Christopher Scales

Christopher Scales is an Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University, with a joint affiliation in the Department of History. He specializes in North American Indigenous musical traditions, Southern Appalachian music, music technology, and cultural property rights. His work bridges academic research with practical engagement in Native American music production.

Research interests center on the intersection of Indigenous cultural expression and modernity, including:

• Powwow music aesthetics and the Aboriginal recording industry
• Red Power political movements' impact on Native musicians (1960s-1970s)
• Technology's role in mediating traditional musical practices
• Intellectual property challenges in Indigenous cultural preservation

He authored the seminal book Recording Culture: Powwow Music and the Aboriginal Recording Industry on the Northern Plains (Duke University Press, 2012), which analyzes how audio technology transforms powwow performance traditions. As an active collaborator with Native artists, he has produced and performed on multiple albums for labels specializing in Aboriginal music, including Arbor Records and War Pony Records.