In 1975 I was elected Vice-President of the Native Council of Canada, and initiated  the production of the album Native Country. Shingoose and I had travelled the folk music circuit as a duo, I recited my poems and Shingoose sang songs. Often when I would be reciting Goose would spontaneously compose accompaniment on the spot. Silver River was a collaboration like that and after the recording I don't think we ever performed the piece again. The poem itself had a life of its own, inspired when I lived in a rooming house in Toronto and made the acquaintance of Joni Mitchell, the story and poem was referred to in a book about Joni and other divas of the era. Silver River was also illustrated by myself in a painting of the same name.As with all our work together Shingoose retained the rights to the music, and I kept the rights to the lyrics.

Realizing the music industry did not particularly favour Indigenous artists, in 1976 Duke and Shingoose started their own record label. Their first and only album was called Native Country, it featured four tracks: Sweet Alberta, Silver River, Living on Indian Time and Peace Pipe Song.

In 2015, the track called Silver River, lyrics written by Duke, music written by Singoose, was released on a compilation album called Native North America. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Historical Album.

An article on Duke’s reaction to the Grammy Nomination can be read here.

“This record label isn’t an activist thing. Sure, there’s a protest song once in a while, but the concept is one of togetherness.  We’ll leave the fighting to those who want to fight.  We want to entertain. We want to prove to the public in general and to the Indigenous people in particular, that we can succeed.  There is talent here, real talent.  But most people just don’t know anything about it.”  ”

Duke, 1976