Buffy Sainte-Marie

September 1, 2018

Warner (We Oughta Know: How Four Women Ruled the '90s and Changed Canadian Music) draws on 60 hours of exclusive interviews to explore the extensive achievements of Buffy Sainte-Marie (b. 1941)--as songwriter, performer, recording artist, educator, and activist. Early on, Sainte-Marie's natural musical talents and strong interest in her Cree heritage inspired her to compose songs of deep emotional eloquence that focused on the struggles for freedom and equality faced by all Indigenous peoples. She emphasized that her compositions were not an expression of anger but rather to educate listeners about the inequities encountered by Native Americans and the need to raise cultural awareness. Warner astutely describes Sainte-Marie's career, from her acclaimed performances and numerous recordings (beginning with the 1964 album It's My Way!) to her creation of highly successful educational programs and her groundbreaking work on Sesame Street. Behind-the-scenes details about Sainte-Marie's personal life are honestly and skillfully interwoven with those of her professional journey--the suffering and the joys. VERDICT For folk music enthusiasts as well as readers and institutions with a strong interest in educational awareness and activism on behalf of Indigenous peoples.--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2018
Her voice could stretch from wilderness to solar system and back again. Her songwriting spanned genres as diverse as folk and funk. An innovator and experimenter in music as well as education, especially in the realm of indigenous culture, Sainte-Marie projected a singular vision across multiple platforms. To say that Sainte-Marie could not be categorized would be an understatement, yet her enduring legacy is one of an activist, indigenous folk singer whose relevance peaked early. But that is an oversimplification. Born into Saskatchewan's Cree tribe yet adopted out to a white family from Massachusetts, Sainte-Marie found that the dichotomy of her heritage was both boon and blessing. While she constantly sought to explore and honor her birthright, she also illuminated and exposed the hypocrisies and restrictive hierarchies of the white world in which she lived and worked. Warner (We Oughta Know, 2015) is a dexterous chronicler of Canada's music scene, and her biography of this soaring icon powerfully reveals Sainte-Marie's cultural advocacy while shining a much-needed light on her essential humanity, life experiences, and prodigious musical talent.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)