Yolanda, you grew up as 1 of 11 children in the Desert of New Mexico. Wow. What was that like and what impact did it have on your life?

YES, I WAS THIRD OF 11 CHILDREN BUT I LOST MY OLDER BROTHER WHEN HE WAS 3 AND I WAS 2.  I LOST THREE OTHER SISTERS THAT WERE STILL-BORN SO THERE WERE 7 OF US THAT GREW UP TOGETHER.  IT WAS HARD BECAUSE MY OLDER SISTER AND I HAD TO BE MOTHERS AT A VERY YOUNG AGE AND HELP WITH THE YOUNGER ONES.  WE ALSO HAD TO WORK IN THE FIELDS AND WORK AT HOME.  SO MY CHILDHOOD WAS SHORT, BUT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HARD TIMES IT WAS ALSO HAPPY TIMES.  WE ALWAYS GOT A LOT OF LOVE FROM MY PARENTS AND STILL DO.  WE WERE NEVER BORED, THAT’S FOR SURE! 

Being of Apache/Hispanic Indian heritage, your Native roots had an obvious effect on your style of music. Can you tell us a little bit about your style and how you got started?

I GREW UP LOVING ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.  MY PARENTS LOVED MUSIC SO WE ALWAYS HAD LATIN, COUNTRY, AND ROCK ON THE RADIO.  MY MOM WOULD BUY RECORDS; SHE LOVED FATS DOMINO, NAT KING KOLE, MARTY ROBINS, AND JORGE NEGRET; A WIDE VARIETY OF MUSIC.  I GUESS THAT IS WHY EVEN TODAY I TOO LOVE ALL KINDS.  I CAN'T REALLY SAY HOW I GOT MY STYLE OTHER THAN IT JUST CAME NATURALLY TO ME.  I BELIEVE IN BEING MYSELF IN ALL I DO.  I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE ANYONE ELSE, NOR DO I WANT TO BE.

How long have you been singing?

I HAVE BEEN SINGING ALL MY LIFE, I USED TO SING WITHOUT MUSIC WHEN I WAS OUT WORKING IN THE FIELDS, AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE.

And professionally? 

I WENT PROFESSIONAL IN 1992 WHEN I DID MY FIRST RECORDING.  I HAD STARTED THE CENTRAL VALLEY MOON LODGE CIRCLE IN CA. AND WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO MOVE TO NC THE LADIES WERE ADAMANT ABOUT ME LEAVING THEM A RECORDING OF THE SONGS THAT I HAD TAUGHT THEM.  SO THAT IS WHAT DROVE ME TO GO INTO A LITTLE HOME STUDIO IN MODESTO, CA. AND DO "RESOUNDING SPIRITUALITY".  THAT LITTLE CASSETTE SOLD LIKE HOT CAKES!  AFTER THAT IS WHEN THE RECORDING BUG HIT!  LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO OPEN UP FOR ME.

Who have some of your mentors been?   

MY DAD, MY MOM, GERONIMO.

You recently received a Grammy/Nammy award for Best Female Artist 2005. That’s quite an accomplishment. Can you tell us a little bit about the event and your experience there?  

IT WAS LIKE I WAS IN SHOCK AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF I HAD HEARD RIGHT OR WHAT.  I KEPT ASKING MY GIRLFRIEND IF I HAD HEARD RIGHT.  FINALLY THE PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND US SAID, "YES, YOU WON"! 

THE SAD THING IS THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO UP AND ACCEPT THE AWARD.  THEY INCLUDED ME IN THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD JUST CALLED AND YOU WERE TO GO TO THE BACK OF THE STAGE AND COLLECT YOUR AWARD AFTER.  SO THAT WAS NOT A VERY COOL THING THAT THEY DID.  HOW DO YOU NOT PRESENT THE TOP FEMALE AWARD?  I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT MOVE AND FEEL CHEATED BY THE NAMMY'S.

