R. Carlos Nakai

Raymond Carlos Nakai is a Native American flutist of Navajo and Ute heritage. Nakai played brass instruments in high school and college, and auditioned for the Armed Forces School of Music after a two-year period in the United States Navy. He began playing a traditional Native American cedar flute after an accident left him unable to play the trumpet. Largely self-taught, he released his first album Changes in 1983, and afterward signed a contract with Canyon Records, who produced more than thirty of his albums in subsequent years. His music prominently features original compositions for the flute inspired by traditional Native American melodies. Nakai has collaborated with musicians William Eaton, Peter Kater, Philip Glass, Nawang Khechog, Paul Horn, and Keola Beamer. He has received 11 Grammy Award nominations for his albums.

16 April 1946

Born on the same birth date (16 April 1946): Ernst Bakker • Johnnie Lewis • Margot Adler

Born on the same birth day (16 April): David Holford • Ioan Mihai Cochinescu • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Natasha Zvereva • Ove Arup • Robert Stigwood • Rolf Schult • Rose Talbot Bullard • Vickie Guerrero

Born in the same month (April 1946): Adolf Winkelmann (film director) • Archy Kirkwood • Bill Plympton • Bubba Wyche • Colin Coates • Ginette Reno • Hayley Mills • Herménégilde Chiasson • Katsuaki Satō • Knut Kristiansen • Nicholas Stern, Baron Stern of Brentford • Peter Sutherland • Rodney Frelinghuysen • Sara Parkin • Steven L. Bennett