At fourteen, Tsianina Redfeather came to Denver to study music. Her singing caught the attention of pianist and composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, who in 1908 invited her to join him on a tour in which he would speak about – and she would sing – Native American songs. She collaborated with him on an opera entitled Shanewis the Robin Woman, based on her tales of native life. The work debuted at the Met in 1918 and was an instant sensation. Cadman wrote two pieces that became her signature songs: From the Land of Sky Blue Waters, and Indian Love Call. Her renditions so moved a Ft. Collins real estate developer, that he and his partners named a village and some area lakes “Redfeather” in her honor. During WW1, Tsianina formed a group of Native performers to entertain the troops, garnering praise from General John J. Pershing for her artistry and courage. She retired in 1935 to become an activist on Indian affairs and lived to age 103.
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