Also frequently known as just plain Jackalene Crow, this Native American storyteller presents live performances and makes recordings of the ancient stories of her ancestors. However, don't forget the Hiendlmayr, because that part of her name came from her husband and sound engineer, meaning he happens to be the guy that will hook up the microphones. So no Hiendlmayr and nobody hears the Crow stories. But this woman of Cherokee/Creek descent has made sure many people have heard her in her busy and dedicated storytelling activities. Crow is enrolled in the Langley Band of Cherokee in Alabama. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida with degrees in both journalism and public administration.
Her activities as a storyteller led to a rare honor in 1991 when Cherokee elder Robert White Eagle honored her with the honorary title of "legend keeper." Since that time, she has worked with a touring theater company, Celebrations of American Indians, which performs at theaters and schools throughout the United States and Canada. CAI was founded in 1989 to teach and share with non-native people more positive images of Native Americans. The company was founded by Frank Hiendlmayr and Crow-Hiendlmayr. He works as webmaster, technical director, and sound engineer for the company and is a graduate of Griswold Technical Institute with a degree in electronic engineering. A master electrician, he has apparently developed a public address system that is uniquely designed for the special sound of the Native American powwow drum. He also records, mixes, and produces all of the recordings of his wife. She has also released several volumes of stories on the Indian Sounds label.
In 1996, Crow was selected for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Artist Residency Directory. She is a member of the Ocala Storytelling Guild and the Florida Story Tellers Guild. She performs regularly in her home state at events such as the Ocala Story Fest and the Citrus Storytellers Festival. She has published the book Legends of the North American Indians, considered to be an excellent collection. Her publishing activities are not limited to ancient legends, however. In a more modern context, Pineapple Press has released her account of travel by bicycle in Florida, The Florida Bicycle Book.
