BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

P. Town Boyz Ojibwe youth drum group from the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota originated in the year 2000 while participating with the Ponemah Elementary Drum & Dance Troupe. The group consists of six singers, all of whom are cousins who grew up together in the traditional village of Ponemah in Red Lake: James Cloud III (age 16), Brian Stillday Jr. (age 16), Tony Cloud (age 14), Neal Johnson (age 14), Eldon Cloud (age 14), and Bryce Cloud (age 10).

P. Town Boyz (PTBZ) made their TV debut on the PBS Special “ZOOM” and have since received International recognition and acclaim.

In 2005, PTBZ began to travel and perform at traditional POW WOWS and schools within Indian Country. The young group performed at the National School Board Conference in Chicago, Illinois; the Kristin Monroe Dance Special in Ball Club, Minnesota; took 1st place at the Bug O Nay Geezhig School POW WOW in Leech Lake, Minnesota, and 2nd place at the Minnesota Drum & Dance Competition in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; and were also honored with a traditional drum from the Lac Courte Orielles school committee for their leadership, behavior, and respect at the LCO school POW WOW in Lac Courte Orielles, Wisconsin.

P. Town Boyz have also had the honor of performing as the “Youth Host Drum” at the White Fish Bay POW WOW in Ontario, Canada, and at the Honor the Youth Leadership Conference & POW WOW in Red Lake, Minnesota.

In 2006, P. Town Boys were invited by the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to perform at the General Assembly Hall and Cultural Event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York. With their unique and powerful vocal style, they performed to Indigenous Delegates, World Leaders, and United Nations Officials during the opening ceremony of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. That fall the PTBZ opened for Red Thunder at the Creek Nations “Native Music Festival” in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In 2007, the highly anticipated P. Town Boyz self-titled debut CD of original songs was released in Indian Country, and digitally on iTunes and other online music stores. In support of their debut release, PTBZ hit the road on their 2007 “Pow Wow Trail” tour with a live performance and interview on WOJB Radio during the Honor The Earth Traditional Pow Wow, and winning numerous singing and drum awards. The PTBZ debut was produced by Robby Romero on Eagle Thunder Records and will be featured in the up-coming 2008 issue of Indian Country Today's - “Pow Wow” Magazine.

Recently, the PTBZ joined Robby Romero and an ensemble of Indigenous musicians from around the world singing and drumming on Robby's newest recording entitled ”All Our Colors” scheduled for release in the Spring 2008. And currently, PTBZ are working on their follow-up CD coming soon.

AWARDS FIRST PLACE
- Lac Courte Oreilles School Contest Pow-wow 2008 1st place youth singing
- Minnesota State Drum & Dance Competition 2008 1st place Drum & Hand Drums
- Joseph W. Goodthunder Sr. Memorial 2007 - 1st place hand drums
- Winnipeg, Manitoba "Opikihiwawin" 2007 - 1st place hand drums
- MN State Drum & Dance 2007 1st singing 1st place hand drums
- Lac Courte Orielles School Contest 2007 - 1st place singing & 1st
place hand drums
- Lac Courte Orielles School Contest 2006 - 1st place hand drums
- RedLake New Years Eve gathering 2006 - 1st place 1 man & 1 woman hand drum
- Detroit Lakes Invitational 2006 - 1st place singing
- Oneida, Wisconsin Contest Pow-wow 2006 - 1st place hand drums

AWARDS SECOND PLACE
- Red Lake Pow Wow 2007 - 2nd place hand drums
- Battle Point Traditional 2006 - 2nd place singing
- Lac Courte Orielles School Contest 2006 - 2nd place singing
- Detroit Lakes Invitational 2005 - 2nd place singing

TOURS & EVENTS

RELEASES

RELATED ALBUMS

VIDEO

RELATED VIDEO

PRESS

RELATED PRESS & INTERVIEWS

"P. Town Boyz blaze the pow wow trial"
- Indian Country Pow Wow Today Magazine

"They made their TV debut on the PBS Special ZOOM and have since received International recognition and acclaim."
- News From Indian Country

"Their are many reasons to fall in love with the Ojibwe Drum group P. Town Boyz from the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota... their young, powerful vocals offer a new and refreshing addition to the Native Drum genre."
- Indian Country Pow Wow Today Magazine