From the recording Missing ~ (A Single Song Release)
It was through tears and anger, that this song was written.
A testament for victoms of MMIW ("Missing Murdered Indigenous Women")
women who have been silenced against their will ...
women who have had their lives taken from them ...
women who leave behind grieving families ...
women who did nothing wrong ...
women who screamed and were not heard ...
women whose greatest downfall was trust ...
It is in memory of Darlene Billie, of St. Ignatius , Montana, that this song was written.
It is my hope to use music as a way to bring recognition and awareness to the disappearance and murders of Native women and girls ("MMIW").
If you see something, say something.
Production Notes:
This song was 18 months in the making with music files flying the friendly internet skies to 3 different states: Tennessee, California and Montana.
The below talents contributed to the creation of this project:
* Mike Schrimpf, Engineer, SMS Recording Studios, Hendersonville, TN
* Mike Baker, Acoustic Guitar, Nashville, TN
* Caato Matt, Assistant Recording Engineer, Ronan Boys and Girls Club, Ronan, MT
(Caato gathered tribes members from the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes and
recorded them chanting and playing Native flute on this track).
* Kenny Lee Lewis, Co-Producer/Engineer, Miramonte Studio, San Luis Obispo, CA
(Kenny is a prominent and long time member of "The Steve Miller Band" and played
electric guitar, bass, drums, native flute and percussion on this track)
* David Durgeloh, Native flute & chanting, St. Ignatius, MT
(David taught Native American Studies at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT)
* Gen Huitt, Performed Native chanting and is also a co-writer of this song, from Polson, MT
(Gen is member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sings about justice for
Native American peoples. Email Gen at ghuitt578@gmail.com or visit her website
at https://www.genhuitt.com)
* Linda Mckenzie, Vocalist, chanting, song co-writer, co-producer, and arranger, from
Lebanon, TN/Red Lodge, MT (Visit Linda's Website at www.LindaMckenzieMusic.com)
* Video Courtesy of: Addagirl Music Productions
Additional gratitude is expressed to:
* Randy Neumann, Polson, MT
* Bernie Azure, Ravalli, MT
* Char-koosta News, Pablo, MT
* Dana Waganer, St. Louis, MO
* Montana Arts Council, Helena, MT
* Jeanna Clifford, Polson, MT
* Billy Peterson
* Keryl Lozar, Polson, MT
* Mark Shields, Morongo, CA
* Colter Olmstead
* Frank Tyro
* CSKT (Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes) Pablo, MT
* Donald Trump, for signing Presidential Executive Order "Savannah's Act" in 2020; scheduled to help develop law enforcement and justice protocols to address missing or
murdered Native Americans. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/SavannasAct
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the copyrighted material contained in this video is a violation of copyright law in the United States and/or other countries/regions. Violation of U.S. and international copyright laws may subject you to significant civil and/or criminal penalties.
©2020 Linda Mckenzie/Addagirl Music
All rights reserved.
Lyrics
MISSING
"MISSING"
GRANDMOTHER WALKS, GRANDMOTHER PRAYS
GRANDMOTHER CRIES A TEAR ON THE GRAVE
FOR HER SALISH DAUGHTER HALF KOOTENAI
IN THE LAND WHERE THE SUN RISES HIGH
And THE BITTEROOT BLOOMS AS THE ELDER CRIES
THE EAGLE FLIES HER PRAYER UP HIGH
A TEAR FOR A DAUGHTER WHO SHOULD NOT DIE
SHES A MOTHER, A SISTER, SOMEONE’S WIFE
HER HANDS WERE TIED, HER SPIRIT BROKE
STRANGLED AT THE HANDS OF A STRANGERS ROPE
THEY FOUND HER BODY 3 STATES AWAY
IN THE CORNER OF A CORNFIELD THERE SHE LAY
SHE WAS JUST HERE A SHORT TIME AGO
WHERE SHE WENT THEY DID NOT KNOW
BUT SOMEBODY KNOWS YEAH SOMEBODY KNOWS
SHE’S GONE MISSING AND SOMEBODY KNOWS
WHY HER RED BLOOD RUNS COLD
AND SHE’S MURDERED AND MISSING IN A LAND CALLED “HOME”
GRANDMOTHER WALKS, GRANDMOTHER PRAYS
GRANDMOTHER CRIES A TEAR ON THE GRAVE
©9-27-2018 Linda Mckenzie/Gen Huitt (Addagirl Music ~ ASCAP)