Tami Neilson: Country and soul singer on her newly announced New Zealand tour 'Neilson Sings Nelson'
August 19, 2024 • 11 mins
One of New Zealand’s country music faves is making her return to New Zealand.
Tami Neilson, a multi-award winner and friend of the great Willie Nelson, has announced a new mini tour of the country: Neilson Sings Nelson.
She’ll be performing all of her favourites from the Willie Nelson songbook, with the endorsement of Nelson himself: “Tami’s the real deal and does my songs a great honour.”
The tour coincides with the release of her new album of the same title, recorded at Nelson’s Pedernales Studio in Texas, featuring her brothers Jay and Todd on the backing vocals, guitar, bass, and drums.
Neilson told Mike Hosking that meeting and performing with Nelson is still something of a ‘pinch me’ moment.
“I still check my phone every once in a while to see if it still exists in the world, and kind of expect to wake I from this dream that I did a duet with him.”
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch up time with Tammy Nielson. She's been back at
Willy Nelson Studio recording some new music. We also have
news of a tour Nielsen meets Nelson. You like that
she'll sing some of her favorites on the Willy Nelson
song Book. Anyway, Tommy Neilson back with this.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good to have you back on the program and touring
the country. And we'll talk about the tour and we'll
talk about the Willy Nelson connection. Last time we talked
obviously the song it exploded and you'd met Willy and
perform with Willy and all of that sort of stuff.
With the passing of time, does it still sort of
is it still a pinch me thing for you?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Absolutely? Like I still check my phone every once in
a while to see if it exists in the world,
and kind of expect to wake up from this dream
that I did a due about with him.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Fantastic And the new album. When's the new album drop?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
The new album Nielsen Sings Nelson is the sixth of September.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And how does it work when you want to sing?
So do you go into the lounge at Willie's house
and go hey by the way, Willie, here is my ID?
How does that work.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well? In this case, it was actually a surprise for him.
The whole reason I recorded the album was he was
going to be turning ninety last year and his big
milestone birthday, one of many and hopefully more to come.
And I actually conspired with his wife Annie, and I said,
(01:29):
you know, we were coming back to Texas to their
ranch to play the festival again Luck Reunion that's on
their ranch. And I said to her, is it okay
if we stay in extra few days, would we be
able to use Willy's studio to record these songs for him?
And you know, because his studio wasn't really open to
the public anymore. It's just kind of his private place
(01:51):
where he records his vocals and trigger his guitar. And
she said yes, And we used his enginey Steve Shady,
who's a legend, and we went in for like three
or four days and just recorded all our favorite Willie
Nelson songs. And I kind of joked with him when
I gave it to him, I'm like, is this like
(02:13):
giving you socks?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Because because like everybody records his songs, you know, I mean,
he's had like people right from Aretha to God. Everybody
has recorded a Willie Nelson song, and I've just I
guess added to the list of his sock collection.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, I take it. He didn't go, yes, it is.
But I mean, what did he did he like what
he got? I mean, does he critique it? What does
he say?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Well, it was really special. I got actually a text
from his son Micah on his birthday and he well,
actually it was a year later, on his ninety first,
because then the vinyl existed, and he said, on his birthday,
we sat down and we listened to your whole album
(03:03):
and Micah said, he says, it's a masterpiece. Oh yeah,
and he said it was quite emotional, and he said
it was. He goes, I was surprised to hear these songs.
You know, I've heard them a million times, he sung
them a million times, even his son Micah has And
(03:23):
he said, you know, to hear always on my mind
in a way that caught me off guard and surprised me.
Was a really emotional experience, and so like that was
the highest praise. So if they love it, then I
you know, that's all I really need.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Will he says. Nielsen sings the hell out of Neilsen
Tammy's the real deal? And does my song's a great honor?
I mean, that doesn't get any better than that, doesn't
It doesn't.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And when he first sent through his quote it was
a little bit less family oriented. There was a different
word instead of hell, and I said, Willie, I think
we need to make this a little more family friend
They just they laughed, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I love it. So several questions out of the recording session.
How do you give them the so much material? How
do you pick? You know, when you say your your favorites,
how do you go about that?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Honestly, that was the hardest part of the whole thing,
was choosing songs that were favorites. And I tried to
kind of go into it. I wanted him to be
surprised and not hear just the same old, you know,
really really well known covers that we all know. Obviously,
songs like always on My Mind are iconic, and so
(04:44):
there are a couple of those in there, but I
kind of I wanted to surprise him, and so I
chose some really deep cuts, ones that you don't hear
often mixed with some of the beloved ones. But even
songs like I never ca for you, which is possibly.
