By Dan Ninham
For the past three years Joe Covert has been the social studies and music teacher at Nay Ah Shing School on the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation. By night for the past two years he and his select students have been performing rock and roll music with their band called Fry Bread. The band is gaining a following quickly and is filling up their performance schedule.
Covert started teaching at Nay Ah Shing in April of 2022 although his teaching career spans 30 years and he’s held several jobs during that time.
“I have been a professional musician my entire adult life … I come from a musical family,” said Covert. “Money was tight, but music was a priority at my house. My parents made sure that all six of their children received piano lessons. My grandfather was a professional musician. My earliest memories are of him singing and playing guitar.”
“I have always believed I can teach anybody how to play,” said Covert. “Tremendous credit should be given to the administration at Nay Ah Shing. I told them I could do this. They believed me and cut me loose to do the job. It has been a labor of love.”
Covert recruited students to play specific instruments or to become vocalists.
He said, “From the day I arrived, I told the students I could teach them how to play and sing. I worked hard to cultivate interest because I thought if I could get them started, it would be successful.”
“We have played all over,” said Covert. “I had students warm up my professional band for a sold out show in Saint Michael, Minnesota. We have played for a packed house in the main ballroom at Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley.”
“The kids have tremendous talent, and the sky is the limit. I am optimistic about my students and their abilities. I am recruiting new students to play every day. Giving the gift of music to young people is something I really love about my job.”
On a recent school morning, Joe Covert was leading his band students down the hall toward the locker room. The locker room is where the band practices and there is minimal room to roam around the instruments and their stations.
They were all beginners two years ago when the band members were being recruited. The lead vocalists take turns with Patsy Cline’s ‘Walking After Midnight,’ Roy Orbison’s ‘Pretty Woman,’ and the Beatle’s ‘Day Tripper’.
Mercedez Garbow is in the eighth grade. She said, “I drum. I started playing in the band in 2022 and practiced the drums, when I joined I got better. I feel good about being in the band and I hope to become better at singing. I want to continue playing instruments and become better and start my own band.”
Cayleigh Nickaboine is in the eighth grade. She talked about her role in the band. She said, “I play bass. I got the role in 2022 when Joe started the band. I’m more experienced and confident in myself at playing in front of a crowd. I would like to keep playing the bass and my hopes and dreams is to become a bass player and have my own band.”
Hayden Nickaboine is in the tenth grade and she is from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. She said, “I play bass and how I got the role is Joe taught me some songs and I wanted to learn more. When I first joined the band I was nervous but it was fun. It still is fun and how I feel now is I’m still nervous. I don’t know what my music goals are … maybe learn more songs and other instruments. I joined The Frybread Band back in 2022 and it was the best decision of my life.”
Amelya Pacheco-Leecy is in the ninth grade. She talked about her role and where she is going with band music, “I am the main bass player for the band but share that role with my friends and we are a team of bass players. I’ve been in the band for two years now and I started out as a singer in the band and juggled trying out and playing drums and piano but was just way better at bass and stayed on as main bass player. I am also teaching myself to play guitar with a guitar I was gifted from my grandmother who passed away.”
Pacheco-Leecy said, “At first I thought it would be really fun and cool to try out and I just kept going on. Now it’s still fun and stressful at times when we have big performances but it all works out at the end of the day.”
“I also like to suggest songs that I listen to with my mom and ask if we could play them or try them out like I watched La Bamba and it was so sad and so inspiring. I wanted to learn the songs and told our teacher we had to watch the movie with my classmates,” added Pacheco-Leecy.
“My mom also showed me the live performance by Redbone called ‘Come and Get Your Love’ and seeing them dressed in powwow regalia blew my mind,” said Pacheco-Leecy. “I wanted us to do that song and talked my classmates into all of us doing the song together and all of us sing it together like they do at the live performance. We are learning the song now.”
“I am connected and enjoy it (band music) as a hobby,” said Pacheco-Leecy. “I enjoy playing with my friends and us growing up bonding and having trips together outside of the school setting (and) we are a very mature bunch of kids just enjoy the music and our talents and the freedom it feels. Also the money and tips we’ve earned while playing is so amazing.”
Cass Sam is in the seventh grade. “I am the lead singer, Joe auditioned students,” said Cass Sam. “I love being the lead singer. I was 11 years old the first time I performed with the band and was super nervous! It was in front of our band elders. Now I’m a little less nervous. I love to perform! I am currently learning to play guitar and I am experimenting with writing.”
Bryce Cash is in the eighth grade. “My mother got me a drum set and I wanted to audition,” said Bryce Cash. “When I first started, I was looking at all these drummers and thought I’m going to do that, and now the band is doing good and its cool being a part of the band.”
People walking past the locker room/ band room will soon be hearing Redbone “Come and Get Your Love.” It will be The Fry Bread Band working on their beats.
