Focus: Native American Music leans heavily toward Native peoples of the United States, but also includes information on First Nations of Canada. It synthesizes current research on Native American music, illustrated by photographs, figures, music notations, audio examples, and personal narratives of active performers.

The outstanding features are its treatment of contemporary Native American/First Nations musical life, its overview of the history of Native American music, and its focus on the musical life of Woodland peoples in Oklahoma. It is distinctive in the range of styles and genres discussed, featuring sde-bar profiles of Native American singers, musicians, and dancers.