September 29, 2025 • 11 mins
Country star Tami Neilson chats to Nick Mills on her upcoming Neon Cowgirl tour, touring with the greats like Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan and her love of Wellington.
The New Zealand leg of her international tour begins Friday 3rd October. You can get tickets at plus1.co.nz.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk SEDB, Neon.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Calgarl, Light Up to Town, put the Sun to Bear,
Johning out the words of the week.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Today we have a very special guest on the show
for you, Tammy Nielsen, New Zealand's own country superstar. I
wonder if she wants to be known as a country
superstar or just a straight superstar. She's joining us ahead
of her performance at the Opera House, which is this
Friday night, October the third. Tammy, Welcome to Wellington, Welcome
(00:57):
to our show.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Thank you so much. Don't tell the rest of the country,
but you go are my favorite.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Ah there you go. Tell us about the Neon Colgoyle show.
What are we going to expect from the show? And
then I'm going to talk to you about you.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Oh, well, you're going to get We're going to be
playing the whole brand new album from start to finish
in the first half. You're getting two halves of me
and and then we're going to be doing fan favorites
in the in the second half. And it's a little
bit of a a scorcher of a set. So bring
your bring your dance and shoes for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
See, I grew up with where country was just an
elitist thing. In New Zealand you had the Brendan Dougan,
the Eddie Lows and the Susanne Prentice. And now we've
got Tammy Nielson that's going on a wild stage.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
It's been pretty amazing. You know. This year has kind
of blown my mind. I just got back from touring
with Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan and it's kind of
crazy to, you know, be on a tour like that
and then come home and tour in New Zealand and
it's a it's a totally different thing.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
When you're touring with big superstars like that, you're usually
you're the opening act and so you're going out to
their audiences. Nobody knows who you are. You have like
half an hour to win them over. Whereas when I
walk on a stage in New Zealand and it's a
room full of New Zealand family, you know, and it
feels like these are the people that watch me from
the start. You know, they've been there through the whole
(02:27):
journey of my career, from playing Mighty Mighty down on
Cuba Street. You know, and and the Wellington Bluegrass Society
when I'm sang to one hundred people, you know, and
they've been there for those shows, and and they're here
for the Wellington Opera House. And these are the people
that have been on this whole journey with me. So
it's a different, more special, deeper relationship with this audience
(02:54):
for me.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
You started as a family band in Canada, you're you know,
how often do we hear of superstars that start off
with a family band?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Man, well, you know, growing up in Canada, we're in
from originally and touring across North America. It's actually in
country music, it's very very common. You know, a lot
of family bands are some of the most famous artists
that we have come from a long lineage of either
(03:30):
family bands or they come you know, their parents were
famous country singers, and a lot of them start out
singing in church, singing gospel music. That's you know, where
when you're little kids, you can't be performing in clubs
and bars, and so a lot of these family bands
start singing gospel music in church, and then when the
(03:50):
kids get old enough, they hit the road and put
to country music. So it's very much kind of a tradition.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Kenny, Do you want to be known as a country
singer because you do gospel and you do rockabilly And
that's why I was a little bit hesitant to call
you a country superstar? Do you Does that worry.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
You not at all? I think that you know, all
of the music that I sing, whether it's country, soul, rockabilly, blues,
they all come from the same place. They're all kind
of from that the Deep South, that American South, and
come from that hotbed of the same family. You know,
(04:29):
rock and roll everything kind of stems from that foundational music.
And you know, genres are kind of something that that
the industry has to slap on you because they want
to sell records, and they're like, well, let's let people
know what the product is, you know, whereas you'll find
that most artists they just sing the music they love
(04:50):
and whatever people label it as, that's that's up to them.
I'm just a musician and a writer and an artist,
and I just make music that I love no matter
what labels people put on it.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Someone on the out takes machines just takes down and
say Tammy, he's out, Dolly.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Oh, Now that's the highest compliment you could pay me.
Dolly Parton is the queen. And you know what, Dolly
is the perfect example of someone who you know, started
out in country music but has become a global kind
of genre defining artists. She's done every She collaborates with
(05:28):
everyone from hip hop to rock stars, to jazz to country.
