16 Rock + Metal Artists With Native American Heritage

Here are 16 rock and metal artists with Native American heritage in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day.

We celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day each year on the second Monday of October to honor and celebrate the histories and cultures of Native Americans and recognize the hardships and lasting impacts of European colonization.

Native American influence is deeply engrained in rock and metal, whether you realize it or not. From the greatest guitarist of all time, to the innovator of the power chord, to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and sharing the stage with the Beatles, there is a rich and vibrant history here.

Two of thrash's powerhouse singers come from a Native background — Testament's Chuck Billy and Anthrax's Joey Belladonna. Billy has sung about his Pomo heritage on Testament cuts such as "Trail of Tears" and "Native Blood," while Belladonna famously sings of plight on Anthrax's "Indians."

When a musician's accolades include collaborating with John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris and more, you think they'd be extremely famous. In reality, that's not necessarily the case, but you can learn more about the life of Jesse Lee Davis in this post.

Other artists have highlighted the Native American experience through music, including Redbone, whose four classic-era members were all of Native American and Mexican descent. Their 1973 song “We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee,” which addressed the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre, faced industry opposition and was withheld from release in the U.S. due to the subject matter.

Check out these 16 Native American artists in rock and metal below.