I mean, you can't even say what's your favorite Willy song?
(05:04):
But one of my all time favorite Willie songs. That's it.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
That's his wife's fiber, doesn't it. That's Endy siber, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yes, And that's why I chose it. I wanted to
open the album with that, and he plays it every
show because she loves it, and so yeah, that was
kind of my way of starting the album, like knowing
it it's her favorite song. And so it wasn't just
about what are the most popular Willy songs. I kind
of wanted them to be special to them as well.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So not only are you recording Willy's songs, You've got
Willy's endorsement, You're at Willy's place, in Willy's studio. That's
that's got to be still blowing you mind, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Definitely? Like it was just incredible being in that studio.
You know, my brother was sitting in the chair that
Willy sits while he records in his little recording corner,
singing into his mike and getting to like visit, you know,
his little recording like the Master's vault, which is just
(06:06):
this really unassuming room you kind of walk in. It's
like a storage room, but the walls are lined with
masters of like Redheaded Stranger and just like all these
iconic reel to reels. And yeah, it felt very very
dreamlike for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I'm not surprised.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Now I got to ask Tommy, what's the place like,
I mean, describe it to me as as in the
ranch you know in Texas where the you know, where
he does all is recording. I mean, is it like
a compound where they live.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, well, I think it was back in the either
the late seventies or early eighties he bought this property.
And originally it's a golf a golf course, and there
is a the studio is kind of this renovated the
(07:00):
golf club, like the country club, and so there's a
bunch of like little condos, and then there's the whole
golf course and then there's this building which is and
people still golf on the golf course. And yeah, the
studio is it's definitely like I've heard stories of like
(07:22):
the Glory days, you know, where it was like party Central.
There was a pool there. There was this pool in
the back and people would record and then they go
swimming and have a party, and now like the pool
is all like concreted over, and I think they had
too many issues of locals like jumping in and using
the pool, and then it was going to cause.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
All these like liability, so they Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
But yeah, it's just kind of nuts to like walk
into this kind of unassuming golf country club kind of
vibe and it's very much just now a storage facility
for a lot of his things. And then the studio
itself is just basically used by him. So it's it's
(08:07):
really yeah, you're you're walking into an archive.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Really, that's incredible. You on those too reviews. I take it,
you know, tell some of these stories as well as
sing some songs, aren't you?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Absolutely, I'll give you all the juice.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What did you do interpretation wise for the songs? And
and what what's the rule around that when you cover something,
especially given the connection you have, do you do it
you know to form? Do you twist it a bit?
What do you do?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I wanted to wanted the songs to be recognizable, but
also and and be you know, respectful and true to
the originals. But again, like I think my whole you know,
mindset going into it was was to give him some
surprises and so it would be like maybe tweaking like
the feel or the tempo. But really I wanted to
(08:57):
go in. My original idea was just me and my
brother acoustic, no other instruments, like just honoring the song
and the lyrics and keep it really sparse. And the
album is still quite sparse. But we ended up my
other brother came and filmed everything while we were there,
and he's also a drummer. So it kind of also
(09:19):
marked the first time the three of us performed together
since we were in a family band when we were kids.
It was like twenty years, but it was just like
you know, riding a bike or slipping on an old
pair of shoes. We started playing, and the songs that
you hear are literally like one or two takes and
the first time we've ever played them together. So that
(09:43):
is also very much kind of honoring the Nelson tradition.
Willie always wrangles in family, you know, whenever you even
see his posters, it's Willie Nelson and the family, And
so I think that's also why we connect deeply with them,
is incorporating family into things and and things not having
(10:07):
to be perfect. You know. I love that things are
live and a little bit rough and tumble and a
little bit of rough around the edges. And I think
that is definitely Willie Nelson. You know, he's not mister
smooth and slick. Yeah, you know you like that bit
of bit of rugged, little bit of danger in there.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
It is. It's such a special thing that you've got
and you know that that's evolved between the two of you,
and it's brilliant and so so the tour, the album,
and then before we come to it, you told me
you've got another album. So you've got the album which
isn't even out. So once that's you got the album
after the one that's not even out. So you just
like you're just turning them out like dollar bills, Tammy.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Right man. I wish I could turn dollar bills out
like that. I'm a musician. We don't do that.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Well, listen, lovely to catch up with you again. Good
luck with the album and good luck with the tour,
and we'll talk again soon.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Fantastic Tommy Nielsen. The shows by the way, Wellington, christ
Church and Auckland in October, So if you want to
go everywhere from the Opera House to the town Hall
to the Isaac Theater Royal in christ Church Timmy Nilson.
