We’ve wondered just who might be arriving in town to open for country legend Willie Nelson‘s show at the Atrium Health Amphitheater this Sunday, April 13th.
Now we know, and it’s an even better pick than we could have imagined: the one and only Tami Neilson.
The Canadian-born, New Zealand-based singer-songwriter is currently one of the most exciting and celebrated artists in the Americana sphere, with a soulful, distinctive country sound that booms with emotion and passion. Rolling Stone has hailed Neilson as “a fire-breathing R&B belter on her own terms” and that’s just a tiny smidge of the praise she’s garnered since her solo debut in 2014 with Dynamite!
Adding Neilson to the Nelson family lineup would make good sense on any given day, but it’s even more ideal given her deep respect and affection for Willie and his artistry. In 2024, Neilson released an album and exclusive video series titled Neilson Sings Nelson, a collection of Willie’s songs she recorded just for him to honor his 90th birthday. Though Neilson says she tried to pick songs of the legend’s that were a little more obscure, she couldn’t resist putting her spin on one classic in particular: the hit “Always On My Mind.”
The live video footage above, captured at Willie’s Pedernales Studios, proves that this was, in fact, the perfect exception to Neilson’s original “rule” regarding the covers she chose to sing.
“To be sitting amidst shelves lined with old reel to reels of Willie’s recordings over the decades felt like sitting on a mountain of gold in Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Walking amongst labels handwritten in black marker like ‘Willie and Merle’ or ‘Red Headed Stranger’ while performing this song, well, ‘surreal’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. But, my hope is that this clip we’re so privileged to share with you all gives you a small taste of that feeling.”
Tami Neilson on recording in Willie Nelson’s studio
And of course, there’s also her duet with Nelson, “Beyond the Stars.”
Previous openers for Nelson’s tours have included included everyone from Bob Dylan to Robert Plant & Alison Krauss to John Mellencamp, Chris Stapleton, Asleep at the Wheel, Robert Earl Keen, Billy Strings, Randall King, Grace Potter, Sheryl Crow and so many more.
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Now that’s some good company for Neilson to be in, ain’t it?
It is safe to bet on appearances from Willie’s sons Lukas and Micah Nelson as well as longtime members of “The Family” Mickey Raphael, Billy English, Kevin Smith, and Waylon Payne (son of Jody Payne and country star Sammi Smith).
Tickets for the April 13th tour stop are available at Ticketmaster.com or the Macon Coliseum Box Office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Reserved seating tickets start at $59.50 and general admission lawn tickets are $39.50. Taxes and other fees apply.