She's done everything and written for them all as well.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Tell me, I've got to ask you because one of
my all time favorite songs personally is always on my
mind by Willie Nelson. What was it like working with
Willy Nelson? I mean, that's somebody that has I mean,
he's just a global superstar, Nicklick.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
How long do you have? He is the most magical
person and at the same time the most down to
earth person you'll ever meet. Like everyone, he's what's Willy like?
He's exactly how you think he is because he is
authentically the most non celebrity celebrity that I've ever met.
(06:12):
He's just the same down to earth kind of Texas
farm guy. And he I think because he didn't make
it till he was in his forties. He didn't have
his big break until he was kind of in his
mid forties, and so he'd lived a whole life as
a normal person, you know, And I think that makes
him a really grounded person, and it makes him really
(06:33):
grateful and appreciative of what he has because he knows
what it's like to not have it. Yeah, and I
think that makes for a really beautiful person that you know,
has a very different attitude than people that make it
really really young, do you know what?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I kind of feel that country's artists and no matter
how big they you get and how superstar they get,
they're always like that is that? Am I right? Or
am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
There is? I mean, you know, there's there's always like
people that are in people that aren't. But country music
definitely tends to be made up of people who come
from very very humble beginnings. You know a lot of
stories of poverty and people growing up in the country,
(07:21):
people that are very tied to the land, and you know,
people that know hard work, and so it's kind of
this it's a very yeah, it's it's a different genre
and different kind of star than most genres of music
produce Tammy.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
When I was doing the research to talk to you,
I put in my computer, give me the awards that
Tammy's won. I ran out of Piper. The printer ran
out of Piper. I mean, it just carried on going on.
What's nicks for Tammy Nielsen? What do you? What do you?
What do you want from now? Because you know you've
you've made it to to to being a superstar. What
(08:03):
do you want now?
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Oh man? You know what? I think that as you
I've been in this business since I was a kid,
you know, as you said, touring with my family band,
and the definition of success changes as you get older,
and I think, you know, the dreams of an eighteen
year old me are very different dreams or definition of
success for the forty eight year old me and eight
(08:28):
and forty seven. I'm not going to push this and honestly,
my definition of success now is getting to keep doing
exactly what I'm doing. I am getting to You know,
most people would look on paper and see you live
in New Zealand, that you live in the bottom of
the world. You're too far away, you know, I'm a
(08:50):
mother of two, all of these things that a lot
of people see as a drawback or a or a
hurdle to have to overcome in Nashville, you know. But
for me, success is getting to live with my family
in New Zealand, raise my boys and have my beautiful
(09:11):
community here and still get to get on a plane
and go and tour with Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan
and sing duets with Willie and put out music that
I love, create music that I enjoy and that touches
people that that is success to me. And if I
get to keep doing that, then I've cracked it.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Are people gonna have fun on Friday? Not when they
come to your show? Are they gonna get up on
the aisles and have a Dad's and have a boogie
and have some fun.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Oh, if it's Wellington, they are. I always say like
Wellington is the best audience in New Zealand. They know
how to party. They are people that embrace, you know,
the arts like like no other place in New Zealand.
And so they are people that frequent gigs a lot,
and they they are appreciative. They applaud louder than anyone.
(10:06):
They along, They dance along more than anybody else. So
I'm kicking off a tour in Wellington is a bit
dangerous because it sets the bar too high to be honest.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
If you were going to be able to sing. And
I know you've sung with some superstars Gosh, Willie Nelson,
Bob Dylan. But if you had a choice of one
person that you would like to stand up on a
stage and sing with, who would it be?
