Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie is an internationally recognized singer-songwriter, composer, visual artist and social activist. Sainte-Marie earned degrees in teaching and Oriental philosophy before completing a Ph.D in Fine Art. By the early 1960s, she had begun to play music in coffee houses in New York's Greenwich Village. Sainte-Marie's anti-war song, "Universal Soldier," earned her widespread recognition, even though it was banned from airplay. Throughout her artistic career, she has used her platform to call for world peace, for protection of the environment, and for recognition of Indigenous peoples' rights. The recipient of numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada, Sainte-Marie continues to perform widely and to experiment with new musical styles.