Speak/Sing Native™ Artist Archive

Gary Ogan

Cherokee Nation

Main Artist Image
Birthplace
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Pronouns
He / Him
Website:
Biography

As a veteran of 50 years in the music business, life is good for Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductee Gary Ogan.

From his first major label release on Elektra Records in 1972, to his move to Los Angeles in 1977 to sign with Leon Russell’s Paradise Records, Ogan learned the ropes and went on to blaze his own unique trail, touring the U.S. and Europe, writing and recording hundreds of songs, and making lifelong friends along the way.

The mid-90’s saw Ogan moving to Nashville where he signed as staff songwriter with Sony/ATV Tree, who published over 60 of his songs. Since then, in addition to continuing to write, record, and perform his own music, Gary had a four year stint drumming in The Darrell Scott Band, another two years producing Danny O’Keefe's Looking Glass and the Dreamers, and the last seven years has found him subbing on keys in the popular Portland based Motown tribute band, Kris Deelane and The Hurt.

Ogan’s newest passion was sparked by a curiosity in his own Cherokee DNA, and has opened many doors as a result, like providing opportunities to create and produce new music for author & activists, Winona LaDuke (Ojibwe), and the late John Trudell (Santee Sioux). Ogan has also become bandleader to The Flying Eagle Band, a Portland-based tribute band to the late Kaw/Creek sax legend, Jim Pepper, as well as Board member and Music Director for The Jim Pepper Native Arts Council.
(Source: Artist website)


Credits

Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductee for his work as a multi-instrumental musician, producer, arranger, composer and songwriter

Sound Ground by Gary Ogan (Bass Musician Magazine review)

Honors and Awards

Albums as leader:

1972 - Portland 

1977 - Gary Ogan

1982 - Let Go the Heart

1992 - Voices

2000 - Barcelona 

2010 - Sound Ground 

2015 - Suite Woogie

2024 - NDN Prayer 

Singles and EPs:

1974 - Try a Little More; 1977 - The Road ; 1977 - Make Me Sing

Albums as sideman/contributor:

2024 - Wounded Warrior - posthumous tribute to John Trudell - keyboards, drums, harmony vocals for One of These Days

Associates

Leon Russell, Danny O’Keefe, Darrell Scott, Kris Deelane, Jim Pepper Flying Eagle Band, Winona LaDuke, John Trudell’s Bad Dog, Ramsey Embrick, others

Discography/Videography

Albums as leader:

1972 - Portland 

1977 - Gary Ogan

1982 - Let Go the Heart

1992 - Voices

2000 - Barcelona 

2010 - Sound Ground 

2015 - Suite Woogie

2024 - NDN Prayer 

Singles and EPs:

1974 - Try a Little More; 1977 - The Road ; 1977 - Make Me Sing

Albums as sideman/contributor:

2024 - Wounded Warrior - posthumous tribute to John Trudell - keyboards, drums, harmony vocals for One of These Days

Years Active

1972- Present

Genre

Rock, Traditional, Americana

Roles

Musician, producer, bandleader, singer, songwriter, composer, author

Instrument(s)

Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keys, Piano, Vocals


- The Gary Ogan Band

Sound Ground - The Gary Ogan Band


Year: 2011
Venue:
Format: Live
Duration: 4:42

- Gary Ogan

Witchi Tai To - Gary Ogan


Year: 2020
Venue: Jim PepperFest 2020
Format: Live
Duration: 1:02:29

- Gary Ogan

It's Only Water - Gary Ogan


Year: 2011
Venue:
Format: Live
Duration: 3:59

Cherokee Nation


Tribal website

Traditional lands and Reservation

When first contacted by Europeans, “the Nation held dominion over a sprawling territory comprised of much or most of the modern states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.” A forced removal, the “Trail of Tears” relocated them to what is now a 14-county reservation in Oklahoma, with many At Large tribal members located all over the world.

Languages
Tsalagi (Cherokee) is the traditional language of the Cherokee Nation. Fluent speakers are dwindling and the tribe is making massive efforts to ensure that the next generations will be able to speak the language that expresses so much in a way that English does not capture.
Tsalagi has a written form that is based on a syllabary rather than an alphabet. Each spoken syllable in the language is represented by one of 85 distinct characters.

Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution (the Supremacy Clause)

“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.”


References

Gary Ogan (Artist website)    Gary Ogan bio

YouTube          YouTube Music