Biography
Floyd Westerman, in common with most Native Americans of his era, was removed from his family at five years old and placed in a distant federal boarding school nearly 100 miles from home. These deliberate policies aimed at dismantling Indigenous societies through family separation and cultural erasure later supplied recurring themes for his work as a prominent Native activist singer and performer.
A member of the Dakota Sioux, Westerman remained at the institution for twelve years until completing secondary education. During that period he acquired guitar skills by observing older pupils and adopting their basic chord patterns. Like countless beginners drawn to rock or folk styles, he discovered that three chords opened the door to much of the popular repertoire of the day, a realization that proved accurate. Music stayed central after graduation, and his listening embraced Bob Dylan alongside fellow Indigenous artist Buffy St. Marie, although country and western held particular appeal, especially the expressive style of Hank Williams. Honoring ancestral lineage, he adopted the name Red Cloud, passed down from his grandfather and carrying deep spiritual weight within Sioux tradition.
Westerman began appearing in Colorado venues, steadily refining his guitar technique. There he formed a close association with emerging writer and fellow songwriter Vine Deloria Jr. Their conversations frequently turned to the scarcity of material addressing Native concerns and heritage. From this exchange emerged a partnership in which Westerman adapted passages from Deloria’s book Custer Died for Your Sins into incisive and occasionally witty songs. The project secured a 1969 recording deal in New York City, resulting in the first of two albums Westerman would release, titled after his collaborator’s work. Its pronounced country sound matched the singer’s voice and quickly attained classic status; after going out of print, Westerman reissued it himself, selling copies primarily at live shows and public events.
He appeared at concerts worldwide, including major benefits and festivals alongside Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Harry Belafonte, Kris Kristofferson, and Jackson Browne. Throughout his career he maintained strong ties to AIM, the American Indian Movement, and gave testimony before Congress on matters such as uranium mining. Although his songwriting and recordings earned widespread regard, acting brought greater mainstream visibility. His film debut came in Renegades, portraying the father of Lou Diamond Phillips. Subsequent screen roles included parts in Dances With Wolves, The Doors—in which he served as Jim Morrison’s spiritual guide—Lakota Woman, Clearcut, and Grey Owl. Television work featured him as Uncle Ray on Walker, Texas Ranger, with principal parts on Northern Exposure, L.A. Law, X-Files, Millenium, and Roseanne, plus the portrayal of Sitting Bull in the four-hour miniseries Son of the Morning Star.
Westerman maintained a demanding pace, directing both his music and acting toward “the institutions that have destroyed our rights,” he says. “That’s what our struggle is all about, our spiritual rights and the Indian point of view…And they’re so old, they make the Bible look like it was recently written.”
A member of the Dakota Sioux, Westerman remained at the institution for twelve years until completing secondary education. During that period he acquired guitar skills by observing older pupils and adopting their basic chord patterns. Like countless beginners drawn to rock or folk styles, he discovered that three chords opened the door to much of the popular repertoire of the day, a realization that proved accurate. Music stayed central after graduation, and his listening embraced Bob Dylan alongside fellow Indigenous artist Buffy St. Marie, although country and western held particular appeal, especially the expressive style of Hank Williams. Honoring ancestral lineage, he adopted the name Red Cloud, passed down from his grandfather and carrying deep spiritual weight within Sioux tradition.
Westerman began appearing in Colorado venues, steadily refining his guitar technique. There he formed a close association with emerging writer and fellow songwriter Vine Deloria Jr. Their conversations frequently turned to the scarcity of material addressing Native concerns and heritage. From this exchange emerged a partnership in which Westerman adapted passages from Deloria’s book Custer Died for Your Sins into incisive and occasionally witty songs. The project secured a 1969 recording deal in New York City, resulting in the first of two albums Westerman would release, titled after his collaborator’s work. Its pronounced country sound matched the singer’s voice and quickly attained classic status; after going out of print, Westerman reissued it himself, selling copies primarily at live shows and public events.
He appeared at concerts worldwide, including major benefits and festivals alongside Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Harry Belafonte, Kris Kristofferson, and Jackson Browne. Throughout his career he maintained strong ties to AIM, the American Indian Movement, and gave testimony before Congress on matters such as uranium mining. Although his songwriting and recordings earned widespread regard, acting brought greater mainstream visibility. His film debut came in Renegades, portraying the father of Lou Diamond Phillips. Subsequent screen roles included parts in Dances With Wolves, The Doors—in which he served as Jim Morrison’s spiritual guide—Lakota Woman, Clearcut, and Grey Owl. Television work featured him as Uncle Ray on Walker, Texas Ranger, with principal parts on Northern Exposure, L.A. Law, X-Files, Millenium, and Roseanne, plus the portrayal of Sitting Bull in the four-hour miniseries Son of the Morning Star.
Westerman maintained a demanding pace, directing both his music and acting toward “the institutions that have destroyed our rights,” he says. “That’s what our struggle is all about, our spiritual rights and the Indian point of view…And they’re so old, they make the Bible look like it was recently written.”
Albums
