Walela is a Native American

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 trio of singers. The group was founded in 1997 by sisters 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:...

 and Priscilla Coolidge, with Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield as the third member.

Biography

Featured as part of 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...

 and the Red Road Ensemble's album Music for The Native Americans

Music for The Native Americans

Music for The Native Americans is a 1994 album by Robbie Robertson, compiling music written by Robertson and other colleagues for the television documentary film The Native Americans....

, their distinctive vocal blend brings to life "The Cherokee Morning Song" and has allowed them to tour to an international audience. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Walela had the opportunity to represent their nations -- both Cherokee and the United States -- as they performed extensively in the Olympic Park. Their 1998 debut release on Capitol Records

Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

 earned them the recognition of the Nammy Awards (Native American Music Awards

Native American Music Awards

The Native American Music Awards , commonly known as the Nammys, are an awards program presented annually by The Native American Music Association & Awards, which recognizes outstanding musical achievement among Native Americans...

) where they took home the award for Debut Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "The Warrior".