Pawnee family singing group nominated for Grammy Award

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ For the Grammy-nominated YoungBird Singers, their music is a family affair. <br><br>Eighteen singers and three family members of the Pawnee-based American Indian group will fly to

Saturday, February 16th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ For the Grammy-nominated YoungBird Singers, their music is a family affair.

Eighteen singers and three family members of the Pawnee-based American Indian group will fly to Los Angeles Monday to entertain at Tuesday's Grammy pre-show and attend Wednesday's ceremonies.

``We're 21 strong and we're going in 21 different directions until tomorrow,'' chuckled group member Donald Hamilton-YoungBird. ``We're all going 90 mph around here to get ready for the Grammys.''

Nominated in the Best Native American Music Album category, family members said it took a decade for the music industry to recognize their brand of cultural singing.

``We've waited 10 years trying to get Native American music noticed,'' said June Hamilton-YoungBird, one of the group members. ``These songs are the heartbeat of our people.''

The southern-style singing and drumming on their fifth album, ``Change of Life: Oklahoma Pow-Wow Songs,'' came about in a tradition hundreds of years old, June Hamilton-YoungBird said. Southern-style is unique to certain tribes.

``My son Curtis goes to a private place to meditate or fast like our people traditionally do and he receives these songs,'' YoungBird said. ``He'll spend days meditating and then he'll come out and he'll say, 'Mom, I've got two more songs,' and I'll cry because I'm so proud.''

YoungBird described southern-style singing and drumming as Curtis' father, Donald, said the title of the album ``stands for more than what it says.''

``My son Curtis had a literal change of life from growing out of adolescence into adulthood,'' Donald Hamilton-YoungBird said. ``He dedicated that album to his change, and as his father, that's something very big in my life.''

For lead songwriter Curtis, the album means finding normalcy in his life after a period of alcohol abuse and months on the road.

``The songs on this album just make me feel good,'' said Curtis Hamilton-YoungBird, 25. ``It gets to me sometimes because I can't believe I made these songs.''

To help defray airline and hotel expenses, a benefit powwow and auction will be held Saturday afternoon at the Cox Business Services Convention Center in dowtown Oklahoma City. Admission is free, but all auction proceeds and donations will be used to pay for the family singers' Los Angeles travel expenses.

Auction items include art, quilts, beadwork, a Pendleton blanket and an Acoma pottery vase. Other American Indian items at craft booths will also be offered for sale.

State Sen. Kelly Haney, D-Seminole, donated two of his paintings to the auction and plans to attend Saturday's benefit.

``I'm very pleased with the fact that the Grammys have recognized the value of Native American music,'' Haney said. ``Oklahoma collectively is a mecca of cultural talent, and I believe in years to come, Oklahoma will get a chance to showcase all of that talent.''