In my twenties, I was trying to make a living as a photographer while also working as a carpenter on the North Fork of Long Island. Our family home bordered Downs Creek, where the Corchaug tribe—also known as the Montauketts—once lived. I often explored the creek and shoreline, discovering arrowheads and wampum along the way. Those early experiences sparked what would become a lifelong interest in Native culture.

My photography career eventually took me to New York City, but I never forgot those formative days. Years later, in 2010, my son Chris married Tim Long, a member of the Choctaw and Muscogee Creek tribes in Oklahoma. Through Tim, I’ve continued to deepen my understanding of Native culture and traditions.

Since the founding of the Plimpton Foundation in 2022, we’ve grown our projects in ways that make me deeply proud. Songbook Volume 1 has been completed, and people are already purchasing our composers’ music for their own projects. Songbook Volume 2—featuring six new composers—is currently in development and will debut in 2026. Our Timothy Long Scholarship recipients are flourishing creatively, and by 2026 we plan to expand the scholarship to additional Native colleges.

I know from experience how difficult it can be for young artists to build a career in such a competitive field. That is why, with the support of my exceptional board of directors, we created this foundation: to provide Native and other underrepresented musicians with the opportunities and financial support they might not otherwise receive.

And to our future recipients, I offer this reminder: success is not only about recognition—it’s about embracing and enjoying the journey.

Randy Plimpton, Founder of The Plimpton Foundation