Michael Bucher

A Native American Music Awards nominee in 2007, Michael Bucher has filmed his latest music video, 'Don't Forget About Me,' at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary of Hot Springs. 'Don't Forget About Me,' was produced and filmed in association with 2007 Native American Music Awards nominees Karla LaRive of PK Productions, LLC of Hot Springs and Christopher Crosby of musicseenPROductions. The production is the third indigenous music video from PK Productions, and was shot on location at the Black Hill Wild Horse Sanctuary's petrogylph site, along with other regional locations in July 2008. "The music video deals with the protection of Native burial grounds, and sacred sites. I try to tell people you wouldn't want your grandmother's grave dug up…nor do American Indian people. And, yet, it happens every day in Indian Country" says Bucher.

Michael Bucher is a Cherokee singer-songwriter who was taught from the beginning of his memory the stories, language and legends of his people. His songs are intended to teach, heal and bring awareness to everyone who hears them. He sings about topics that are important to him and others in Indian Country. From the desecration of sacred sites, to Cherokee legends, to the sometimes seemingly Invisible Indian, there's a passionate quality throughout.

With strong vocals and heartfelt lyrics, his music is a blend of acoustic guitar, native and a contemporary drum, flute, shakers, rattles, bass and electric guitars, and cuts a swath through native folk, blues and rock.

The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is the largest private, non-profit, wild-horse sanctuary in northern America and has been in continuous operation since 1988. It is home to more than 500 wild mustangs, plus several film and television projects. Other productions which have been filmed at the Sanctuary are 'Hidalgo,', the TNT-made-for-television movie 'Crazy Horse,' and the Sean Penn directed "Into the Wild.' 'Into the Wild' was filmed at the Sanctuary and in Hot Springs in 2006.

I came from a musical family where almost everyone was self taught. I grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and all the popular country music artists of the day. As a teenager my musical tastes expanded to include Rock, Blues, and R&B. By my early twenties I started writing my own songs and through the years have refined my style and approach to music. My influences and inspirations are broad and varied, but some of who include Buddy Red Bow, Johnny Cash, Buffy St.Marie, Neil Young and Bill Miller.

One of my favorite hobbies is Native style drum making. I made my first drum when I was eight years old with the help of my grandmother. Years later I came back to Native drums and now make hand drums and old pow-wow style drums, which are logs that I hollow out and lace various types of rawhide heads to. The Native drum that you hear on this CD, Seven, was made by me.

My feelings for the drum are strong . The tree is a gift from the Creator. It is part of the balance and stays true to it's purpose. The drum is a sacred vessel that should not to be mistreated or disrespected. It is the heartbeat of the people.

Michael and Joanne Shenandoah win at the 2009 Native American Music Awards for 'Best Compilation' with their latest cd "Bitter Tears - Sacred Ground". Also winning in September at the 2009 Indian Summer Music Awards for 'Best Folk'.

Bitter Tears - Sacred Ground racks up 6 nominations for Nammy's. www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com

Michael and Joanne Shenandoah are nominated in the following cartegories.

Best Male - Michael Bucher
Best Video - "Don't Forget About Me" written by Michael Bucher
Best Compilation - Bitter Tears-Sacred Ground - Joanne Shenandoah & Michael Bucher
Best Record - Bitter Tears - Sacred Ground - Joanne Shenandoah & Michael Bucher
Best Female - Joanne Shenandoah
Song/Single - Riding Free written by Joanne Shenandoah

Michael and Joanne Shenandoah win 'Best Folk' category at the 2009 Indian Summer Music Awards for "Bitter Tears - Sacred Ground"

RV: First of all congratulations to both you and Joanne Shenandoah for your recent Native American Music award for Best Compilation with the hit Bitter Tears - Sacred Ground and for Best Folk in the Indian Summer Music Awards. What an accomplishment. What does it feel like to win so many prestigious awards not to mention the countless nominations?

Michael: It truly is an exciting yet humbling experience. It feels rewarding for my music to be recognized and validated by my peers. When I write my songs, I write with an inspiration and passion about the topic I feel needs to be addressed. I don't write them with the thought of maybe winning an award. However when the nominations and awards started to come, I felt redeemed by the industry. When you bare your heart and soul into something like songwriting and music for the whole world to hear, you never know how it's going to go. Getting chewed up with bad reviews was one of my constant worries. Luckily hasn't happened yet.

RV: I read where you started investigating your music interest at a younger age, what was your motivation to pursue a career in music?

Michael: Two things were my motivation to start a music career. The first wasn't a thing, but a person. And that tied into the second. The person was my Great Uncle Frank. The last fluent speaker of our language in my family. Before he changed worlds we would talk to each other every other Saturday. Our topics inevitably seemed to turn to the latest attack on a sacred site somewhere, or another burial mound/native grave site desecrated. Of course we'd be venting our outrage to each other and the frustration was building in me about these matters. At the same time, Uncle Frank was getting weaker and his time here was getting short. He knew it and I knew it. In our last conversation, he told me "You have to do something about this Michael. You have a gift with your voice and your music, USE IT! Make a stand! Quit complaining and do something." So, those two, my uncle and my concern for our sacred sites, grave sites and burial mounds, were the motivation.

RV: You seem to carry a strong message in many of your compilations is there a particular song that stands out or/and an issue that is close to your heart that you can share with us?

