Northern Cree, also known as the Northern Cree Singers, is a powwow and Round Dance drum and singing group based in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada. Formed in 1982 by Randy Wood, with brothers Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the group's members originate from the Treaty 6 area. These include Ferlin McGillvary, Steve Wood and Joel Wood. Additional members are Shane Dion, Leroy Whitstone, Penny McGilvery, Jonas Tootoosis, Marlon Deschamps, Conan Yellowbird, Dezi Chocan, Ben Cardinal, Kyle Pasquayak, JohnBoy Moosomin, Randall Paskemin, and Mickso Deschamps.
Northern Cree has performed regularly at folk festivals Native American powwows across Canada and the United States and has won hundreds of championship powwow singing titles.
They are the only traditional Canadian Aboriginal group to have been nominated for a Grammy. In 2017, the Singers, along with founder Randy Wood and Tanya Tagaq, won a Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble for the album Going Home Star.
Discography Northern Cree has released 38 recordings. Many are live recordings on Canyon Records.
Year Album1991Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 1Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 2Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 3: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Fort Duchesne1993Northern Cree Singers, Vol. 4: No Word Songs Please: Straight Pow-Wow Songs Recorded LiveVol. 5: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live1994Vol. 6: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live1996Vol. 7: Pow Wow Songs, Live at LummiVol. 8: Come and Dance — Pow Wow Songs, Live at Whiteriver1997Dance Hard! : Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Poundmaker's Lodge1998Honor the Eagle Feather: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in KamloopsIt's Time to Round Dance!1999Here to StayIn Our Drum We TrustShowtime: Round Dance Songs2000Rockin' the Rez: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle LakeSecond Song: Dancer's Choice!: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake2002Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 1: Round Dance Songs Recorded LiveRound Dance JamStill Rezin′2003Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 2: Honoring Singers and Songmakers2004Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 3: Honoring Singers and SongmakersRezonate: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake2005Nikamo = "Sing": Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at SamsonNorthern Cree and Friends, Vol. 4: Slide and Sway2006Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights: Round Dance "Live!"Stay Red: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Pullman2007Northern Cree and Friends, Vol. 6: Calling All DancersNorthern Cree and Friends, Vol. 7: Dancin' til Sunrise2008Red Rock: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot2009True Blue2010Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs2011Drum Boy: Mistikwaskihk Napesis: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Saddle Lake2012Dancerz Groove: Cree Round Dance Songs2013Loyalty to the Drum: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live in Rocky Boy2014Breaking Boundaries: Pow-wow Songs Recorded Live at Red MountainEwipihcihk (ᐁᐏᐱᐦᒋᐦᐠ): Cree Round Dance Songs2016It's a Cree Thing: Cree Round Dance Songs2017Mîyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain2018Nîtisânak (Brothers and Sister): Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Shakopee2019When It's Cold: Cree Round Dance Songs2022Drums In the Pines: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live in Keshena
Other appearances Northern Cree was featured in the 1999 film Grey Owl. They are featured on the album Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 1999, which won a Grammy in 2001. The group is featured in the song and music video "Indomitable" by DJ Shub, which was nominated for Best EDM/Dance Video in the 2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards and won Best Music Video in the 2017 Native American Music Awards. In 2017, the group performed live as part of the pre-telecast for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, which was the first time that traditional Native American or Indigenous music was performed on the Grammy stage.
Northern Cree is featured on the CDs which accompany David Bouchard's children's books in Cree and English: Nokum Is My Teacher (2006) and The Drum Calls Softly (2008), both on Red Deer Press.
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef2001Native American Music AwardsBest Pow Wow Album2002Grammy AwardsBest Native American Music AlbumRockin' the Rez2004Still Rezin'''
|Native American Music Awards |Best Compilation Recording
|rowspan="2"|2006 |rowspan="2"|Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards |Best Contemporary Pow-Wow Album |Nikamo – "Sing!"| |rowspan="2"| |- |Best Hand Drum Album |Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 4 – Slide & Sway| |- |rowspan="3"|2007 |Grammy Awards |Best Native American Music Album |Northern Cree & Friends, Vol. 5: Long Winter Nights|
|Juno Awards |Aboriginal Recording of the Year |Stay Red|
|Native American Music Awards |Best Pow Wow Album
|2009 |rowspan="4"|Grammy Awards |rowspan="3"|Best Native American Music Album |Red Rock: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Muckleshoot|
|2010 |True Blue|
|2011 |Temptations: Cree Round Dance Songs|
|rowspan="5"|2017 |Best Regional Roots Music Album |It's a Cree Thing|
|Indigenous Music Awards |Lifetime Achievement Award
|Juno Awards |Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble |Going Home Star|
|rowspan="2"|Native American Music Awards |Best Music Video
|rowspan="2"| |- |Best Pow Wow Recording
|2018 |Grammy Awards |Best Regional Roots Music Album |Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand [Live]|
|2019 |Juno Awards |Indigenous Music Album of the Year |Nitisanak - Brothers and Sister|
|2020 |Grammy Awards |Best Regional Roots Music Album |When It's Cold - Cree Round Dance Songs''2026Polaris Music PrizeSOCAN Polaris Song Prize"Put Your Feathers On"with Blue Moon MarqueeNatalie Harmsen, "2026 SOCAN Polaris Song Prize long list: Begonia, Cadence Weapon, Charlotte Day Wilson and more". CBC Music, June 24, 2026.
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