For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Catch up time with Tammy Nielson. She's been back at
Willy Nelson Studio recording some new music. We also have
news of a tour Nielsen meets Nelson. You like that
she'll sing some of her favorites on the Willy Nelson
song Book. Anyway, Tommy Neilson back with this.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good to have you back on the program and touring
the country. And we'll talk about the tour and we'll
talk about the Willy Nelson connection. Last time we talked
obviously the song it exploded and you'd met Willy and
perform with Willy and all of that sort of stuff.
With the passing of time, does it still sort of
is it still a pinch me thing for you?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Absolutely? Like I still check my phone every once in
a while to see if it exists in the world,
and kind of expect to wake up from this dream
that I did a due about with him.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Fantastic And the new album. When's the new album drop?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
The new album Nielsen Sings Nelson is the sixth of September.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And how does it work when you want to sing?
So do you go into the lounge at Willie's house
and go hey by the way, Willie, here is my ID?
How does that work.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well? In this case, it was actually a surprise for him.
The whole reason I recorded the album was he was
going to be turning ninety last year and his big
milestone birthday, one of many and hopefully more to come.
And I actually conspired with his wife Annie, and I said,
(01:29):
you know, we were coming back to Texas to their
ranch to play the festival again Luck Reunion that's on
their ranch. And I said to her, is it okay
if we stay in extra few days, would we be
able to use Willy's studio to record these songs for him?
And you know, because his studio wasn't really open to
the public anymore. It's just kind of his private place
(01:51):
where he records his vocals and trigger his guitar. And
she said yes, And we used his enginey Steve Shady,
who's a legend, and we went in for like three
or four days and just recorded all our favorite Willie
Nelson songs. And I kind of joked with him when
I gave it to him, I'm like, is this like
(02:13):
giving you socks?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Because because like everybody records his songs, you know, I mean,
he's had like people right from Aretha to God. Everybody
has recorded a Willie Nelson song, and I've just I
guess added to the list of his sock collection.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, I take it. He didn't go, yes, it is.
But I mean, what did he did he like what
he got? I mean, does he critique it? What does
he say?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Well, it was really special. I got actually a text
from his son Micah on his birthday and he well,
actually it was a year later, on his ninety first,
because then the vinyl existed, and he said, on his birthday,
we sat down and we listened to your whole album
(03:03):
and Micah said, he says, it's a masterpiece. Oh yeah,
and he said it was quite emotional, and he said
it was. He goes, I was surprised to hear these songs.
You know, I've heard them a million times, he sung
them a million times, even his son Micah has And
(03:23):
he said, you know, to hear always on my mind
in a way that caught me off guard and surprised me.
Was a really emotional experience, and so like that was
the highest praise. So if they love it, then I
you know, that's all I really need.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Will he says. Nielsen sings the hell out of Neilsen
Tammy's the real deal? And does my song's a great honor?
I mean, that doesn't get any better than that, doesn't
It doesn't.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And when he first sent through his quote it was
a little bit less family oriented. There was a different
word instead of hell, and I said, Willie, I think
we need to make this a little more family friend
They just they laughed, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I love it. So several questions out of the recording session.
How do you give them the so much material? How
do you pick? You know, when you say your your favorites,
how do you go about that?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Honestly, that was the hardest part of the whole thing,
was choosing songs that were favorites. And I tried to
kind of go into it. I wanted him to be
surprised and not hear just the same old, you know,
really really well known covers that we all know. Obviously,
songs like always on My Mind are iconic, and so
(04:44):
there are a couple of those in there, but I
kind of I wanted to surprise him, and so I
chose some really deep cuts, ones that you don't hear
often mixed with some of the beloved ones. But even
songs like I never ca for you, which is possibly.
I mean, you can't even say what's your favorite Willy song?
