Sokaogon Chippewa Community News
Dental Director Brings Home ISMA Awards
Posted on: September 19, 2018
Paco Fralick was busy at the Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee earlier this month. He took home three Indian Summer Music Awards in the Country, Folk and Spiritual categories.
Paco also appeared for seven solo performances over the course of the three-day festival, at times sharing the stage with fellow Lac du Flambeau Tribal Member and award winning artist Kelly Jackson. He was also joined by Wade Fernandez, Jan Michael Looking Wolf, Victoria Shoemaker and Melissa Horner.
Paco had nine songs nominated in Blues, Country, Folk and Spiritual categories, and won the following awards:
- Best Country Song – I’m Moving On
- Best Folk Song – Women and Water (featuring Michael Bucher)
- Best Spiritual Song – In Seven Generations
He is now gearing up for his next big event – the 18th Annual Native American Music Awards (NAMA) on Friday, October 12th at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, NY.
“The song that is getting the most traction is “Women and Water,” which I co-wrote with Michael Bucher. Michael is Cherokee and lives in Birchwood, Wisconsin. He is a three-time Native American Music Award winner,” Paco said.
“I saw Michael play at Indian Summer about 15 years ago and thought someday I’d like to meet him and be able to perform on the Miller Stage in Milwaukee. About three years ago I met him when we were both performing for a Women and Water Symposium in Lac Courte Oreilles. We became instant friends, but I lost track of him. I found out he had a tragic accident and lost three fingers on a table saw and wasn’t playing music. I called him and said ‘Mike we should write a song together’. About nine months went by and then one day he sent me half of this song.”
“This song is so special to me not only because of the message it carries, but also because of the back story and all of the healing it has brought to both Mike and me.”
Paco is nominated in five categories at NAMA: Best Folk, Best Americana, Album of the Year, Best Male Artist and Best Narrative Video of the Year. Voting is open to the public, so please take a few minutes to vote for Paco.
Visit Paco’s website for hist latest updates, interviews and upcoming performances.
Congratulations Paco and best of luck at NAMA next month!