Formed in 1973 by Myron Pyawasit on the Menominee Reservation, the Smokeytown Singers have sung all over the country and in Canada at pow-wows. Their distinctive melodic but strong sound is usually backed up by women singers making them an unusual and often requested drum. The group is made up of two generations of singers. Narrations are provided for each song in both their native language and in English.
The group's name was his creation and inspired by a former practice of woodlands peoples. Long before the days of aerosol insect repellants, Indian people would build a fire in a small pail and add wood chips to create a smudge or heavy smoke to keep mosquitos away. Myron remembers how, one summer night, he noticed that everywhere in his small village of Zoar these smokey fires were burning, so he nicknamed the community Smokeytown- hence the name of his drum.
Congratulations to Myron Pyawasit
Artist of the Month - June 2006
Click Award to hear music from Myron and the Smokeytown Drum Group and listen to our Podcast interview with "Indigenous in the News"