The Cherokee National Youth Choir came into existence in 2000 from the vision of Principal Chief Chad Smith, who saw it as a way to keep children involved in the Cherokee language and culture. The group performs traditional Cherokee songs in the Cherokee language and is made up of 50 Cherokee young people from northeastern Oklahoma communities. The Choir members are middle and high school youth between 6th and 12th grades. They compete in rigorous auditions every year for inclusion in the Choir. The Youth Choir acts as ambassadors for the Cherokee Nation, their beautiful voices showing the strength of the Cherokee Nation and its culture more than 160 years after the Cherokees’ forced removal from its eastern homelands. The goal of the Cherokee National Youth Choir is to increase awareness of Cherokee culture both within the Cherokee Nation as well as among the dominant culture. Through the success of the Cherokee National Youth Choir, interest in the Cherokee language has been rekindled among young people throughout the Cherokee Nation. Several area schools now use the CDs as a learning tool and other schools are interested in developing curriculum to teach Cherokee language and music. Principal Chief Smith and Deputy Chief Joe Grayson have pledged to make preserving language and culture a priority at the Cherokee Nation. The success of the Cherokee National Youth Choir has helped spark a cultural renaissance among the Cherokee people. They have recorded six CDs, including Voices of the Creator’s Children, featuring two-time Grammy® Award winner Rita Coolidge, which garnered two Native American Music Awards nominations and a win for “Best Gospel Christian Recording” in 2002. Their second CD, Building One Fire won the award again in 2003. Jesus Is Born Today, their third release, was nominated in this same category in 2005, and also received a nomination for “Best Religious Recording” at The Indian Summer Music Awards. Their fourth CD, Cherokee Sunday Morning, released in 2005, received the “Best Native Gospel” award at the 2005 International Cherokee Film Festival. Their fifth CD, Comfort and Joy won the award for “Best Gospel or Inspirational Recording” at the Native American Music Awards in 2007. In December 2007, the choir released Precious Memories, their sixth full-length album. The Choir has performed at many prestigious events and venues across the country, including their most recent appearance at the Macy’s Day Parade.