The consolidation of Native American music throughout the late 1800's and first half of the 1900's led directly to the emergence of several native-themed radio stations in the Midwest and Southwest. Many of these (KGAK out of Gallup NM, KDGK out of Holbrook AZ and KNDN out of Farmington NM) were the first radio stations to be broadcast on the reservations.
The music these stations played was a mixture of traditional, inter-tribal music and modern rock and country songs that were popular at the time. To many on the reservation, this was their first exposure to modern American popular music. The exposure was significant, as Native American musicians immediately began integrating the newly discovered styles with their own, more traditional, secular folk styles.
As a result, Native Radio soon became flooded with Native bands performing covers of popular hits or original material in the rock and country genres. Several of these bands managed to gain moderate commercial success.
XIT, a rock band originally based out of Albuquerque, NM, released a concept album in 1972 entitled Plight of the Redman, about the changes in Native American life since the arrival of Columbus. Below is a recording from that album, "I Was Raised":
Redbone were arguably the most successfull Native American rock band. In 1974, they released "Come and Get Your Love", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #5, spent 18 weeks in the Top 40 and has sold over a million copies in the United States.
Jim Pepper (1941-1992), was a saxophonist, composer and singer of mixed Kaw and Creek heritage. He gained notoriety for combining elements of jazz and Native American music when he wrote "Witchi Tai To", a jazz composition based off of an old peyote song he learned from his grandfather.
The exposure to modern music resulted in the creation of new music styles. Chickenscratch (also known as Waila Music) was a dance style developed by the Tohono O'odhamn in Southern Arizona. The genre evolved out of fiddle bands in the Sonoran Desert, and exposure to European and Mexican styles, including polka, waltzes, schottisch and mazurka. Original bands used percussion, guitar and violin, but by the 1950's, the accordian and saxophone were added as well.
Below is an example of the genre:
