Oregon Public Broadcasting

A Cottage Grove songwriter is waiting eagerly for Saturday’s Native American Music Awards ceremony.

Michael Jeans has been nominated as the songwriter of the year for his album, ‘Leather & Feathers’. Ethan Lindsey reports.

That’s the title track to Michael Jeans’ album, Leather & Feathers.

Jeans says he was shocked to be nominated as the songwriter of the year for the Native American Music Awards, or ‘Nammys.’

Michael Jeans: “The nomination is just beyond anything that I’d ever hoped for, but to take home the trophy would be awesome.”

He won’t be able to travel to Niagara Falls for the awards ceremony, but says he will try to watch the show online.

Michael Jeans: “The first song on the album, I have no name, I am particularly proud of. I was filling out a government document, and on the document it asked my race, and gave me three options: black, white or other. And I put ‘other’ and I thought, you know, that’s not right.”

Jeans has worked professionally as a musician for a while. But he says he feels like things are finally coming together for him now -- the nomination, and he’s putting the finishing touches on a new album.