TAMI NOMINATED FOR THIRD TUI AWARD!

COUNTRY ALBUM & SONG FINALISTS ANNOUNCED Awards to be presented in Gore on 31 May The finalists for the RIANZ Best Country Music Album 2012 have been announced today. Two of the finalists - The Harbour Union and The Unfaithful Ways - are from Christchurch and both of their albums have emotional connections with the city’s devastating earthquakes. The third finalist is no stranger to the awards – Tami Neilson’s “The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II” is her third finals berth. The Harbour Union’s self-titled album features 27 Christchurch musicians who have banded together to produce a fund-raising recording with the profits going back to the Lyttelton community. “Free Rein”, the debut album from Christchurch four-piece The Unfaithful Ways, was nearly a victim of the earthquake. Thanks to the perseverance of two structural engineers they were retrieved from the studio which had been tagged for demolition. The Unfaithful Ways was a finalist in the 2011 Vodafone NZ Music Awards Critics’ Choice Award and performed at the Big Day Out that same year. Auckland-based Tami Neilson is a two-time winner of a RIANZ Country Music Awards Tui – in 2009 (“Red Dirt Angel”) and 2010 (“The Kitchen Table Sessions”). She was also a co-finalist last year. “The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II” builds on Tami’s successful previous Sessions album with her trademark raw energy and music that is a hybrid of acoustic torch and stripped-bare country blues. RIANZ managing director, Chris Caddick, says: “What an absolutely brilliant year for Country Music. Congratulations to the three finalists all of whom have recorded outstanding albums. We wish them all well for the big night in May.” Tami says,"I'm so proud to be nominated for "Best Country Album" once again, with fellow nominees "The Unfaithful Ways" and "The Harbour Union", both incredible bands! Exciting to be in such talented company and see the bar being raised for country music in NZ."

"Hey Mama" Official Music Video Released!

Here it is! (drumroll, please...) my first music video from "The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II"! I spent the day in a coffin for this, so, you could say I'm DYING for you like it...and if you do, please share it on your FB page and spread the word.

Also see if you can play "spot the Neilson" and find Mom, Dad and my brother Jay in there- you won't find my brother Todd, because he was the genius behind the camera, directing us all! (www.faduchigroup.com)

Thanks everyone, hope you enjoy!

NEILSON WINS AGAIN AND PERFORMS AT RUGBY WORLD CUP

Two-time winner of the Tui Award for “Best Country Album” Tami Neilson has pulled another double win as “Best Female Artist” at this month’s National Country Music Awards for the second year in a row.

The Canadian-born artist thanked her “NZ country music family” and said after moving here to marry a Kiwi and start her career over in a new country that she now “considers herself a Kiwi”, to which the 1000 plus audience of country music fans at the Founders Theatre in Hamilton erupted with applause.

Neilson is part of the highly anticipated entertainment line up for the Rugby World Cup, showcasing with her band during “Rural Lifestyle Week” and also performing as part of the Real NZ Festival’s “Topp Twins Hoe Down” at the Queens Wharf Oct 2011.

Tami Nominated for Best Country Song 2011

The finalists for the APRA Best Country Song Award for 2011 have been announced!

They are Jackie Bristow for ‘Freedom’, Donna Dean for ‘What Am I Gonna Do?’ and Tami Neilson and Lauren Thomson for ‘No Good for my Soul’.

Canadian-born Tami Neilson is a two-time winner of the Best Country Album Tui. She has joined forces with Lauren Thomson, winner of the NZ Songwriting Trust 2010 and APRA Silver Scroll nominee, to launch their collaborative “sister albums”.

‘No Good For My Soul’ is the only song to feature on both their albums- The Kitchen Table Sessions Volume 2 (Tami Neilson) and Chanteuses & Shotguns (Lauren Thomson).

Ant Healey, Director of New Zealand Operations for APRA says:

"Full of heart, soul and talent, these three songs are going to be hard to decide between. The Country Music week-long celebrations in Gore are imbued in tradition and respect, and APRA is pleased to be supporting it again this year. Good luck to all the finalists."

