Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, and in honor of that group Medicine Singers have released a new single, “Honor Song.” The band, a collaboration between Native American powwow group Eastern Medicine Singers and Monotonix’s Yonatan Gat, are joined by previous collaborators Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and former Swans members Thor Harris and Christopher Pravdica, along with Timothy Herzog (Godspeed You! Black Emperor), Dean Running Deer Robinson on powwow drum, and Ojibwe Canadian artist Zoon on backing vocals.
The song is a tribute to friends and loved ones who have passed, in particular singer Arthur Red Medicine Crippen’s wife, Kathleen, and jaimie branch. “’Honor Song’ was given to me by my uncle Wayne Red Dawn Crippen,” Arthur says. “When my wife Ms. Kat wasn’t feeling well I used to sing it to her when she was in the hospital every night. Ms. Kat is from the Ramapo tribe of NJ and NY, she’s also Montauk, her name is Spirit Dancer. When we were in the KEXP radio station in July, that was the song that came to my mind – the Honor Song. I didn’t know how sick Ms. Kat really was, until I came home and she passed away in August. This song lingers because we lost her since we recorded it. When I sing this song I think of her the whole time. It’s a part of my prayer, I end each day singing this song and I know she’s listening. ‘Honor Song’ is a travel song, when people leave this world they travel to another dimension, and songs like this reach them.”
Lee Ranaldo adds, “Joining the Medicine Singers, both in the recording studio and live on stage, has been a highlight of the last couple years for me. Breaking boundaries and stressing the shared similarities between indigenous music and more modern styles has been a profound, expansive experience. Recording sessions with Native Americans, Canadian First Nations and local Brazilian players, along with an amazing crew of sympathetic collaborators, has, I think, opened up new avenues and ideas for us all. I’m very happy that ‘Honor Song,’ sung so beautifully by Artie Red Medicine Crippen, joined by Zoon’s Daniel Monkman, is the first released example that includes my participation in the group. More to come!”
Listen to “Honor Song” below.
Meanwhile, KEXP has also shared the full performance of Medicine Singers’ set for the station and you can watch that below as well.
