PBS is offering a new Native American music performance program. Winner of the Seventh Annual Native American Music Award (NAMMY) for Best Short or Long-Form Video, Walela: Live in Concert is a musical journey of the spirit. The 60-minute concert program will be available to PBS stations in August.

Comprised of pop-singer Rita Coolidge, her sister Priscilla Coolidge, and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield, Walela blends gospel, folk, and pop influences into the traditional songs of their Cherokee heritage for a contemporary take on Native American music. This program captures the trio live in concert in Dallas, Texas, performing songs such as "The Gathering of Eagles," "Wash Your Spirit Clean," and many more.

Recorded at the Dallas Theater Center, Kalita Humphreys Theater, Walela's live performance is a shining example of contemporary Native American vocal music. The vocals are breathtaking, with an etheral quality as Walela weaves its stories of historical and contemporary Native American life. While not strictly traditional Native American in musical style, the Coolidge sisters reflect their modern Cherokee heritage and this music belongs in any collection of American ethnic music.

The program will be available in both Standard and High Definition formats, to accommodate the growing number of stations that carry HD programs. Interested viewers should check local listings for air dates and times, or contact local PBS stations to request carriage of the program.

Walela: Live in Concert is produced by Rich-Heape Films of Dallas, Texas. Producer Steven Heape has received a commendation by the United States Congress for his extraordinary efforts to document and preserve Native American culture.

Below are resources for stations to use in promoting their carriage of Walela: Live in Concert.

• The press release for Walela: Live in Concert is available as .pdf* (92 KB) or word (93 KB) document.

• High quality stills (examples can be seen to your right) from Walela: Live in Concert are available for download in jpg format: Image 1 (184 KB) Image 2 (158 KB) Image 3 (830 KB) Image 4 (145 KB)
  Individual photos courtesy of Rich-Heape Films, Inc. and group photo by Jill Jarrett.

*To read a PDF file, you need an Adobe Acrobat Reader.