INSPITE OF THAT I WAS ON A HIGH THAT YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE.  IT WAS LIKE AFTER 13 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND ALMOST GIVING UP SO MANY TIMES IT HAD ALL PAID OFF.  I REALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT PEOPLE DO LOVE MY MUSIC AND I LOVE THEM FOR IT.  I HAD TO CALL MY FOLKS FIRST, MY SISTERS, ON AND ON.  MY DAUGHTER YOLANDA TEUBER AND MY GIRLFRIEND LINDA HUSHEN WERE THERE WITH ME SO WE WENT TO THE AFTER PARTY AND DANCED THE NIGHT AWAY.  IT WAS AWESOME!

What have been some of the other highlights of your career? 

THE FIRST WAS IN OCTOBER 1992; I WAS ASKED TO BE THE FEATURED ARTIST (I PAINTED THE POSTER THEY PRINTED) AND I DID THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE "FIRST CULTURAL FESTIVAL" IN MODESTO, CA.  IT WAS WHEN COLUMBUS DAY WAS DECLARED "NATIVE AMERICAN DAY" AND THE MAYOR GIFTED ME THE DECLARATION.

THE SECOND WAS WHEN IN 1994 I DID A BIG SHOW IN HUNTER MOUNTAIN AND I HAD A BOOTH THERE SELLING MY DRUMS.  THEY HEARD I WAS THERE AND INVITED ME TO COME UP AND DO A 15 MIN PERFORMANCE SO I SAID YES.  I HAD BEEN SO BUSY THAT I HADN'T PAID ATTENTION AS TO HOW BIG THE SHOW WAS.

THEY INTRODUCED ME AND I GET UP THERE ON THIS HUGE STAGE THAT FEELS LIKE IT TAKES ME 5 MIN TO WALK ACROSS.  I GET UP TO THE MIC AND I LOOK OUT ON THIS SEA OF PEOPLE.  THERE WAS ALL THIS NOISE AND RUCUS GOING ON.  I STARTED SINGING AND YOU COULD SEE PEOPLE STOPPING IN THEIR TRACKS AND THEY ALL STARTED MOVING TOWARDS THE STAGE AREA.

I JUST SANG MY HEART OUT FOR 15 MIN AND TOLD THEM WHO I WAS AND WHERE MY BOOTH WAS.  THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE OF APPLAUSE, I WALKED OFF THE STAGE AND ALMOST PASSED OUT.  I DID NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD COME TO THE SHOW.  I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THERE HAD TO BE AROUND 12,000 PEOPLE THERE!  WELL WHEN I FINALLY GOT MY COMPOSURE BACK I WENT BACK TO MY BOOTH AND SOLD OUT OF DRUMS, MUSIC, ETC!

THE PROMOTER CAME OVER AND HIRED ME FOR THE NEXT YEARS SHOW AND THE FOLLOWING THREE YEARS!

THE THIRD WAS THIS 2005 TOUR IN EUROPE.

You are also a drum maker; please tell us about the role of the drum in Native American tradition and what makes your drums unique.

THE DRUM HAS BEEN A PART OF THE PEOPLE FOREVER.  THERE IS A LEGEND THAT THE DRUM WAS BROUGHT TO THE PEOPLE BY A WOMAN.  WHILE SHE WAS GONE FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE MOON LODGE SHE HAD A BEAR APPEAR TO HER AND THE BEAR GAVE HER THE DRUM AND SAID THAT THIS WAS FOR THE PEOPLE.  TO KEEP THE PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH EARTH MOTHER AND THE RHYTHM OF LIFE.

