Jana Mashonee

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Jana Mashonee

Jana Mashonee appears at the Poncan Theatre in Ponca City, Oklahoma on December 4, 2010.
Photo credit: Hugh Pickens
Background information
Birth name Jana
Origin Robeson County, North Carolina, United States
Genres Pop, R&B, Electronic
Occupations Singer-songwriter, actress, author, philanthropist
Years active 1997–present
Labels Miss Molly Records
Website www.janamashonee.com

Jana Mashonee is a singer, songwriter, actress, author and philanthropist. She is Lumbee and Tuscarora, originally from Robeson County, North Carolina, currently residing in New York City. She is currently releasing her music through Miss Molly Records available on iTunes and Amazon.

Contents

[edit] Biography

First signed to Curb Records, her single, Ooh, Baby, Baby was picked as Billboard’s single of the week and went on to become a radio and sales success. More than Life followed, selling over a million copies on its own and as part of numerous compilation albums. A controversial version of Led Zeppelin’s epic, Stairway to Heaven, came next, earning her the honor of being the first Native American to top the Billboard dance charts.

Exploring her cultural roots, Jana then released American Indian Story, a brilliant concept album that garnered her a second GRAMMY nomination. The video for the single, The Enlightened Time, won awards at major film festivals around the world as well as a NAMMY for Best Short Form Music Video. Music from the album is featured on the Discovery Channel’s new hit series, Flying Wild Alaska.

Her first book, American Indian Story – The Adventures of Sha’kona, based on the GRAMMY nominated album of the same was also recently completed. The fantasy filled mystery-adventure is the uplifting story of the young heroine, Sha’kona, and her journey of self-discovery and courage. Fans and critics alike have praised this young adult novel for its characters, magic and message.

Jana continued to pay tribute to her heritage with the exquisite, American Indian Christmas, an extraordinary work featuring ten classic Christmas songs sung in ten different Native American languages accompanied by a full orchestra and traditional Native American instruments. A critical and commercial success beyond her wildest imagination, the album won her another NAMMY award. On December 16, 2011 she featured some of these songs in an emotional and intimate performance at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York.

New Moon Born took Jana in a new direction. A soul-stirring collection, steeped in R&B and gospel roots, which brought her back into the mainstream spotlight. She debuted the featured track, an emotional cover of Sam Cooke’s classic, A Change Is Gonna Come, at the American Indian Inaugural Ball for President Obama. This was her second performance for a First Family. A year earlier she sang at the First Lady’s Luncheon for Laura Bush. The song went on to win her an eighth Native American Music Award for Song of the Year and the video took the Best Music Video prizes at the prestigious Indie Film Festival and at the American Indian Film Festival.

With all she has going on and with a tour schedule that has brought her to forty nine of the fifty states as well as overseas, Jana has still found time to give back. Her Jana’s Kids Foundation has been helping Native youth achieve their dreams through its programs and scholarship offerings for almost as long as she has been an artist. In recognition of her efforts, Jana was named 2011 Woman of the Year for her philanthropic work.

Jana’s even taken a stab at acting. In February 2012, Jana’s new movie in which she stars in, Raptor Ranch, will be debuting at the Berlin Film Festival.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Flash of a Firefly
    2005, Radikal Records
    2006 Nammy Award Winner
  • American Indian Christmas
    2005, Standing Stone/SOAR Records
  • American Indian Story
    2006, Standing Stone/SOAR Records
    2007 Grammy Award nominated
  • New Moon Born
    2009, Miss Molly Records

[edit] Singles

  • "What Am I To You" b/w "Kind Of Love"(1997) - Top Forty on the Radio & Records’ rhythmic chart (Curb records)
  • "Near Me" b/w "The Price" (1998) - A cover of a song originally by the artist Sheryl Crow. (Curb Records)
  • "Ooh, Baby, Baby" (1999) - A success on radio and in the Radio & Records, DMA, Hitmakers, and Gavin charts. Billboard magazine named "Ooh, Baby, Baby" pop Single of the Week in October. (Curb Records)
  • "More Than Life" (2001) - Reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Artists to Watch chart and peaked in Billboard Magazine’s Hot Shot Debut At #29. Remixes were made by DJ Skribble and Anthony Acid. (Curb Records)
  • "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad" (2001) - A cover of a song originally by the artist Meat Loaf. (Curb Records).
  • "Stairway to Heaven" (2002) - Peaked at #7 on Billboard's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, and was remixed by DJ Skribble. (Radikal Records)
  • "Found A Love" (2003) - (Radikal Records)
  • "Do It Mr. DJ" (2004) - (Xtreme Records) (Peter Presta & Jana)
  • "I'll Be With You" (2006) - (Standing Stone/Radikal Records)
  • "A Change Is Gonna Come" (2009) - Miss Molly Records
  • "Stay With Me Baby" (2011) - Miss Molly Records

[edit] Awards and nominations

  • Native American Music Awards (NAMMY's)
    • 2001-2002
      • Best Pop Artist
      • Best Pop/Rock Recording (More Than Life)
    • 2002-2003*
      • Song of the Year (Stairway to Heaven)
      • Best Female Artist (Found a Love)
    • 2005-2006
      • Record of the Year - Flash of a Firefly
      • Best Producer (Stephan Galfas and Alex Salzman) for Jana's American Indian Christmas
    • 2007
      • Best Pop Recording (American Indian Story)
    • 2008
      • Best Short Form Music Video (The Enlightened Time)
      • Best Producer (Stephan Galfas & Alex Salzman) for Jana's American Indian Christmas
    • 2009
      • Song/Single of the Year "A Change is Gonna Come"
  • Queens International Film Festival
    • 2007
      • Winner Best Domestic Music Video (The Enlightened Time)[1]

[edit] Acting career

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • Jana Performed "A Change Is Gonna Come" at the American Indian Inaugural Ball January 20, 2009
  • Jana performed for the First Lady Laura Bush during the First Lady's Luncheon (April 27, 2006). One of the songs she sang was her own "One Spirit." The theme of the function was "The First Americans."
  • Jana performed before a huge audience (+70,000) at the 2001 National Scout jamboree.
  • Jana performed at the 2001 Inaugural Ball.
  • Jana chosen as Good Will Ambassador for The International Museum of Twenty-first Century Art (TIMOTCA)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Queens Int'l Film Festival > film lineup > winners > 2007". http://www.queensfilmfestival.com/films/winners/2007/. Retrieved 2008-01-24. 

[edit] External links

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