Kansas Acoustic Arts Association

“Awards are not why one should strive for higher achievement but, they are a delightful acknowledgement”.

With “Passing Through” Being nominated for an award at the I.S.M.A. in Milwaukee Wisconsin for the production of our first C.D. we then had to get there. Literally passing through herds of buffalo at highway 254 and Woodlawn we knew we were well on our way across the Great Plains.
I’m sure in the old days it may have taken a tribe several months to get to the shores of Lake Michigan. But, through the miracle of modern science, fourteen hours later at $3.00 a gallon, we arrived, scalps intact, at two in the morning. It was then that we realized that the Canadians definitely were not rushing across our borders illegally in order to keep our motel rooms clean for us upon our arrival!

In the absence of the incessant campfire smoke of Winfield, was the throat choking smog of downtown Milwaukee. However, pleasantly, in place of the ever rising muddy Walnut River, we overlooked the seemingly pristine blue water of Lake Michigan. What a view!
The Indian Summer Music awards are set up to acknowledge the best of established and emerging music being produced by groups that have at least one member being of Native decent. Yes, there were pow-wows, contemporary native and other more recognized native sounds. But, from the obligatory designated mountain man rendezvous camp, one was able to hear sounds of “Native” polka bands, country, classic rock, punk rock, acoustic folk, blues or any one of fourteen other categories on a total of six stages. Or one could literally “shop till ya’ dropped” with row after row after row of vender booths. So if Winfield doesn’t offer enough one stop festival shoppin’ for yall’, this Fest’s for you.

In the end we went, we played our hearts out, had some fun and paddled our Great, gas guzzling, Canoes back to Kansas. Even being in the top five in our category was award enough but the actual award ultimately and very much deservedly went to “Aloha Ke Akua by Na Kahu” A Native Hawaiian band. Yes, we took their land too and they are considered Native Americans. Just google em’ and go to their website to hear some beautiful slack key guitar and wonderful music.

Great to be back in Kansas!