Joanne Shenandoah - Eagle Cries (2001)

Billboard Magazine hit the nail on the head when they labeled this veteran Native American singer as the Enya of her culture, but that's only when she's drawing you in emotionally with traditional native chants that connect on a level beyond language (as on the wistful "Dancing on Mother Earth"). The rest of the time, she's the classic environmentalist/folkie who speaks loud and clear against pollution and the destruction of lands that mean a lot to her ("Treaty"). In the past, she's explored Native chant, new age hybrid, and even children's music, but this time most of the focus is on positive spiritual living and loving, both her fellow man and Mother Earth. Winner of the Best Female Artist Award at the Native American Awards in 1998 and 1999, Shenandoah has a crystal clear, gentle yet passionate voice that seduces slowly; some songs don't grab hold immediately, but each has a certain emotional resonance that conveys the meanings of her stories in ways that might prompt the listener to take action.