(05:04):
But one of my all time favorite Willie songs. That's it.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
That's his wife's fiber, doesn't it. That's Endy siber, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yes, And that's why I chose it. I wanted to
open the album with that, and he plays it every
show because she loves it, and so yeah, that was
kind of my way of starting the album, like knowing
it it's her favorite song. And so it wasn't just
about what are the most popular Willy songs. I kind
of wanted them to be special to them as well.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So not only are you recording Willy's songs, You've got
Willy's endorsement, You're at Willy's place, in Willy's studio. That's
that's got to be still blowing you mind, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Definitely? Like it was just incredible being in that studio.
You know, my brother was sitting in the chair that
Willy sits while he records in his little recording corner,
singing into his mike and getting to like visit, you know,
his little recording like the Master's vault, which is just
(06:06):
this really unassuming room you kind of walk in. It's
like a storage room, but the walls are lined with
masters of like Redheaded Stranger and just like all these
iconic reel to reels. And yeah, it felt very very
dreamlike for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I'm not surprised.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Now I got to ask Tommy, what's the place like,
I mean, describe it to me as as in the
ranch you know in Texas where the you know, where
he does all is recording. I mean, is it like
a compound where they live.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, well, I think it was back in the either
the late seventies or early eighties he bought this property.
And originally it's a golf a golf course, and there
is a the studio is kind of this renovated the
(07:00):
golf club, like the country club, and so there's a
bunch of like little condos, and then there's the whole
golf course and then there's this building which is and
people still golf on the golf course. And yeah, the
studio is it's definitely like I've heard stories of like
(07:22):
the Glory days, you know, where it was like party Central.
There was a pool there. There was this pool in
the back and people would record and then they go
swimming and have a party, and now like the pool
is all like concreted over, and I think they had
too many issues of locals like jumping in and using
the pool, and then it was going to cause.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
All these like liability, so they Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
But yeah, it's just kind of nuts to like walk
into this kind of unassuming golf country club kind of
vibe and it's very much just now a storage facility
for a lot of his things. And then the studio
itself is just basically used by him. So it's it's
(08:07):
really yeah, you're you're walking into an archive.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Really, that's incredible. You on those too reviews. I take it,
you know, tell some of these stories as well as
sing some songs, aren't you?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Absolutely, I'll give you all the juice.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What did you do interpretation wise for the songs? And
and what what's the rule around that when you cover something,
especially given the connection you have, do you do it
you know to form? Do you twist it a bit?
What do you do?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I wanted to wanted the songs to be recognizable, but
also and and be you know, respectful and true to
the originals. But again, like I think my whole you know,
mindset going into it was was to give him some
surprises and so it would be like maybe tweaking like
the feel or the tempo. But really I wanted to
(08:57):
go in. My original idea was just me and my
brother acoustic, no other instruments, like just honoring the song
and the lyrics and keep it really sparse. And the
album is still quite sparse. But we ended up my
other brother came and filmed everything while we were there,
and he's also a drummer. So it kind of also
(09:19):
marked the first time the three of us performed together
since we were in a family band when we were kids.
It was like twenty years, but it was just like
you know, riding a bike or slipping on an old
pair of shoes. We started playing, and the songs that
you hear are literally like one or two takes and
the first time we've ever played them together. So that
(09:43):
is also very much kind of honoring the Nelson tradition.
Willie always wrangles in family, you know, whenever you even
see his posters, it's Willie Nelson and the family, And
so I think that's also why we connect deeply with them,
is incorporating family into things and and things not having
(10:07):
to be perfect. You know. I love that things are
live and a little bit rough and tumble and a
little bit of rough around the edges. And I think
that is definitely Willie Nelson. You know, he's not mister
smooth and slick. Yeah, you know you like that bit
of bit of rugged, little bit of danger in there.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
It is. It's such a special thing that you've got
and you know that that's evolved between the two of you,
and it's brilliant and so so the tour, the album,
and then before we come to it, you told me
you've got another album. So you've got the album which
isn't even out. So once that's you got the album
after the one that's not even out. So you just
like you're just turning them out like dollar bills, Tammy.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Right man. I wish I could turn dollar bills out
like that. I'm a musician. We don't do that.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Well, listen, lovely to catch up with you again. Good
luck with the album and good luck with the tour,
and we'll talk again soon.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Fantastic Tommy Nielsen. The shows by the way, Wellington, christ
Church and Auckland in October, So if you want to
go everywhere from the Opera House to the town Hall
to the Isaac Theater Royal in christ Church Timmy Nilson.
For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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