Edward Gamblin (1948 – 2010) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

country rock singer and songwriter, who was one of the most influential early stars of

First Nations music Indigenous music of Canada encompasses a wide variety of musical genres created by Aboriginal Canadians. Before European settlers came to what is now Canada, the region was occupied by many First Nations, including the West Coast Salish and Haid ...

."A pioneer of aboriginal music, he gave voice to his fellow residential school survivors"
''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', August 25, 2010. Born in 1948 at

Cross Lake Cross Lake is a lake on the border of Cayuga and Onondaga Counties in New York, United States. The lake lies within the boundaries of the traditional Onondaga Indian Nation, and is reputed in local tradition to be the boyhood home of Hiawatha, ...

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

, Gamblin was a member of the Cree people. At the age of five, he was sent to the residential school at

Norway House Norway House is a population centre of over 5,000 people, some north of Lake Winnipeg, on the bank of the eastern channel of Nelson River, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The population centre shares the name ''Norway House'' with the north ...

, where he remained until transferring to the residential high school at

Portage la Prairie Portage la Prairie () is a small city in the Central Plains Region of Manitoba, Canada. As of 2016, the population was 13,304 and the land area of the city was . Portage la Prairie is approximately west of Winnipeg, along the Trans-Canada Hi ...

in his teens. He left high school at 16 and hitchhiked to

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...

, where he stayed briefly before returning to Norway House, where he formed his first band, Cree Nation, in 1966. He married his childhood classmate Aurelia Monias in 1970, and the couple lived in both Winnipeg and Norway House at different times. Gamblin performed with a variety of bands over the course of his career, most notably Northern Lobo, and wrote more than 60 original songs.Brian Wright-McLeod, ''The Encyclopedia of Native Music''.

University of Arizona Press The University of Arizona Press, a publishing house founded in 1959 as a department of the University of Arizona, is a nonprofit publisher of scholarly and regional books. As a delegate of the University of Arizona to the larger world, the Press ...

, 2005. . In his later years, Gamblin became an activist for healing and reconciliation around the abuses of the residential school system, writing "Survivor's Voice" and working with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. He also attracted press attention for reuniting with Florence Kaefer, a teacher at the Norway House school who hadn't known the full extent of the abuses going on in the student residence.‘I remember you. You were my teacher.’
''

United Church Observer ''Broadview'' is a Canadian magazine focused on national and international issues of spirituality, justice and ethical living as well as United Church of Canada news and perspectives. Formerly the United Church Observer, the magazine was rebrande ...

'', May 2009. In 2008, Gamblin had an accident on stage, cutting his ankle. The wound became infected, and resulted in the amputation of his leg. His health continued to decline, and he died on July 27, 2010 in Winnipeg.

Discography

*''Edward Gamblin'' *''Wild Child'' *''Don't Blame It on the Rain'' *''Soldier Blue'' *''This Can't Go On'' (1975) *''Greatest Hits'' (2002) *''Bright Blue Moon'' (2003) *''Cree Road'' (2006)

References

1948 births 2010 deaths Canadian country singer-songwriters Musicians from Manitoba Cree people First Nations musicians Canadian country rock musicians 20th-century Canadian male singers {{Canada-singer-stub