebec, he was half of the popular folk music duo Kashtin, one of the most important musical groups in First Nations history....
   
   ) - Kashtin
   Kashtin
   Kashtin were a Canadian folk rock duo in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most commercially successful and famous musical groups in First Nations history....
   
    (4:51)
8. "Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood" (Robertson) - (4:52)
9. "Cherokee Morning Song" - Rita Coolidge
   Rita Coolidge
   Rita Coolidge is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American vocalist. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard's Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary and Jazz charts.-Career:...
   
    - (2:58)
10. "Skinwalker" (Robertson, Patrick Leonard
    Patrick Leonard
    Patrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
    
    ) - (5:56)
11. "Ancestor Song" (Traditional) - Ulali (2:54)
12. "Twisted Hair" (Jim Wilson) - Robbie Robertson and Bonnie Jo Hunt (3:23)