Sing for Mother Earth

Located on the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabe, the Ark is proud to partner with the University of Michigan Native American Student Association (NASA) and local singer songwriter and NASA alum Joe Reilly to host this concert in conjunction with the golden anniversary of the Ann Arbor Pow Wow. 

Featuring Native American Music Award winners Keith Secola and Annie Humphrey, Joe Reilly and the Community Gardeners, and the All Nations Dancers, the concert will deliver Native folk music and pow wow dancing at its finest. You won’t want to miss this important chance to hear from some of Indian Country’s best performers and support our local Native community.

Keith Secola is an icon and ambassador of Native music. He is one of the most influential artists in the field today. Rising from the grassroots of North America, he is a songwriter of the people. Critics have dubbed him as the Native versions of both Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. NDN Kars (Indian cars), his most popular song is considered the contemporary Native American anthem, achieving legendary status and earning him a well deserved cult following. In 2011, he joined the ranks of Jimmy Hendrix, Hank Williams, Crystal Gale, and Richie Valens, and was inducted into the Native Music Hall of Fame.

Growing up on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota, Annie Humphrey lived in a home filled with voices made of thunder, and nothing could stop it. Her parents were brilliant people individually. Her father, a singer and musician and her mother an artist and poet. Together they made sadness. Each of her parents taught Annie the beautiful things they knew. They showed her that she carried their gifts in her hands too. This is how creating art and music came about for her. This is what saved her. This is how she lives now.

Joe Reilly is a singer, songwriter, social worker, Dharma teacher, and educator who writes songs from his heart. Joe’s songs are playful, clever, engaging, joyful, and always have something meaningful to say. Joe is thrilled to be joined by Billy King on lead guitar, Mark Stone on percussion, Lesley-Anne Stone and Jenny Jones on vocals, Chris Good on bass, and John Driscoll on drums.

The All Nations Dancers are a group of Anishinaabe dancers led by Ray Cadotte, an award-winning professional and Pow Wow dancer, who is joined by dancers representing the Three Fires of Michigan: Ojibwe, Odawa, and Pottawatomi.