Gore’s Gold Guitar week is in its 37th year and attracts more than 5,000 country music fans during the festival. For more information visit: www.goldguitars.co.nz

Awards to be presented in Gore on Thursday June 2

Tami's New Album reviewed by Elsewhere's Graham Reid

"When reviewing her previous album The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol 1, I noted the promise of the title and looked forward to Auckland-based Neilson getting back around the table in her brother's house in Canada to deliver a follow-up.

This time she took with her singer-songwriter Lauren Thomson who plays guitar, sings back-up in places here and shares the lead on the rollicking and salty co-write No Good For My Soul -- which also appears on Thomson's Chanteuses and Shotguns album recorded at the same time.

Neilson is a gifted songwriter who has that skill of being able to find a deep emotion and deliver it with convincing honesty. Between the opener (a foot-stomp, harmonica-honk spiritual Hey Mama) and the closer (a soaring a cappella treatment of Don Gibson's country classic Sweet Dreams, the hit for Patsy Cline, recorded back in New Zealand) Neilson essays gentle bluegrass, insightful ballads and some goodtime country (among them a version of McCartney's I've Just Seen a Face).

Neilson also has a way with an intelligent, self-aware lyric as on the measured , sentimental but never mawkish Great Day: "Grow up, got married, don't the days fly fast. Half of my tomorrows are in the past. Now supper's in the oven and it won't be long, and I'm in the kitchen singing homemade songs. It's a great day to be loved".

The centrepiece is the soul-baring and melancholy This Town which sounds like a newly minted country classic in the manner of Kris Kristofferson at his best: "When I roll into this town, first thing I wanna do is leave . . .the gossips' hands are full of time and somehow it becomes a crime to the nerve to run off chasing dreams."

Those lyrics, delivered slowly over weeping steel guitar, have their counterpoint in the more telling revelation: "When I reach my hotel room, first thing I'm gonna do is cry . . . I'll pour a glass of wine and drink a toast to the nights alone, and endless highways that I roam . . . looking for that home I'll never find".

This kind of writing -- not to mention her restrained but powerful delivery -- is throughout the album: The Bottle and Me is a woman rejected who takes solace in the bottom of a glass: "Yeah I know just what they all think, a woman who can't hold her drink. Why can't they see, that it's holding me".

Neilson -- who co-wrote most of these great songs with her brother/producer/kitchen-owner Jay -- out-writes and out-sings most other country acts these days. This is music which celebrates life in all its joys and sadness. And in the booklet she includes a recipe for pheasant pie too. A generous album on every level.

On Take Me Home she offers, "singing in the cities, every backwoods town, hoping one day to do us proud . . ."

She has done her family -- and herself -- proud. Again."

-Graham Reid, Elsewhere
www.elsewhere.co.nz

FREE download from the new album!

Only 3 more sleeps to go until Christmas so I thought I'd give my lovely fans a free download of the first single "One Thing" from my new album "The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II" (now available on iTunes, in stores and online at www.amplifier.co.nz). All you have to do is join my mailing list if you haven't already :)

This past year has been amazing for me and I just wanted to take this moment to thank each of you for your support, for coming out to shows, buying CDs and helping push me along on this fantastic journey- you're the reason I can keep doing what I love!

If 2010 was this great, 2011 is going to be incredible! Kicking off the year with 2 national tours, first the Topp Twins Summer Hoe Down, followed by my own tour "Chanteuses & Shotguns" with Lauren Thomson to launch our new "sister albums"! (Tickets are already on sale here if you need a last minute stocking stuffer! : http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/theme/2010/lauren-thomson-tami-neilson-chanteuses-shotguns-tour).

I'm also excited to announce that after all these years of being self-managed, I have just taken on representation with Diva Productions' Arani Cuthbert! She also manages Don McGlashan and the Topp Twins, so I know we'll be a perfect fit as she can obviously handle both serious songwriters AND people who are slightly crazy ;-) hehe.

Have a fantastic holiday season and I hope to see you when I tour through your area in the new year!

Big hugs,

Tami x

"Chanteuses & Shotguns" Tour- Summer 2011

chanteuse f. (plural chanteuses)
1. A (female) singer.

shotgun (plural shotguns)
1. bang bang. dead

Loading up another round after the successful 2010 tour “Saints & Sinners”, Canadian-born Tami Neilson (two-time Tui Award winner for Best Country Album 2009 & 2010) joins forces once again with Lauren Thomson (winner of the NZ Songwriting Trust 2010 and APRA Silver Scroll nominee) for the 20-date national tour “Chanteuses & Shotguns”.

