Gabriel Ayala Wins Artist of the Year at the 2011 Native American Music Awards

Yaqui classical guitarist Gabriel Ayala was honoured at the 2011 Native American Music Awards as Artist of the Year. Ceremonies were held at the Seneca Casino in Niagara Falls, New York on October 7th, 2011.

The "Nammys" boasts over 20 different award categories in numerous genres, as well as the Jim Thorpe Sports Award that was received this year by Ted Nolan, a well known Ojibway NHL hockey player and coach, who was also master of ceremonies for this year's event.

Legendary blues-rock guitarist Keith Secola, best known for his tune NDN Car,  was inducted into the Native Music Hall of Fame this year along side Nokie Edwards, a renowned Cherokee guitarist out of Lahoma, Oklahoma. Other winners include Don Amero and his album The Long Way Home for Best Folk Recording, Scars and Bars by Nake Nula Waun for Best Rap/Hiphop Recording and Vince Fontaine for his album Songs For Turtle Island, taking home the Best Instrumental Recording award.

Gabriel Ayala out of Tuscon, Arizona, is an accomplished classical guitar player that has been touring extensively in the last year throughout Canada, the United States and South America. His newest release, Passion, Fire & Grace was his submission into the 2011 Nammys that awarded him the coveted title of Artist Of The Year. Past recipients of this award include Litefoot, John Trudell, Keith Secola and Joanne Shenandoah, to name a few.

For a complete list of this year's winners of the Native American Music Awards as well as press releases, biographies and music streams, check out our post 2011 NAMMY Award Winners: Native American Music Award Winners Announced.

Here's a video from Artist of the Year, Gabriel Ayala's of his performance at this year's NAMA event.

2011 NAMMY Nominees Announced

The Native American Music Awards have just announced the nominees for their 32 music categories.

The NAMMYS are the largest Indigenous Awards event to take place in the world. This year was the first time they opened up the nomination process to public voting and the first round saw a remarkable 200+ submissions.

The list is now narrowed down and voting is open to the public again. There's many great new discoveries to be made listenting to all the nominees! Listen and vote at: nativeamericanmusicawards.com.

Winners will be announced at the 2011 Native Amercian Music Awards on October 7th at the Seneca Niagra Hotel in Niagra Falls, NY.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Bobby Bullet (Lac Du Flambeau) – Bigfoot Gabriel Ayala (Yaqui)– Passion Fire & Grace JJ Kent (Oglala Sioux) – Prairie Meditation Joy Harjo (Muskoke) – Red Dreams, A Trail Beyond Tears Vince Redhouse (Navajo)– Hozhooji’ – The Beauty and Blessing Within Us Yvonne St. Germaine (Cree) – My Jesus I Love Thee

DEBUT ARTIST NOMINEES: Bear Fox (Mohawk) – Rich Girl Doc featuring Spencer Battiest (Seminole) – The Storm Don Amero (Metis) – The Long Way Home Dylan Jenet Collins (Montaukett) - Hear Our Prayer Josh Halverson (Mdewakanton Sioux) – These Timesm Uno (Cherokee) - A Strange Revolt

BEST BLUES RECORDING NOMINEES: Joel Johnson (Tuscarora) - Blues Joose Vol 1 Marc Brown & The Blues Crew (Huslia) - Indian Rock ‘n Roll Mike Hammar and The Nails (Muscogee Creek) - Recipe for the Blues Cornbred (Onondaga) - Rez-Bomb Table Top Three (Onondaga) - Table Top Three Graywolf Blues Band (Yaqui, Seminole, Choctaw, Cherokee, Muskogee) - Thin Line

BEST MUSIC VIDEO NOMINEES: Shy-Anne Hovorka (Metis) - Can’t Change The World Wind Spirit Drum - Grandfather  Jan Michael Looking Wolf & Various Artists - Karla La Rive, Chris Crosby, Live As One  Pick Up Truck - Shane Yellowbird (Cree) Stoned For Days - Derek Miller (Mohawk/Ojibway) XI Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live @ San Manuel - Bear Creek (Ojibwe)

BEST RAP HIP HOP RECORDING NOMINEES: * Three way tie for last nominee slot Uno (Cherokee) - A Strange Revolt Lady Xplicit (Navajo) - Cali Girl Rezhogs (Yakama) - Lowlife  Evan Lee Cummins (Crow) - Passionate Love Nake Nula Waun (Rosebud Sioux) - Scars and Bars Buggin Malone (Oneida) - The Rapture  Doc featuring Spencer Battiest (Seminole) - The Storm

For a complete list of nominees, visit nativeamericanmusicawards.com.