On November 27, 1977, Kennedy Stadium in Washington hosted a historic football game where over 50,000 fans witnessed not only a rivalry between the Redskins and Cowboys but also a significant cultural event featuring Native American music and dance. This occasion marked an important step in re-establishing the status of American Indians in society. Central to the spectacle was the National Indian Honor Band led by composer Louis W. Ballard, whose work represented a blend of Native traditions and Western classical influences, paving the way for future Native American composers.
The Washington Post noted the event as part of a new movement to re-establish American Indians as first-class citizens in the United States.
The performance was a career highlight for Louis W. Ballard, who pioneered Native music merging Native and Western classical traditions.
Tim Long remarked, 'He is the father of all of us who are Native people in classical music right now,' emphasizing Ballard's influence.
Among the first to negotiate issues younger artists still face, Ballard's legacy inspires a generation of Native composers.
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