Latest news with #TamiNeilson
NZ Herald
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Tami Neilson's Neon Cowgirl reviewed – her time to shine
Tami Neilson: In the driver's seat. Photo / Alexia King Stone. Graham Reid is an NZ journalist, author, broadcaster and arts educator. His website, Elsewhere, provides features and reports on music, film, travel and other cultural issues. Local hero makes a bid for international recognition. It appears 'world famous in New Zealand' Tami Neilson's time has come in that long-sought American market. She's touring with Willie Nelson following her duet with him on the poignant Beyond the Stars and her Neilson Sings Nelson tribute album. Neon Cowgirl – all Neilson originals or co-writes – punches home right from the orchestrated opener Foolish Heart with the cloud-piercing drama of Roy Orbison, an influence also discernible in One Less Heart. Salvation Mountain is the high-energy, boot-kickin' country-rock offspring of Chuck Berry's Too Much Monkey Business and Neilson's own breathless Big Boss Mama. Borrow My Boots is a rollicking banjo-fuelled country-rocker of female empowerment; Loneliness of Love is a piano ballad and You're Gonna Fall arrives out of the desert on twanging guitar as singer JD McPherson becomes the Lee Hazlewood to her Nancy Sinatra. Love Someone is stirring amped-up swamp-funk, Keep On is Southern Gothic storytelling with a soaring, soulful finale. The moving title track featuring co-writer Neil Finn plays to Neilson's reclaiming of women's contribution in country music and aspirations for herself and other women in the genre. It also refers to Nashville's neon cowboy near Ernest Tubb's record shop, her desire to also be up there in lights, and the cowboy that was above Kean's jean shop on Auckland's Queen Street. The latter appeared on the cover of the 1987 Neon Cowboy album by Al Hunter who – along with the Warratahs – made country popular before the 1990s stadium rock of Garth Brooks and 'hat acts', and Americana singer-songwriters before Taylor Swift. So Neon Cowgirl arrives as part of a personal and cultural continuum, and as Tami Neilson's impressive calling card to that American audience she deserves. This album is available digitally, on CD and on vinyl. Tour dates: Opera House, Wellington, October 3; Aotea Centre, Auckland, October 4; Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch, October 11; Theatre Royal, Nelson, October 12; Arts Festival, Tauranga, October 24.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Willie Nelson cancels Outlaw Music Festival concert after 'extreme weather event'
Willie Nelson and his Outlaw Music Festival will have to wait a beat for their Sooner State debut. The country singer's long-running festival, which also features fellow music icon Bob Dylan, was forced to cancel its July 1 concert at the Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Oklahoma, "due to unforeseeable circumstances," according to a June 30 announcement on Nelson's social media pages. The Grammy-winning Americana band The Mavericks and New Zealand-based country singer-songwriter Tami Neilson were also set to perform on the Oklahoma tour stop. The cancellation comes after the festival encountered "an extreme weather event" on Sunday, June 29, at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. The severe storms produced heavy rains and high winds, forcing the crowd to evacuate. — Willie Nelson (@WillieNelson) June 30, 2025 'I hated to lose him': Willie Nelson speaks out on bandmate Kris Kristofferson's death Much of the Outlaw Music Festival's equipment and musicians' instruments were damaged and waterlogged in the stormy weather, "making their condition difficult to assess in time to accurately and safely use" for the Oklahoma show, per the cancellation notice. "The potential damage has halted the festival production as they recover and replace what's necessary for the tour to resume," the post stated. "Blackbird Presents, Lucky Star Amphitheater, and DCF Concerts are disappointed to have to cancel the engagement and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause." Refunds for the July 1 concert will be issued to the point of purchase, according to the announcement. Ticketholders are asked to allow seven to 10 business days for the refund to appear on their credit card statements. Winds reached up to 80 mph during the June 29 storms in Missouri, according to the Springfield News-Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network. A 20-year-old woman was reportedly killed in a neighborhood southwest of Springfield after a large tree was blown over on top of her vehicle. Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels told the publication that minor injuries were reported at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena from tents in the high winds. According to social media posts, the venue was evacuated due to the severe weather at about 5:15 p.m., and the Outlaw Music Festival date was postponed at about 6:50 p.m. All previously purchased tickets will be honored once the new date is announced for the Missouri show, according to the announcements. The tour is set to resume Friday, July 4, at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, as Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival converges with the Country Music Hall of Famer's annual Fourth of July Picnic and Fireworks. Willie Nelson's musical patriotism: Singer returns to the stage with Fourth of July Picnic after health concerns Nelson launched the Outlaw Music Festival in 2016 as a one-off event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before taking the concept on the road the following year. Dylan was among the artists on the inaugural Outlaw fest tour, and the 2016 Nobel Prize winner rejoined the tour this year after the Oscar-nominated 2024 biopic "A Complete Unknown" renewed interest in his music. As it celebrates its impending 10th anniversary, the Outlaw Music Festival is billed as "a hallmark of authentic Americana music" that has developed into one of North America's largest annual touring franchises. Still led by Nelson, the festival unites music legends with contemporary superstars to celebrate the outlaw spirit and genre-defying music. 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé The 2025 tour is the largest Outlaw trek to date, with the lineup including Nelson and his family, Dylan, Sheryl Crow, The Mavericks, Neilson, Billy Strings and The Red Clay Strays. Other featured acts include Turnpike Troubadours, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, Lake Street Dive, Waxahatchee, Charles Wesley Godwin, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Trampled by Turtles, Sierra Hull, Willow Avalon, Waylon Payne, Madeline Edwards, Lily Meola and Myron Elkins. The tour launched May 13 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix and is scheduled to make more than 30 stops across 20-plus states before wrapping up Sept. 19 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Willie Nelson concert cancelled: Country icon scraps Oklahoma show
