finetune artist: Indigenous

Bluesy hard rock is not usually associated with American Indians, but bands such as Indigenous prove to be an anomaly. Originating from the Nakota Sioux Nation, the members of Indigenous were raised on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota, USA, and include two brothers, Mato Nanji (vocals/guitar) and Pte (bass), a sister, Wandbi (drums), plus a cousin, Horse (percussion). An early major musical influence came in the form of the sibling's father, Greg Zephier, a Native American rights activist and music fan, who turned his kin on to Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy, and Jimi Hendrix. The Indigo Girls' Amy Ray asked the quartet to contribute a track to a benefit CD she was organizing, 1997's Honor The Earth, which led to label interest in the band. A recording contract with the Pachyderm label soon followed, as did their debut, Things We Do, in 1998. A year later, Indigenous was asked to tour alongside bluesman B.B. King on his Blues Festival tour, that also included additional distinguished blues players such as Jimmie Vaughan, Taj Mahal, and Robert Cray.

Listen to Indigenous at Finetune.

(2008) Broken Lands
(2003) Indigenous
(1999) Blues This Morning
(1998) Things We Do

Things We Do
Blues In the Morning
Now That You're Gone
Bring Back That Day
Got to Tell You