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By Janine Swail

Artist: Tami Neilson

Date: 20th October 2019

Venue: The Tuning Fork, Auckland, NZ

A fitting artist to close the Southern Fork Americana Festival 2019 was none other than New Zealand’s adopted daughter and Queen of NZ Country and Soul, Ms Tami Neilson. Opening on the button, wearing a jacket with shoulder pads and apparel embroidery to rival any Nashville diva, we quickly learned that this was no ordinary intimate gig at the Tuning Fork. Rather, this was an invitation to hear “the abridged version” she said, of her, and her family’s music story so far, a few months before the release of her 7th album Chickaboom, (February 14, 2020). The cynic might find this a little self-indulgent; however Ms Neilson’s charm and knack for great storytelling had us listening intently from the get-go. Her second song was a soulful nod to the Sesame Street theme tune, whisking me back in time, only sung with much more sass and attitude than the Manhattan Street kids.

Born and raised in Canada, Neilson has been singing since she was a kid; a member of The Neilsons, a band that comprised both of her parents as well as her two brothers. Together they travelled North America supporting legendary artists such as Johnny Cash. Tonight, Tami was playing with one of her brothers, Josh who has joined her on her recent NZ tour. He is a formidable singer songwriter in his own right and co-writer of Tami’s APRA Silver Scroll award song Walk (Back to your Arms). The sibling banter entertained the audience as we heard stories of busking in Canadian backwaters, interesting family members, and at one point, as an adoring fan shouted ‘You’re awesome Tami!’ Josh joked, ‘Oh, its Mom!’

Church gospel and honky-tonk country were the evident roots of Neilson’s baptism into music as she covered an Everly Brother’s classic and told a story of her first introduction to the pioneering country and western singer, Kitty Wells, who her father had toured with. She sang Well’s song It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels, describing the sentiment and story behind it. Tami has written her own “screw you” anthem in recent years, as she belted out Stay Outa My Business, a gutsy, foot stomper from her previous album Sassafrass.

The stories continued as we learnt that it was none other than the Topp Twins who ‘held the door wide open’ for Tami as she was trying to break into the music scene down here. Unlikely champions, they invited her to tour with them and the rest was history. Big Boss Mama seemed a fitting tribute to Jools and Linda and was delivered with gusto, followed by Texas, from the Dynamite album. The audience appreciated the expensive maracas which accompanied Walk (Back to your Arms) and then the tempo was slowed down a little as the heartfelt lyrics of Lonely, brought a wee tear to my eye when Tami explained the emotion behind it; an ode to their deceased father Ron, who had originally written the song for their mother. Tami and Josh re-wrote the lyrics after he died to echo the heartbreak of their mom after she lost her husband.

A sign of a great gig is when I start to work out in my head how many more songs could be played before the Tuning Fork curfew kicks in. Tami has such an incredible repertoire I did not care what she chose to wrap up the evening with but Roimata/Cry Myself to Sleep from Waiata-Anthems was a classy nod to last month’s Māori Language Week. This collection presents a selection of Aotearoa musical icons including Tami who re-interpret and record their songs in Te Reo Māori.

Closing the evening with a brand new track, Tami sang You Were Mine, a song reflecting on what life was like, before and after someone special was a part of it. As the stage lights flashed on and off and Tami said goodnight, we were debating the chances of an encore and just as we began to retreat to the doors I turn around and to my left was Tami and Josh, acoustic guitar in tow. No more than 3 feet in front of me Tami breaks into a goodnight lullaby. Her velvety tones would settle any baby to sleep. I headed home upbeat, enlivened and convinced I could take on the world this week – Tami’s energy and music is infectious – so if you haven’t yet caught her live, put it on your music gig bucket list, you won’t regret it.