2017 NAMA (Native American Music Awards) “Group of the Year”  

"The Cody Blackbird Band is a big deal - they’ve shared the bill with big names like Michael Franti, Arlo Guthrie, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Rickey Medlocke, Buffy St. Marie, Peter Paul and Mary’s Peter Yarrow, Nahko Bear, Xavier Rudd, and Big Mountain, to name a few." Anchorage Press

 "No mere novelty act, this outfit fuses traditional Native-American flute music with blues, heartland rock, and a multi-culti jam-band sensibility, creating a wholly original and wholly American rock form." Scruffy City Press

Raw, honest, organic, indigenous. The Cody Blackbird Band sets themselves apart from many of the pop-rock Indie bands that are in the musical marketplace today. Indigenous (Dakota, Cherokee, Romani gypsy) brothers Cody and Caleb Blackbird set out to form a group that honors the sacred music of their ancestors, while infusing the revolution of rock and R&B into their unique style. Utilizing the haunting sound of the traditional Native American wooden flute and hide skin drum, Cody has become the Pied Piper for a new generation of listeners, while his brother Caleb keeps the heartbeat of the pow-wow inside all of their songs. The 60s psychedelic guitar sounds of Will Benjamin add a throwback texture that brings to mind the groups of the late 60s playing at the Fillmore Auditorium. Bass player Adrian D Thomas (Akimel O’odham of Gila River Indian Community) adds the solid foundation that fills out the audio spectrum of this four-piece ensemble. 

         Cody’s voice ranges from the subtle intimacies of soft heartfelt poetry, to the rough-edged sound of an experienced classic blues-rock powerhouse. The songwriting style of CBB is reminiscent of the early days of The Doors, The Animals, Canned Heat and Redbone, but also newer artists like Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews and even The Goo Goo Dolls come to mind while experiencing the music of CBB. Throw in the sound of a South American panpipe band that perform at fairs and abroad and you begin to wrap your arms and ears around this new style CBB has created.  

        Pulling oneself up from the ashes, romantic poetry, overcoming depression, the positive calling for a universal tribe, realizing your dreams, cannabis awareness, all these subject matters are reflected in the lyrical writing of CBB. The band was awarded “Group of the Year” at the NAMMYS last year, which is a testament to where this band is heading. A special posthumous narration from world-renowned poet, actor and activist, John Trudell, is featured on the song “Kissing the Fire”, an unpublished poem that John wrote before his untimely death in 2015. Also featured on this album “Time” is MC Red Cloud who adds a few verses on the song “Earth Medicine Rap Version” extolling the origins of the CBB and the benefits of CBDs.

           The Cody Blackbird Band has built a strong fan base over the years internationally and are a well seasoned touring act who have performed all over the world. The album is an accurate representation of what the band sounds like live and is not over-produced or slick. What you hear is what you get, and it’s all good. 

         Produced by 36 year band veteran Kenny Lee Lewis of the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Steve Miller Band, this musical offering is the latest from CBB and will take you deep into the canyons and rivers of creativity this band lifts up. Get ready for a musical healing because their time has come today. Time!