Indian Pete And The Band Of Brothers:

LINER NOTE from the CD, "Native American Soldier":

At young age my musician curiosity were influence by my late father. SFC Noah Peter, a retired military man and a well known Athabascan Gwich'in fiddler though out Canada and Alaska. His actions historically where he saved many starving elders and children in Christian Village when food became scarce in the harsh Alaskan weather. His story included he mastered hunting skills which is still observed by the Venetie tribe.

After he passed away in 1978 my mother Elizabeth (Roberts) Peter bought me my first Royce drum set and put them it my bedroom. After the funeral when I got home this gift had me eased my mind for the duration of my childhood and schooling.

Later I played some hard rock drumming with the Arctic Village High School band at the northern side village on the Venetie Indian Reservation-Alaska. Then in the 80s during the Cold War I joined the Alaska Army National Guard-Active at the tribal headquarters in Venetie, AK. Later in the 90s I was transferred to Fairbanks Alaska by the Guard to present. Where I began concentrating more on my writings of Athabascan rock lyrics and started playing more often with local bands on week-ends and traveling through-out Alaska and lower-48.

It was also an honor to play music with Athabascan legendary fiddler; Bill Stevens when we went on a tour in KY, VA, OH at the Whitesburg, Kentucky; Mountain Heritage Festival, Seed Time On The Cumberland Festival, and the Honey Festival. Observing so many diversity of music there had tremendous influence on my style for Athabascan Gwich'in music writings.

I hope you enjoy our ancient languages and Native American chanting of Alaska. Mah si' cho. Pete J. Peter.

If you have good dreams, Obey them in your hearts

Spoken by the Late; Nena Roberts (Shih ts'uu choo)
Venetie Tribal Medicine Healer

REVIEW from the Fairbanks Daily News Miner:

'Indian Pete' attracts national attention

By Jeff Richardson
Published November 16, 2006

Pete Peter has never had a wake-up call quite like the one he got last Friday morning.

Peter, a sergeant who has served in the Alaska National Guard for the past 22 years, got an unannounced Veterans Day call from National Native News, a radio program based in Albuquerque, N.M. They wanted to discuss “Native American Soldier,” his new album, which salutes his heritage as both a Native Alaskan and member of the military. The show was broadcasting live at the time.

“I had to straighten up real quick,” Peter said with a chuckle. “I had to wake up fast.”

Peter, who was raised in Venetie and lives in Fairbanks, has needed to get used to that kind of attention since his “Athabascan rock and soul” album was released a few months ago. Its unusual blend has attracted enough praise that he’s hopeful it will be considered for a Native American Music Award next year, and has provided samples of the title track and “Geronimo’s Point.”

It’s a big step for Peter and his band, Indian Pete and the Band of Brothers. Although he’s “pushing 40,” he said with a laugh, he’d never considered making an album until playing the drums on a CD his uncle made in 2002.

“I was like, ‘hey, I can do this too,’” he said.

The title track, “Native American Soldier,” is dedicated to Alaska Army National Guard 297th infantry company, which is currently serving in Iraq, along with the memories of Sgt. William Brown and Sgt. William Dauma, who died in a vehicle accident while training in Mississippi.

Other songs have gained praise because they’re sung in the Athabascan Gwich’in language, which is in danger of fading away. Kathy Sikorski, a Gwich’in instructor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said that including languages in popular music is a good step toward preserving them.

“There’s a big movement for Native language revitalization in the state right now, because we’re losing them,” she said.

Although Indian Pete and the Band of Brothers played at the Arctic Bar through the summer, Peter said it was hard to find time to record their CD locally at 10th Planet Records. The band members came from Barrow, Nome, Allakaket and Pelly Crossing in Canada.

“That’s the hard part,” he said. “It’s like trying to round up your dog team to get everyone to work together at the same time.”

Songs from his CD are being played on radio stations in Nome and Barrow, along with KNBA in Anchorage, Peter said. He also has landed attention at the Athabascan Fiddlers Festival and the Alaska Federation of Natives convention. It’s selling locally at Beads ‘n Things, among other spots.

The band is currently working on its second album.

Contact:
pete.007@acsalaska.net

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