Speaker 4 (10:29):
You've already said it me Dolly Cartin all day, every day.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
How good would that be?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Welcome it happens. I can retire.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You're never going to retire, Tammy. I can tell that
you're never going to retire. You're just going to keep
on keeping on.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Looking forward to having you and Wellington on Friday. I
hope that the gig goes really well. It's at the
Opera House, It's Friday and tickets are available at plus one,
dot co dot z. Have a great, great tour. Great
to have you back touring New Zealand and all the
very very best breaking leg on Friday.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Thank you, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk SEDB, Neon.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Calgarl, Light Up to Town, put the Sun to Bear,
Johning out the words of the week.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Today we have a very special guest on the show
for you, Tammy Nielsen, New Zealand's own country superstar. I
wonder if she wants to be known as a country
superstar or just a straight superstar. She's joining us ahead
of her performance at the Opera House, which is this
Friday night, October the third. Tammy, Welcome to Wellington, Welcome
(00:57):
to our show.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Thank you so much. Don't tell the rest of the country,
but you go are my favorite.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Ah there you go. Tell us about the Neon Colgoyle show.
What are we going to expect from the show? And
then I'm going to talk to you about you.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Oh, well, you're going to get We're going to be
playing the whole brand new album from start to finish
in the first half. You're getting two halves of me
and and then we're going to be doing fan favorites
in the in the second half. And it's a little
bit of a a scorcher of a set. So bring
your bring your dance and shoes for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
See, I grew up with where country was just an
elitist thing. In New Zealand you had the Brendan Dougan,
the Eddie Lows and the Susanne Prentice. And now we've
got Tammy Nielson that's going on a wild stage.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
It's been pretty amazing. You know. This year has kind
of blown my mind. I just got back from touring
with Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan and it's kind of
crazy to, you know, be on a tour like that
and then come home and tour in New Zealand and
it's a it's a totally different thing.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
When you're touring with big superstars like that, you're usually
you're the opening act and so you're going out to
their audiences. Nobody knows who you are. You have like
half an hour to win them over. Whereas when I
walk on a stage in New Zealand and it's a
room full of New Zealand family, you know, and it
feels like these are the people that watch me from
the start. You know, they've been there through the whole
(02:27):
journey of my career, from playing Mighty Mighty down on
Cuba Street. You know, and and the Wellington Bluegrass Society
when I'm sang to one hundred people, you know, and
they've been there for those shows, and and they're here
for the Wellington Opera House. And these are the people
that have been on this whole journey with me. So
it's a different, more special, deeper relationship with this audience
(02:54):
for me.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
You started as a family band in Canada, you're you know,
how often do we hear of superstars that start off
with a family band?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Man, well, you know, growing up in Canada, we're in
from originally and touring across North America. It's actually in
country music, it's very very common. You know, a lot
of family bands are some of the most famous artists
that we have come from a long lineage of either
(03:30):
family bands or they come you know, their parents were
famous country singers, and a lot of them start out
singing in church, singing gospel music. That's you know, where
when you're little kids, you can't be performing in clubs
and bars, and so a lot of these family bands
start singing gospel music in church, and then when the
(03:50):
kids get old enough, they hit the road and put
to country music. So it's very much kind of a tradition.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Kenny, Do you want to be known as a country
singer because you do gospel and you do rockabilly And
that's why I was a little bit hesitant to call
you a country superstar? Do you Does that worry.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
You not at all? I think that you know, all
of the music that I sing, whether it's country, soul, rockabilly, blues,
they all come from the same place. They're all kind
of from that the Deep South, that American South, and
come from that hotbed of the same family. You know,
(04:29):
rock and roll everything kind of stems from that foundational music.
And you know, genres are kind of something that that
the industry has to slap on you because they want
to sell records, and they're like, well, let's let people
know what the product is, you know, whereas you'll find
that most artists they just sing the music they love
(04:50):
and whatever people label it as, that's that's up to them.
I'm just a musician and a writer and an artist,
and I just make music that I love no matter
what labels people put on it.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Someone on the out takes machines just takes down and
say Tammy, he's out, Dolly.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Oh, Now that's the highest compliment you could pay me.
Dolly Parton is the queen. And you know what, Dolly
is the perfect example of someone who you know, started
out in country music but has become a global kind
of genre defining artists. She's done every She collaborates with
(05:28):
everyone from hip hop to rock stars, to jazz to country.
