About Me
BiographyMy name is Daryl Shortman. I’m 51 years of age. I am ¾ Gro Vonte, ¼ Southern Cheyenne. I was born at Fort Belknap, Montana. I grew up in Havre, Mt.; there I did my elementary and Junior High education. From there I enrolled myself in Boarding Schools; first at Flandreau, South Dakota, next Anadarko, Oklahoma, Riverside Indian School. I furthered my education at South West Indian Poly Tech Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico. From there I went to Crown Point high school. I graduated in 1975.During my high school years I was in the high school band for three years; an accomplished trumpet player, I also played various other brass instruments. I competed in various athletic programs and was Varsity in Cross Country, Wrestling, and Track and Field and won numerous awards and was a member of the Varsity Club in all three programs. I was voted class president for the class of 1975 which later I was impeached for breaking the school’s rules!From 1975 to 1985 I wandered around searching for what my purpose in life was. In 1990 I believed I found my niche in life, I started playing 25 cent bamboo flutes. I loved it and pursued my dream of becoming one of Montana’s best flute players. I taught myself this trade through sheer determination and belief. In 2000 I made my first hundred dollars for 45 minutes of playing.I am also a self taught traditional dancer. I dance at a lot of powwows throughout Montana. Since the year 2000 to 2006, I’ve played throughout the state of Montana. I’ve been involved with the Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery from 2000-2006. I have also been doing the Indian Voice Series (affiliated with the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls) for the past five years. This year I was voted Presenter of 2006—Most Wanted Presenter.I’ve also played for the Tent of Many Voices, Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery II from 2004 to 2005.My goals in life which I’ve completed of the goals I’ve set are included in my attached resume. Now my goals are to play all of the Indian Boarding Schools throughout the United States, play for the Australian Aborigines, and the several tribes in the Amazon rain forest, the Hawaiian Islands and to play for Hillary Clinton when she runs for the Presidency in 2008. Then I want to win a Native American Grammy Award for the background music that I did in a documentary about the Zortman/Landusky mine.These goals are far off in the horizon. I know I will reach these goals because these are my dreams. I will make them a reality because I believe in who I am and I believe in the flute. My music comes from the soul.I have CD’s of my music which are all over the place: Italy, Australia, Tibet, Hawaii, Denmark, Kurkistan, etc.It would be an honor to play for you people; I have stories to tell through the native flute.