Launching the collaborative “sister albums” they recorded in Canada earlier this year: Tami’s “The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II” (the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed Vol 1) and Lauren’s highly anticipated full-length release, “Chanteuses & Shotguns”, they will be bringing their foot-stomping, harmony-infused music across the nation on their 20-date tour with what Metro magazine calls “A soulful blend of alt-country and folk”.

“I seriously doubt you'll find more talented women sharing a stage anywhere in this country than these singer-songwriters: not only do they individually have terrific and memorable songs (many of them), but they play the heartfelt ones from places deep inside and their arse-kicking ones with undiluted energy" - Graham Reid, Elsewhere


CHANTEUSES & SHOTGUNS TOUR DATES:

17 Feb COOKS BEACH, Eggsentric Cafe*
18 Feb WAIHEKE, Artworks Theatre*
19 Feb AUCKLAND, Devonport Wine & Food Festival
20 Feb AUCKLAND, Juice Bar*
25 Feb CROMWELL, The Shed @ Northburn Station
26 Feb GORE, Hokonui Moonshiners Festival
27 Feb DUNEDIN, New Edinburgh Folk Club*
3 Mar OAMARU, The Penguin Club*
4 Mar CHRISTCHURCH, The Harbour Light*
5 Mar GERALDINE, Geraldine Cinema*
6 Mar KAIKOURA, Mayfair Theatre*
10 Mar TAKAKA, Mussel Inn*
11 Mar NELSON, Yaza Café*
12 Mar PICTON, Le Café*
17 Mar CARTERTON, The Lounge
18 Mar PALMERSTON NORTH, The Bent Horseshoe*
19 Mar WELLINGTON, Meow*
24 Mar WHANGAREI, Salut Bar*
25 Mar RAGLAN, Orca* (9.30pm)

All shows start at 8pm, unless stated otherwise
* Support by special guest Mark Mazengarb

BUY TICKETS NOW: http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/theme/2010/lauren-thomson-tami-neilson-chanteuses-shotguns-tour

Sponsors:
Creative NZ
Britz Campervan Hire

Tami Tours with Topp Twins....say that 5 times, fast!

New Zealand’s cream of contemporary alt-country and bluegrass artists will be playing amongst the vines this summer when the Topp Twins and Special Guests legendary Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, fiddler extraordinaire Marian Burns, Best Female Artist 2010 Country Music Awards, Tami Neilson and young rising star, Cameron Luxton appear at boutique wineries in January and February 2011.

TAMI NEILSON supporting TONI CHILDS- NZ TOUR

Three-time Grammy nominee TONI CHILDS is set to thrill audiences with her signature husky vocals and emotive lyrics during a seven-city New Zealand tour this month.

Fresh from performing a string of sell-out shows in Australia, Toni will perform her blockbuster hits including Stop Your Fussin', as well as showcasing her latest hit album Keep The Faith. The songs from this emotionally hard-hitting album are a blend of roots, rock, folk and gospel songs.

Best known for her heavily R&B influenced Don't Walk Away, Toni hit the big time in 1988 when her critically acclaimed debut album Union went Double Platinum in New Zealand, selling 75,000 copies. The same year she was nominated for three Grammys, including Best New Artist.

Supporting Toni will be Canadian-born TAMI NEILSON, who, since relocating to New Zealand has won two NZ Music Awards for Best Country Album for both 2009 and 2010.


21 Oct WELLINGTON, Opera House
22 Oct HASTINGS, Hawkes Bay Opera House
23 Oct HAMILTON, Founders Theatre
26 Oct AUCKLAND, Bruce Mason Centre
28 Oct PALMERSTON NORTH, Regent on Broadway
29 Oct NEW PLAYMOUTH, TSB Showplace
30 Oct CHRISTCHURCH, Isaac Theatre Royal

Tami Wins "Best Female Artist 2010" at the NZ Country Music Awards!

An audience of enthusiastic country music fans filled the 1200 seat Founders Theatre in Hamilton this past weekend where Tami Neilson was awarded "Best Female Artist 2010" at the National Country Music Awards. The show included performances by Tami, Marian Burns, JamesRay and The Topp Twins, who were presented with the "Country Music Legend Award".