BACK IN 1987 I ASKED CREATOR FOR A GIFT THAT I COULD MAKE WITH MY HANDS TO HELP US TWO LEGGED TO CONNECT WITH EARTH MOTHER, TO HELP US BALANCE, HEAL OURSELVES AND HEAL EARTH MOTHER.  THEY SAY "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR."  THIS IS WHEN THE CALL TO MAKE DRUMS CAME.  IT TOOK ME TWO YEARS TO FIGURE IT OUT AND PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT IT HAS BEEN A LIFE CHANGEING EXPERIENCE IN MANY, MANY WAYS.  IT HAS TRULY BEEN A GIFT FOR ME AND I FEEL A GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CONNECT WITH THEIR DRUMS.  I FEEL WHEN I AM MAKING A DRUM, I AM MAKING IT FOR ITS OWNER.  I ALWAYS KNOW WHICH DRUM IS FOR THE PERSON BEFORE THEY PICK IT OUT. 

THIS MAY BE WHAT MAKES MY DRUMS UNIQUE, I DON'T KNOW; I JUST KNOW THAT I LOVE MAKING MY DRUMS AND THEY SING FOR ME AND FOR THEIR OWNERS.

I understand you do drum-making workshops. For those who are interested in learning how to make a drum, what is your workshop schedule for the near future?

I HAVE A DRUM WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR NOV 19 IN SAN DIEGO, CA.  IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED THEY CAN CONTACT "RAINYS MYSTICS BOOK STORE AT 877-472-4697.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL HAVE TIME TO DO ANOTHER THIS YEAR, BUT I MAY IN EARLY DEC.

I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND DO WORKSHOPS IF ANYONE HAS AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE INTERESTED IN DOING IT, CAN PROVIDE HOUSING AND MILAGE.  I CAN COME AND DO A WORKSHOP FOR THEM.  YOU CAN CONTACT ME THROUGH THE INTERNET AND GET ON MY MAILING LIST OF WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENTS.

You are currently on tour in Europe; what are your audiences like and do you see or feel a difference in the energy of the people in different parts of the world?

EUROPE WAS AWESOME!  THE PEOPLE WERE TOTALLY DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME.  I DID CONCERTS IN NORWAY AND SWITZERLAND AND I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT I HAD THE NORWEGIANS, THE SWISS, AND THE ITALIANS ALL SINGING "MOTHER I FEEL YOU UNDER MY FEET"!  IT WAS GREAT!  THEY ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND I LOVED IT OVER THERE.  IT WAS A TOTAL SUCCESS AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. THEY ALL WANT ME TO COME BACK SO WE ARE WORKING ON BOOKING A 2006 TOUR!

Where do you see your path leading you and what do you still wish to accomplish?

IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHERE MY PATH IS LEADING BECAUSE WE ARE CONSTANTLY GROWING AND CHANGING.  WE MAKE DECISIONS AND SOMETIMES WHAT WE THINK WE WANT CHANGES SO THOSE DECISIONS CHANGE.  I HAVE LIVED MY LIFE FOLLOWING THE PATH THAT SPIRIT OPENS FOR ME AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS THAT WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE IS NOT EVEN CLOSE (HA!)  SO LIFE IS A WONDERFUL MYSTERY AND JOURNEY.

WHAT I WISH TO ACCOMPLISH IS TO TOUCH MANY MORE PEOPLE WITH MY MUSIC, WITH MY LOVE THAT I HAVE FOR THIS PLANET, FOR THIS LIFE, FOR THIS JOURNEY.

                
What is your message to the world? 

PLEASE WAKE UP, TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOURSELF

LOVE YOURSELVES AND EARTH MOTHER.

GO WITHIN, ALL YOUR ANSWERES ARE THERE

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR PRIORITIES

KNOW THAT WE ALL EFFECT EVERYTHING, AND WE ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

THERE IS MORE THAN JUST US, EVERYONE MATTERS

LOVE IS STILL THE ANSWER.

Thank you Yolanda, for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us; and we wish you good luck with all of your future endeavors.

To find out more about Yolanda Martinez or to order any of her albums or drums, please visit her website: http://www.yolandasdrums.com.  If you would like to send her an email, her address is: YDRUMS@aol.com.

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