A Vancouver-made compilation record of forgotten or neglected North American aboriginal music from the 1960s, '70s, and '80s received a nomination for a 2016 Grammy award today.

The album, Native North America Vol. 1: Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985, was released almost a year ago by Seattle-based label Light in the Attic Records.

Vancouver deejay and vinyl collector Kevin Howes, a former Georgia Straight editorial assistant whose performing name is Sipreano, is named as compilation producer; mastering engineer Greg Mindorff, from East Van's Suite Sound Labs, also received a nomination.

The three-LP (two-CD), 34-track release, nominated in the best historical album category, will compete with four other records for the prestigious award to be presented to a worldwide audience on February 15, 2016, including a compilation of Bob Dylan and The Band bootleg recordings and another of Erroll Garner's music. The Native North America LP package includes an extensive 60-page historical booklet with liner notes by Howes.

Howes told the Straight he was busy fielding media requests for interviews and information. "It was just announced this morning, so I woke up to the news," he said by phone. "It's nice to be recognized for your work, but I immediately think of all the artists on the compilation whose music inspired me to do this in the first place."

The compilation's musicians include Willie Dunn, Sugluk, Willie Thrasher, Lloyd Cheechoo, Willy Mitchell, Peter Frank, Lawrence Martin, and Alexis Utatnaq.

Howes, who previously worked with Light in the Attic to produce a compilation of transplanted Jamaican music, Jamaica to Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974, among others, said he has been calling the musicians who appear on Native North America to tell them about the Grammy nomination. "Everyone was very excited to hear the news," he said, noting that he has made calls to Vancouver Island, Manitoba, Toronto, Sudbury, James Bay, Nunavut, and points in between.

"And I think of the artists who we've lost even since the compilation was made," he added.

Publicity for the album, which debuted to favourable reviews from publications such as Rolling Stone (read the Straight article here), is nice, he added, noting that Canada's major music awards, the Junos, "don't have a category for historical recordings or reissues".

Of the situation for indigenous musical artists in this country, he said: "I really hope, once again, that this is a wake-up to the Canadian music industry. Hopefully, this [Grammy nomination] will lead to some bookings for some of these artists."

The self-described "crate digger" described his greatest satisfaction as coming from the people who inspired him to put together a collection of their music.

"My biggest reward is the feedback from the artists. That's all the recognition that I'll ever need."