The Multicultural Center partnered with the Native American Studies minor program to bring Native American Music Award winner Michael Jacobs to the stage at Pruis Hall on Monday.
"Hope you're all ready for this," Jacobs said prior to beginning his performance.
Following the warning came an hour's worth of inspiring and uplifting music.
Jacobs played classic roots music in both classical rock and popular styles on the guitar and the Native American flute.
Colleen Boyd, director of the Native American Studies minor program and assistant professor of anthropology, said she couldn't think of a better way to spend an evening.
"I think he did a great job. It was very pleasant," Boyd said.
Multicultural Center Director Patricia Lovett also attended the concert.
"I've been looking forward to the performance," Lovett said. "I've been listening to his music online and I think this is a great way to educate the students and the community."
Lovett and Boyd decided to invite Michael Jacobs back when given a good review by students just a year earlier.
"A lot of times people view Native Americans' past as very glum," Boyd said. "Michael has such a positive and uplifting message that we need to look to the future."
Jacobs's songs spoke of tough issues, such as romance, culture and the search for identity. The only difference Jacobs said he thought his music has is that his love songs were "healthy."
"When my wife - my girlfriend at the time - and I were looking for songs to represent our love, we realized that the 'love songs' out there were either about breaking up, thinking about breaking up or being in love with the person you weren't with," Jacobs said.
As well as playing songs from his previous albums, Jacobs played a few new songs. He said he hopes to have his fourth CD released later this year.
"The one thing you need to know about us is our values," Jacobs said. "Honesty, respect, wisdom are all very important to us. We're not mascots or logos. We are human beings."
Jacobs has been involved in music and the arts for as long as he can remember, he said.
"I tried out for the second grade play and I remember being upset because I didn't get the lead. I sang too quietly," he said.
Jacobs is also a decorated artist. In 2003 he received a National American Music Award for Best Independent Recording Artist.
"I was so shocked," Jacobs said. "I was unable to go and didn't find out till the following day. I remember calling my friends and asking if it was real."
Jacobs, who plays at several college campuses throughout the year, said each show is either hit and miss.
"I was at a college recently where I swear they would have been more amused if I pulled out a keg," Jacobs said. "Then there are campuses I go to where I have students come up after the performance, tears in their eyes, saying my music made a difference. That's all I really want."
Film series
The Multicultural Center and the Native American Studies minor program begin their Native American Film Series at 7 p.m. in Burkhardt Building Room 300. Admission is free. The film kicking off the film series is "Finding Dawn," a movie about a friend's quest to find justice for her friend's death.
"It's a great movie," Boyd said. "It shows how so many things can escape under the radar because, in this instance, you're not a Caucasian female."
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