Cheevers Toppah & Kevin Yazzie

About the Artists

Cheevers Toppah (Kiowa/Navajo)
Raised in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Cheevers comes from a strong family line of singers and has spent most of his life around the Pow-Wow drum. While in high school, he studied choir and was eventually enlisted to sing and travel with the All-State Chorus. This experience later inspired Cheevers to combine his choral training with his extensive knowledge of Pow-Wow singing. The resulting harmonized vocal sound can be heard on the landmark Grammy®-nominated recording Intonation (CR-6395) with Alex E. Smith. Currently, Cheevers travels the Pow-Wow trail with the Thunder Hill drum group. He remains close to his parents D.K. and Jeannie, his brother Hyde and sister Janaye. His previous recording with Kevin Yazzie, First Light (CR-6436) was a finalist for the 2008 Indian Summer Music Awards and 2008 Native American Music Awards.

Kevin Yazzie (Diné)
Born in Teesto, Arizona, Kevin now resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife, Alberta, and children Shailen, Natashbah, and Jamon Noah. Kevin started singing at the age of six at Pow-Wows and the Native American Church. At the age of thirteen Kevin grew closer to the Native American Church and it's songs of prayer and started composing songs soon after. The Peyote medicine and prayer songs have provided him with comfort throughout his life. Many of his songs come from his inspirations, his friends, family and those who are in need of comfort, healing and spiritual uplifting. In 2009, Kevin's solo harmonized Peyote recording Faith (CR-6444) was a finalist for the 2009 Grammy® in the Native American Music category.

Recordings