Tami Neilson
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Sometimes you gotta have a crack at your friend’s killer song because is a walking vocal masterclass and you need to see if you can hit dem notesssss. She makes it look easy. It ain’t. Swipe left for the outtakes 😂🙌🏼
27/06/2026
One year ago this weekend, I had the craziest 48 hr whirlwind in Nashville. Watching Bob Dylan with Sheryl Crow as she told me stories of working with him. Performing on stage with Willie. Wearing Patsy Cline's ring on the stage of the Opry, singing Three Ci******es in an Ashtray to her daughter Julie in the front row. Greenroom hangs with Crystal Gayle. A visit on Willie's bus to introduce him to my pal and cowriter of "Beyond the Stars", Delaney Davidson. If I didn't have these photos, I'd think I dreamt it all. Ain't she the luckiest cowgirl of all 🥹✨
When I was invited to perform at the I planned on performing one of the singles from my nominated album Neon Cowgirl. Then, I got a call from the Twins. Jools was declining rapidly and wanted a living funeral. They invited me to be part of a small group of friends speaking and singing for Jools at her ranch, an honor I will treasure and hold in my heart for the rest of my life. Afterwards, I spoke with my manager Pippa, saying I wanted to use my performance to honor the twins, asking if she could arrange a meeting to discuss it with the AMA producers Sarah and Pak. They kindly agreed saying, “Tami, it is your spot to do what you want. The stage is yours.” I enlisted my fellow Country Artist nominees Jenny Mitchell and Kaylee Bell to join me on stage because, to me, the AMAs aren’t just a celebration of whoever happens to win, but the community as a whole. We are all cheering each other on because we all know how hard the struggle is for human artists to create beautiful music in these unprescendented times. Jenny shared this gorgeous clip with me of the Twins playing the awards back in 1983 and I sent it to Pak, asking if it could be played as my intro. I also asked other Country/Folk whānau Reb Fountain, Dianne Swann, Mel Parsons, Nicola Mitchell and Dave Khan to join me and my band. I told the Twins that I was cooking up something special for them and to tune in. I couldn’t wait for Jools to see it, hoping to lift her spirits. 4 days before the awards, I got the call that Jools had left us. I was devastated, as we all still are. I asked Lynda and her manager Arani if they would like to be my guests to the awards and the AMAs kindly found a way to make space for that to happen. I think it is hard for New Zealand to see the Twins as separate people- I think it is for Lynda as well. So many of the beautiful tributes alluded to the loss of the “Topp Twins”. But, while we have lost our beloved Jools, Lynda still remains. I wanted her to feel surrounded and supported and loved. I wanted our community to remember that Lynda is still here and she needs us. Well, our community delivered. (Continued in comments…)
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