Blackfire

Native American punk rock trio Blackfire formed in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1989. Comprised of brothers Klee Benally (vocals / guitar) and Clayson Benally (percussion / vocals) and their sister Jeneda Benally (bass / vocals), Blackfire were best known for mixing punk and alternative rock with lyrics that dealt with many political issues including human rights. The trio spent the first few years of the 1990s building an audience before releasing their 1994 self-titled five-song debut EP, which was produced by C.J. Ramone. Their second self-titled EP featured three songs and was released in 1998. Their long-awaited debut album, One Nation Under, was released in 2002. The critically acclaimed album features the last vocal recordings by Joey Ramone, who sang on “What Do You See” and “Lying to Myself.” The album won the Best Pop / Rock Album award at the Native American Music Awards (NAMA). The following year, they issued the Woody Guthrie Singles EP (2003), a two-track release that included Blackfire providing original music to Woody Guthrie lyrics. Blackfire returned in 2006 with the album Beyond Warped, which featured a live recording from their appearance on the Warped Tour alongside previously unreleased tracks and a DVD. The group’s final album, 2007’s (Silence) Is a Weapon, was produced by Ed Stasium. After Blackfire split up in 2011, Klee Benally pursued a solo career and continued to be a Navajo activist while Clayson and Jeneda formed Sihasin. Klee Benally died at the age of 48 on December 30, 2023, of undisclosed causes.

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