Here is the biography of Joseph Reuben Silverbird:
Joseph Reuben Silverbird was born to Florinda Blair, a wisdom keeper, and Joe Ortiz, Nedni, a Mexican Apache/Spanish individual proud to be related to Josefa Ortiz De Dominguez. As a Metis, Silverbird carries the passion and suffering of his people and is proud of his mixed heritage.
Growing up, Silverbird was weaned on the theatrical stage from age six by his thespian and musical parents, who owned the most popular traveling stage shows in the Southwest during the early 1930s to the early 1950s. After finishing high school in 1951, Silverbird joined the military, where he served during the Korean incident. He was selected to teach electronics during the day and entertain at night with his ventriloquism dummy Don Lolo and singing with his guitar.
After his military discharge, Silverbird worked with many up-and-coming stars, including Debbie Reynolds, Raymond Burr, and the Andrew Sisters. He was invited to pursue an acting career in films, but chose to return to his family instead.
Silverbird formed a trio with his siblings and gained overnight popularity on early television. They recorded and had several territorial hits, including "In Lovely Old New Mexico" and "Maldita Distancia." They became even more popular with their TV show on KGGM-TV, a CBS affiliate, which included his ventriloquism dummy Don Lolo.
Silverbird's group, The Coronados, won a contest contract with Stan Irwin of the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas and appeared on the first Tonight Show. They went on to perform at the biggest club in New York City, the Copacabana, and appeared on major TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show.
However, Silverbird's family group eventually disbanded due to internal conflicts. He went on to create a new life for himself, traveling the world and performing on stage, film, and television. He has written many magazine and newspaper articles and has released several music CDs.
As an actor, Silverbird has appeared in numerous productions, including "Black Elk Speaks," "Winter-Man," "Song for Crazy Horse," and "Chief Seattle." He has also written and produced several films, including "The Path" and "Awake."
Silverbird has been recognized for his work as an Ambassador for Peace and has spoken at numerous events, including the Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, the Nobel Institute in Oslo, and the Vienna Rotary Club. He has also performed at the Jerusalem Wailing Wall and has been a guest speaker at several universities and colleges.
Throughout his career, Silverbird has been friends with many notable individuals, including Floyed Westerman, Russel Means, and Oren Lyons. He has also performed with musicians such as Bette Midler, Johnny Carson, and David Letterman.
