I'm mocked mercilessly about my raving and hyperventilating but I don't care, I know exceptional talent when I see it. I won't be swayed from my mission to getting everyone I know to listen to my favourite singer and all time amazing person, Tami Neilson, opens a new window. A Canadian now living in New Zealand, she has a powerhouse voice with a stunning range, able to belt, swoon or blues her way through the songs she writes that are about heartache, love and loss but also just the joy of living.
She is a winner of the Apra Silver Scrolls Award for best song and has numerous NZ Music Awards, and you may have seen her on numerous television shows, most recently 7 Days and singing with Dave Dobyn at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. She also created the soundtrack for local series The Brokenwood Mysteries.
I thought I'd let everyone know that we have just received in her latest album, Don't Be Afraid, opens a new window, into the library collection, to add to her other earlier ones, and it's a doozy, just like last year's epic and award winning Dynamite (which I am told is on it's way into our collection soon).
With a soulful voice straight from the golden age of country and rockabilly music, Tami Neilson has been described as "A red-hot honky-tonker, somewhere between Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson with perhaps just a little bit of Peggy Lee sophistication.” -Nick Bollinger, NZ National Radio
I've stalked her like a Justin Beiber fan stalks the Beibmeister, having seen her perform four times in the last year, even flying to Auckland recently so I could be at her album launch. It's almost reached the restraining order stage, as Tami now knows my husband and I by sight and gives us great big warm hugs, "Hey, you guys!", and I've got a picture of her with me and everything.... (yes I'm 53 not 13!)
There's been this huge upswell of Alt Country/Americana, opens a new window awareness in this country over the last year or two, in part mostly to artists like Tami Neilson, Dave Khan and some Canterbury boys; Delaney Davidson, Marlon Williams and Ben Woolley. Marlon just picked up two awards at the New Zealand music awards mentioned above. These talented young men have been in well known local bands such as The Eastern, opens a new window, Unfaithful Ways , opens a new windowand Devilish Mary and the Holy Rollers, opens a new window. Original music, passion and talent combine, and to see them live is just a joyous night out, pure and simple.
But if you can't get along to a gig, we also have their CDs in various forms, and you will often see on the album sleeve a selection of the above artists as they often get together to add their talent to each other's projects. There are so many exceptionally talented New Zealand musicians trying to make a living out there, so if you're into music, keep your eyes open for local gigs, they're everywhere.
The next opportunity to see the tremendous Tami here in Christchurch will be at the Nostalgia Festival in February, opens a new window at Ferrymead Park, along with The Phoenix Foundation, opens a new window, The Eastern and Devilish Mary and the Holy Rollers to name a few. Don't miss it!
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