Carl Quinn is a Cree First Nations singer-songwriter from the Saddle Lake First Nation in Alberta. He is also a traditional

pow-wow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an ...

dancer and sings with the Pisimoyapi drum group, since their inception. Throughout his music career Quinn has developed a genre in which he self-described as "New World" and that can be identified by its assortment of pop, rock, pow-wow, and

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

. He has released three albums focused on life, love, tradition and values, all of which he sang in his Native Cree (Nehiyo) language. In 2003, Quinn was awarded the Best Traditional Album, Contemporary Award at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMAs) for his ''Nehiyo'' Album and in 2005 at the CAMAs he was awarded the best songwriter for "Ni Ototem" and "Otapihkes" which were both from his ''Ni Ototem'' album.

History

Carl Quinn is one son from a family of twelve and he was born on the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in a dirt-floored one room shack. Although, throughout his life he has experienced being a

hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

trapper Animal trapping, or simply trapping or gin, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, the fur trade, hunting, pest control, and wildlife management. History Neolithic ...

, farm hand, construction worker, and a human resource consultant, he is best known for being a leader in his community by becoming the youngest

Chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

ever to be elected on the Saddle Lake

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

and even greater known by becoming a great musical inspiration upon his people. The musical influences Quinn originally grew up with were the songs of the traditional ceremony, round dance, handgame, and pow-wow of his

Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...

heritage. When receiving his first guitar at fifteen Quinn began emulating music of the

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

and rock sound from the late sixties and early seventies. Quinn eventually started writing his own music that combined sounds from his musical influences, citing

Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

, Dwight Yoakam, and his traditional musical background.

Discography

;Albums *''Ni Ototem'' (unknown) *''Nehiyo'' (Copyrighted by Pisimoyapi Productions 2003, arranged by Tomas Brabec and Carl Quinn, released January 18, 2005) #Nosisim #Kisenapew #Ka Sipihkosit Atahkos (a song about the resiliency of the"Nehiyo" and the assault on the "Nehiyo" identity) #Nipin (a summer song meant to be lively and fun) #Pakamapiskwewin (a song about golf from a humorous perspective) #Kiwihtamawin #Kise-Yotin #Sakastew #Takawakin Awasis *''Nimosom'' (2007) #Ahaw #Akitah #Awasis #Iyiniw #Meena #Nehiyo #Nemakikwiy #Newayak #Nimosom #Nipahwih #Nitanis #Nohta #O Kistin #Onitopayo #Otapihkes #Pisimoyapi #Sakihitwask

References

External links

* * *

Videos

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Quinn, Carl 20th-century births Living people Cree male singers Indigenous leaders in Alberta Singers from Alberta Year of birth missing (living people)