BIOGRAPHY

Ira is Blackfoot from the Piikani First Nation located at Brocket in what is now known as Southern Alberta, Canada. Ira has been a musician, performer and songwriter for the last 20 years. Ira’s music reflects his profession as an educator of Native American (First Nations) awareness and understanding. His songs tell stories of gaining strength from cultural identity in hopes of reaching and instilling pride in Aboriginal youth.

Although this is Ira’s first solo recording project, he began his musical career at the age of 14 years old. In the last 20 years Ira has had the opportunity to be involved with a wide variety of music projects. He has recorded demo material with several different groups (Mountain Song, Strayhorse, Sundog, and Ira & Rudy); performed with five country/rock bands (Redwood, Ivory Black, Strayhorse, Sundog and Rudz Crew) throughout Northern and Southern Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and various states in the North Western United States. Ira has also performed as a solo musician numerous times entertaining and supporting many Southern Alberta venues.

“Ira Provost is a fantastic performer and singer/songwriter. He presents a great perspective in his presentations of his original material as well as his cover material. All over good professional stage presentation.” - Morris Soenen, President, Lethbridge Folk Club

Ira has had the opportunity to open for major acts such as Tom Jackson in 1998 and Buffy St. Marie in 1993. He also performed at South Country Fair Folk Festival numerous times, the North Country Fair, the Edmonton Folk Festival and Fallon/Reno, Nevada. Ira won a video production contest on “Inside Trax” performing one of his musical compositions Backyard Boogie. Inside Trax was a Western Canadian music showcase program featured on several Canadian television stations and was hosted by Shari Ulrich.

Apart from his musical talents Ira has extensive work experience in cultural awareness developing and implementing cross cultural communication models for the majority of his professional life. Ira worked as an interpretive guide, supervisor, director and now coordinator relating to cultural education programs for First Nations children and families.

Ira leads his life with the values and beliefs traditional of the Blackfoot people.

In 2009

Ira has had the opportunity to open for major touring acts and fellow aboriginal speakers including:

Shayne Yellowbird- The CCMA Recording Artist and Winner of the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

Elijah Harper - Aboriginal Cree, Canadian Politician and Band Chief

1998- Tom Jackson - Mountain Song

1993- Buffy St. Marie - Redwood

2001 - South Country Fair - Ira Provost

1999 - South Country Fair - Sundog

1998 - Edmonton Folk Fest - Mountain Song

1998 - North Country Fair - Mountain Song

1994 - Video Production Winner - “Inside Trax” - Ivory Black

1993- Indian National Rodeo Finals - Fallon/Reno, Nevada - Redwood

In 1993 Ira’s musical composition entitled “Backyard Boogie” won the Western Canadian video production prize package. The winning song and video was featured on the Western Canadian music showcase program called “Inside Trax” hosted by Shari Ulrich.

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