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R. Carlos Nakai is America's pre-eminent Native flutist. He tours with his long-time playing partner, percussionist Will Clipman. The Nakai & Clipman concert is a traditional show featuring Native American flute and eagle bone whistle, chanting, spoken word and Native philosophy along with an assortment of Native drums and shakers. R. Carlos also tours with the trio of Nakai Eaton & Clipman, which is a more contemporary group with William Eaton's ambient guitar.

R. Carlos Nakai

To become the world’s premier Native American flutist, R. Carlos Nakai had to rely more on research and innovation and less on his Navajo-Ute heritage. While the Diné had a strong flute-playing tradition, it was lost when they migrated from the Northwest Plains of Canada to the Southwest over five centuries ago. While Nakai may not have been “born to the flute,” it was curiosity about his heritage that led him to it.

During the late 1960s while researching American Indian music and traditional instruments,

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Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame

R. Carlos Nakai was born in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1946 of Navajo – Ute heritage. As a child he attended many traditional ceremonies where he saw first hand the customs and traditions of his native American ancestors.

At age 10, RC learned to play the trumpet. In grade school he participated in band and dreamed of becoming a professional musician. While serving in the US Navy during the Vietnam era, RC was involved in a car accident that mangled his mouth and ruined his hopes for a career as a concert trumpeter.

In the early 70’s a gifted wooden flute changed RC’s life. He researched the instrument’s indigenous roots and began playing melodies similar to ones he remembered hearing as a child. His colleagues and friends encouraged him to record his tunes.

In 1983 he recorded “Changes”, and sold the tapes independently. Soon after, he secured a recording contract with Phoenix-based Canyon Records Productions.

Twenty years and more than 30 albums later, Nakai is one of the most prominent figures in native American music. He has ea

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Nakai, R. Carlos

Flute

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Hailed as the world’s foremost Native American flute performers, R. Carlos Nakai was one of the firsts to meld his ancestral sounds with contemporary music and electronic instrumentation. By 1998, he had released more than 30 albums and sold more than 2.5 million units all over the world. Nakai not only recorded his own albums, but also collaborated with a number of artists, including guitarist William Eaton, classical pianist Peter Kater, and his own groups Jackalope and the R. Carlos Nakai Quartet.

Born Raymond Carlos Nakai in Flagstaff, Arizona, he was inspired to pursue success by renowned Native American artist R.C. Gorman. When Nakai was around seven years old, Gorman left Flagstaff, saying that he was going away to make something of himself. Gorman eventually became one of the most successful artists in the Southwest. “I was so impressed by what he said,” Nakai told Paul Brinkley-Rogers in the Arizona Republic. “I remember I made a transcript of it…. R.C.