Michael: Don't Forget About Me" is it. Even though I had the encouragement from my great uncle before his passing, I still wasn't sure about diving into the music business. So I put my ( tsola ) tobacco down and asked for something that would give me direction. The next day, I got home from work early so I picked up my guitar and started playing. Within 15 minutes I had the entire song finished. Words and music.

At one point the words were coming so fast that I asked the ancient ones to "please slow down, I can't write that fast." That song has gotten a LOT of airplay across the country, Canada and Alaska, been played on TV, and put to a video that was nominated for "Best Short Form Video" at the 2009 NAMA's .I'll forever consider that song a gift, a blessing and answer to a prayer.

RV: I wish I could pick one song to highlight but each one has a very strong power with it. Where does the inspiration for your lyrics come from?.

Michael: Good question! I think the inspiration comes from the topic I'm writing about. I can't seem to write a song unless it's something I feel strongly on. Most of my songs have a native thread woven through it somewhere. I wrote a song that's on my cd, 'Seven', called "You're Not Alone". It's for those of us who have struggled, or are still struggling, with the demons that chase us. Be it alcohol, depression, suicide, abuse, whatever. So many of us in Indian Country face these things daily. I always end my show with this song. One night after a show, I was signing cd's and talking with everyone and I noticed a man who kept putting himself at the back of the line. If someone was behind him, he'd tell them they could have his spot. Finally, it was just him and I. He shook my hand and thanked me for playing 'You're Not Alone'. He said he wished his son could have heard that song. He got very choked up, said his son had committed suicide six months earlier, and felt that if his son had heard that song, he wouldn't have done what he did. I reached out and hugged this man with all that I had. I wept too. So....that man and his words were one of the inspirations for me to write a new song for our native youth who are committing suicide at a rate of 70% higher than any other race in the country. That song is called 'Believe', and is the title track to my next cd.

“Click to listen”

RV: Is there a Native American performer, artist, writer that you admire?

Michael: Oh Man....Several, lots, many!!! Joanne Shenandoah, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Buffy St.Marie, Johnny Cash, Bill Miller, Mary Young Blood. There are so many more. I admire anyone who has the courage to get up in front of people and perform. That was the hardest thing for me to do.

RV: Besides performing what other activities are you involved in?

Michael: One of my favorite things to do is making traditional pow wow style drums. For me, there is such a state of peace and calm that washes over me when I'm working on a drum. I believe it's what helps keep me in balance. I honor and respect the drum before I even start working on it. I put my tobacco down, cleanse myself spiritually in cedar smoke, and then begin. I think of my grandmother who taught me how to lace the wet rawhide, my great uncle for the language, the animal the rawhide came from, the wood or tree for it's contribution. I keep that frame of mind the whole time. One universal thought for us native people is so true. The drum truly is the heartbeat of the people.

RV: Did you receive a lot of support for your musical aspirations while growing up?

Michael: Definitely. Seems like everyone in my family played some sort of instrument. Even my aunts and uncles. We had so much fun when the whole family got together. Sometimes the music would go on till 2 in the morning. One song led to the next. And now , we do the same with our children, nieces and nephews. Music is such a gift, and as Derek Miller put it, the medicine of the soul.

RV: You have a true following by many fans. What does it feel like for you to affect and reach out to so many people?

Michael: I take that part very seriously. What I don't do is take it lightly or for granted. I feel a responsibility to the people I'm playing for and to my fans. Most of all, I let everyone know I'm human. I have and still do struggle like everyone else. I've tripped before and no doubt trip again. When I perform, I put everything I've got into it. All the passion, emotion, feeling and love that I can. There's an energy created by the end of the show that is so undeniable. And I love it and appreciate it. I think my fans do too.

RV: You mentioned to me that you were in the middle of recording a new CD, could you please tell us a little bit about it?

Michael: Sure!! The new cd is titled 'Believe'. I mentioned the title track in question 4 but there will be 10 or 11 songs on it. A couple of the songs are about my Indian hero's of the past, or about what we as native people consider sacred ground. Even one on the atrocity of mountain top removal. There's a mix of folk, blues, pop rock, ( think Pink Floyd ), bluegrass/country and of course acoustic guitar mixed with shakers, rattles, traditional drums, bass guitar, and flute. One thing on this cd the listener will hear is more native flute mixed into my songs. I didn't want to play to much flute on it but I think it blends nicely. When playing live, I play my flute as well and so many people have asked me to put more flute on my cd's. So....I did! That's it in a nutshell.

RV: Are there any interests or causes that are meaningful to you that you would like to pursue that you haven’t yet?

Michael: What I'd like to do in the very near future, is create a trust fund for suicide prevention programs across Indian Country. A trust set up by a board of trustees who donate their time and know and decide where every penny is being spent. No sticky fingers allowed and it will be set up with safeguards against such things. We're losing our kids to suicide faster than any other time in history. The way I see it is it's our responsibility as elders to do all that we can to stop this. There are many good people out there right now working on it, but so many are getting, or already are, burnt out. There's a huge lack of federal funding or tribal financial support, and in the meantime, we've lost more of our children. The cycle has to end.

I would like to personally thank Michael for finding time to talk with me while still busy at the studio recording his new album. Michael is a very kind and generous man who teaches us to commemorate, honor each other while protecting and sanctifying Native American Heritage. I wish Michael much success with his new album that is sure to be a hit. Please visit Michael’s website by “clicking here”.