THE SIXTH ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS HONORS THE DOORS' JOHN DENSMORE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 19, 2003 -- On the evening of Saturday, November 15th at Isleta Casino Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a special honorary Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Doors' drummer, John Densmore by the Native American Music Awards in front of a sold out audience.

As he told the audience that evening, he and Doors frontman Jim Morrison always felt a strong kinship with the American Indian community. During the 60�s, Morrison and Densmore sat glued to the television during the American Indian occupation of Alcatraz. Densmore helped send several of Dineh elders from the Hopi Nation to Geneva where they testified on human rights abuses in the United States. He was made an honorary member of the the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota after setting up a propane fund following the �worst winter in recorded history� (1997). In 2002, he received the Spirit of the Rain Forest Award for being arrested, along with Bonnie Raitt, for protesting the logging of old growth trees. The protest reversed Boise Cascade�s long-time policy of destruction.

Today, he currently tours with award winning artist Keith Secola with whom he shared a 2002 Nammy Award with for "Kokopelli Blues", and Burning Sky, who also received the Group of the Year Award that evening. Both Keith Secola, and Burning Sky's Aaron White presented Densmore with the Honoary Lifetime Achievement Award. Whenever possible, John Densmore performs workshops for children and youth on Indian reservations, telling them about the possibilities of freedom and creativity that await in music and the arts. As an original and founding member of the musical group The Doors, John Densmore's achievements include; co-producing and writing eight gold albums with the group. His autobiography �Riders on the Storm,� made the New York Times Bestseller List in 1991, and in 1993 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.



Over 25 other music awards were also presented that evening. All winners are posted on www.nammys.com.

The Native American Music Awards has been acclaimed for its professionalism and production qualities in such national media as; Associated Press, CNN, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and the NY Times. Previous honorees have included; Crystal Gayle, Robbie Robertson, Rita Coolidge, Tom Bee, John Trudell, the Navajo Codetalkers (Living Legend), the late Jimi Hendrix and Hank Williams, and Notah Begaye III (Thorpe Sports Award). The organization also helped create a Native Music category in the Grammys in 2000. Over 145 national music recordings were submitted for nomination consideration for the Sixth Annual Native American Music Awards making this year's tally a new record high in the organization's six year history.

     dance music  Array