The 20th Annual Native American Music Awards show was held at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, and celebrated and honored some of the most powerful indigenous voices from across the country.

The Awards was hosted by actor Rodney A. Grant, a member of the Omaha tribe of Nebraska, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding work as an actor in the motion picture and television industries.   Rodney is best known for his memorable role as ”Wind In His Hair” in the 1990 film, “Dances With Wolves” with Kevin Costner.

The event also honoured Wisdom Keeper, Oren Lyons, a member of the Onondaga and Seneca nations, as a Living Legend who is an author and environmental activist for Indigenous peoples worldwide and is also in the All-American Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Grammy Award winner & multiple Native American Music Award winner of Comanche and Cherokee descent, Micki Free, was inducted into the N.A.M.A. Hall of Fame. Originally discovered and managed by Gene Simmons of KISS, Micki was the guitarist in the R&B sensation, Shalamar who boasted mega platinum hit songs like “Dancing In The Sheets” from the movie soundtrack “Footloose” and “Don’t Get Stopped In Beverly Hills”  from the “Beverly Hills Cop” soundtrack.
This year’s Awards program also featured performances by multiple nominees: Cody Blackbird who won Best Rock Recording, Earl Slick (David Bowie) and the Fabulous Ripcords who won Best Blues Recording and Group of the Year, The Halluci Nation who won Best Animation in A Video, and artist and actor, Sten Joddi, known for his recent role as ‘Punkin Lusty’ aka Mr. Greasy Frybread, in the Award Winning FX Networks series, ‘Reservation Dogs’ who won Best Rap Hip Hop Recording and Best Male Artist.