Vern Cheechoo

Vern Cheechoo is a Cree folk and country singer-songwriter from Canada.[1] He is most noted as a two-time Juno Award nominee for Best Aboriginal Recording, receiving nods at the Juno Awards of 2000 for his solo album Touch the Earth and Sky,[2] and at the Juno Awards of 2003 for The Right Combination, an album recorded as a duo with Lawrence Martin.[3]

Originally from Moose Factory, Ontario, he is the son of Sinclair Cheechoo, an influential Cree fiddle player.[4] His siblings, Archie Cheechoo and Thelma Cheechoo, were both also musicians.[4]

He released his debut album Lonesome & Hurting in 1993.[5] He supported the album with several concert dates as an opening act for Bruce Cockburn.[6] The album's title track was featured in an episode of Northern Exposure,[1] he was featured in a 1993 episode of the CBC Television music performance series Ear to the Ground,[7] and he appeared in the 1996 film Dance Me Outside performing songs from the album in concert.[1]

Touch the Earth and Sky, his second album, was released in 1999. In addition to his Juno Award nomination, Cheechoo and John Switzer won the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Producer/Engineer for their work on the album,[8] and performed a song at the ceremony.[9]

Although Cheechoo and Martin were lifelong friends and frequent collaborators, who were in a high school band called Veil's Universe,[10] the 2003 album The Right Combination represented their first time directly releasing an album as a duo.[4] In addition to the Juno nomination, the album was nominated for Best Group or Duo and Best Country Album at the 2003 Aboriginal Music Awards.[11]

He has continued to perform, most notably at a 2016 mining conference in Timmins where he performed an unnanounced reunion show with Martin,[12] but has not released another album since The Right Combination. He has been employed for a number of years as director of lands and resources for the Mushkegowuk Council.[13] In 2021 he announced plans to record and release his fourth album, which would be dedicated to the memory of his late wife Karen,[1] although no further news about the release of the album has been announced as of January 2023.

His son Colin Cheechoo is a musician, who was formerly associated with the band Breach of Trust.[14]

Discography
  • Lonesome & Hurting - 1993
  • Touch the Earth and Sky - 1999
  • The Right Combination - 2002

References
  1. Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, "Moose Cree singer's new album will be dedicated to his late wife". Timmins Today, July 24, 2021.
  2. "Juno nominees". Victoria Times-Colonist, March 10, 2000.
  3. "The 2003 Juno Awards nominees". Hamilton Spectator, February 13, 2003.
  4. Xavier Kataquapit, "Native musicians have 'right combination'". Timmins Daily Press, May 25, 2002.
  5. Lenny Stoute, "Cheechoo plays it achingly straight". Toronto Star, March 4, 1993.
  6. Robert Reid, "Urgent as ever: Hardworking Bruce Cockburn rips through his library of songs". Waterloo Region Record, May 10, 1994.
  7. Greg Kennedy, "Warm introduction to Native country-music artist". Edmonton Journal, November 30, 1993.
  8. Gordon Kennedy, "Fiddler performs at native awards". Sudbury Star, November 30, 2000.
  9. "George Leach and Sandy Scofield double winners at Aboriginal Music Awards". Whitehorse Star, November 27, 2000.
  10. Trevor Terfloth, "Variety spice of life: Music key part of Treaty 9 celebration". Timmins Daily Press, August 5, 2005.
  11. "Saskatonians nominated at Aboriginal music awards". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, September 18, 2003.
  12. Frank Giorno, "Surprise Timmins musical reunion of Cheecho and Martin at the Day’s Inn". Timmins Today, April 2, 2016.
  13. Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, "Mushkegowuk chiefs, Ontario ministers meet in Timmins". Canadian Press, December 3, 2021.
  14. Abby Cote, "Breach of Trust scores a hat trick at awards". Windspeaker, 2002.
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