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Willie Nelson cancels concert after equipment damaged by 'extreme weather'
Willie Nelson has been forced to cancel a concert as a result of an "extreme weather event". The iconic musician was due to headline the Outlaw Music Festival's 10th-anniversary event held at the Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Oklahoma on Tuesday. Bob Dylan, The Mavericks, and Tami Neilson were also on the line-up. However, representatives for Nelson and the Outlaw Music Festival posted a statement to their Instagram accounts on Monday night in which they explained that the gig had to be scrapped following "heavy rains and high winds" at the concert staged at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, Missouri last week. "Unfortunately, much of the Outlaw Music Festival's equipment and artists' instruments were damaged and waterlogged, making their condition difficult to assess in time to accurately and safely use for tomorrow's show," they wrote. "The potential damage has halted the festival production as they recover and replace what's necessary for the tour to resume." Organisers apologised to ticketholders and assured refunds would be provided. Nelson, 92, is next set to perform in Austin, Texas on 4 July. And after fans flooded his Instagram account asking whether his famous guitar, Trigger, was damaged, a rep insisted the instrument was fine. "Trigger is marked SAFE from the damage suffered to other instruments and equipment in the MO storm," they declared.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Bookmarks with Peau Halapua
Today on Bookmarks Jesse is joined by violinist and musical director Peau Halapua, who has arranged and performed in acclaimed theatre shows, including 'Émilie' at Auckland's Q Theatre, and played with the likes of L.A.B., Tami Neilson, and Sol3Mio. Peau is currently working on a new show for tamariki, Taniwha , which is on at the Silo Theatre during the upcoming school holidays. Peau speaks to Jesse. Violinist and musical director Peau Halapua. Photo: Ali Nicoll van Leeuwen Her song choices today include: Itzhak Perlman plays Fritz Kreisler: Caprice Viennois opus 2 - Itzhak Perlman Schubert: Schwanengesang, D. 957, 4. Ständchen In D Minor - Anne-Sophie Mutter Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Waves - TEEKS
RNZ News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The Detail: How New Zealand is falling in love with country music
Tami Neilson has been recording with country icon Willie Nelson. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Once considered niche, and tucked away in dusty record stores or rural community halls, country music in New Zealand is enjoying something of a golden moment. From chart-topping Kiwi artists to two dedicated radio stations in the past 18 months, the genre is striking a heartfelt chord with more people than ever before. RNZ Nashville Babylon host Mark Rogers grew up listening to country music, from Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash to Marty Robbins, and told The Detail that it's all about the storytelling. "As a kid, the songs and storytelling caught my imagination," he said. "The songs have no fat on them, they cut to the chase straight away, they are pretty simple. "There's nothing too complicated about them, you know exactly where you are and the classic country songs have something in them that will appeal to just about everyone. They hit home, they are easy to get and understand, people can identify with them. "It's rare that they are talking about big flash cars or billion-dollar jewellery. It's the workingman's music - that's been its appeal for many, many decades and that will continue to ring true." It seems Kiwis are falling more in love with the genre and over the last 18 months, this has prompted the launch of not one, but two dedicated country music radio stations in New Zealand. First, broadcaster Mike Puru started Southern Cross Country, found on digital platforms. Then this month, NZME launched iHeartCountry NZ, offered on the iHeartRadio app and selected FM frequencies around the country. There are no presenters, just pre-programmed country music. Both stations showcase global legends and local voices. Among those voices, one name stands out - Tami Neilson. The Canadian-born, NZ-based powerhouse has been a trailblazer for years and has just won the inaugural Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa, recognising her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the scene. "What Tami is doing at the moment is astounding," Rogers said. "She has been teaming up with Willie Nelson over in the States, which is a dream come true for her. "It's incredible and I'm super proud of what she is achieving. I would like to think she will get on the [mainstream radio] playlists, because what she is doing is absolutely fantastic. "The songs are great and radio loves a good song, so there is no excuse not to play Tami." Neilson competes for airtime with unlikely country singers, including Beyonce and Post Malone, who have swapped pop and rap respectively for country beats. "This has just exploded and I think it's a good thing,'' Rogers says. "Admittedly, I'm not a massive fan of some of it, but I'm a big fan of others. "I don't think it's cheapened the genre at all - it's just music developing." Clearly, Kiwis want more of it, proving country music in New Zealand isn't just surviving - it is thriving. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