She's done everything and written for them all as well.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Tell me, I've got to ask you because one of
my all time favorite songs personally is always on my
mind by Willie Nelson. What was it like working with
Willy Nelson? I mean, that's somebody that has I mean,
he's just a global superstar, Nicklick.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
How long do you have? He is the most magical
person and at the same time the most down to
earth person you'll ever meet. Like everyone, he's what's Willy like?
He's exactly how you think he is because he is
authentically the most non celebrity celebrity that I've ever met.
(06:12):
He's just the same down to earth kind of Texas
farm guy. And he I think because he didn't make
it till he was in his forties. He didn't have
his big break until he was kind of in his
mid forties, and so he'd lived a whole life as
a normal person, you know, And I think that makes
him a really grounded person, and it makes him really
(06:33):
grateful and appreciative of what he has because he knows
what it's like to not have it. Yeah, and I
think that makes for a really beautiful person that you know,
has a very different attitude than people that make it
really really young, do you know what?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I kind of feel that country's artists and no matter
how big they you get and how superstar they get,
they're always like that is that? Am I right? Or
am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
There is? I mean, you know, there's there's always like
people that are in people that aren't. But country music
definitely tends to be made up of people who come
from very very humble beginnings. You know a lot of
stories of poverty and people growing up in the country,
(07:21):
people that are very tied to the land, and you know,
people that know hard work, and so it's kind of
this it's a very yeah, it's it's a different genre
and different kind of star than most genres of music
produce Tammy.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
When I was doing the research to talk to you,
I put in my computer, give me the awards that
Tammy's won. I ran out of Piper. The printer ran
out of Piper. I mean, it just carried on going on.
What's nicks for Tammy Nielsen? What do you? What do you?
What do you want from now? Because you know you've
you've made it to to to being a superstar. What
(08:03):
do you want now?
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Oh man? You know what? I think that as you
I've been in this business since I was a kid,
you know, as you said, touring with my family band,
and the definition of success changes as you get older,
and I think, you know, the dreams of an eighteen
year old me are very different dreams or definition of
success for the forty eight year old me and eight
(08:28):
and forty seven. I'm not going to push this and honestly,
my definition of success now is getting to keep doing
exactly what I'm doing. I am getting to You know,
most people would look on paper and see you live
in New Zealand, that you live in the bottom of
the world. You're too far away, you know, I'm a
(08:50):
mother of two, all of these things that a lot
of people see as a drawback or a or a
hurdle to have to overcome in Nashville, you know. But
for me, success is getting to live with my family
in New Zealand, raise my boys and have my beautiful
(09:11):
community here and still get to get on a plane
and go and tour with Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan
and sing duets with Willie and put out music that
I love, create music that I enjoy and that touches
people that that is success to me. And if I
get to keep doing that, then I've cracked it.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Are people gonna have fun on Friday? Not when they
come to your show? Are they gonna get up on
the aisles and have a Dad's and have a boogie
and have some fun.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Oh, if it's Wellington, they are. I always say like
Wellington is the best audience in New Zealand. They know
how to party. They are people that embrace, you know,
the arts like like no other place in New Zealand.
And so they are people that frequent gigs a lot,
and they they are appreciative. They applaud louder than anyone.
(10:06):
They along, They dance along more than anybody else. So
I'm kicking off a tour in Wellington is a bit
dangerous because it sets the bar too high to be honest.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
If you were going to be able to sing. And
I know you've sung with some superstars Gosh, Willie Nelson,
Bob Dylan. But if you had a choice of one
person that you would like to stand up on a
stage and sing with, who would it be?
Speaker 4 (10:29):
You've already said it me Dolly Cartin all day, every day.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
How good would that be?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Welcome it happens. I can retire.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You're never going to retire, Tammy. I can tell that
you're never going to retire. You're just going to keep
on keeping on.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Looking forward to having you and Wellington on Friday. I
hope that the gig goes really well. It's at the
Opera House, It's Friday and tickets are available at plus one,
dot co dot z. Have a great, great tour. Great
to have you back touring New Zealand and all the
very very best breaking leg on Friday.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Thank you, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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