Cormac Neeson is the lead singer of Northern Irish rock band The Answer. Recorded in Nashville, Neeson immersed himself in the rich musical history of the city, working with some of the finest Nashville musicians There are flourishes of Country, Soul, Americana, Folk and Blues throughout the project. The result is a powerful blend of two diverse and rich musical cultures, a Celtic Nashville connection. It proves his status as one of Ireland´s finest singers.
‘Tear Down The Walls’ (1964) mixes some (now) folk standards such as Bonnie Dobson's “Morning Dew” and traditional songs like “Lonesome Valley” and “I Know You Rider”. The most of the songs belong to Fred Neil while Vince Martin brought a great deal of talent and fresh ideas to the collaboration, not to mention his association with John Sebastian [The Lovin’ Spoonful] and Felix Pappalardi [The Young Rascals and later Mountain]. The ‘Bleecker & MacDougal (1965) songs where much covered in the sixties like; "Blues on the Ceiling," (The Bintangs), "The Other Side To This Life," (Jefferson Airplane) and "Candy Man" (Roy Orbison). Vince Neil was one-of-a-kind singer, with a soul-searing, gravelly voice and fingers that picked one of the meanest blues guitars in folk.
From being cradled as a baby in the arms of Roy Orbison, to performing a duet with Willie Nelson, you would think that Tami Neilson lived a country music fantasy life. However, in between these monumental occurrences, The Neilson Family Band were having to busk in the streets to put food on the table, performing gospel concerts to prisoners, and roaring down the road in an exploding RV to open for Johnny Cash, which Tami managed to do, at 18, in her pajamas. And then Tami left to start her own family on the other side of the world in New Zealand, where she now resides. Her busking chops took her to the streets of Auckland looking for her big break. From open mic nights to clubs, to headlining theaters and major festivals, Tami has now won almost every NZ music award possible. 2022 now brings Tami's 5th album, "Kingmaker". Recorded at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios, Kingmaker was born of the pandemic. A moment when women were struggling. Disproportionately affected by furlough: a 'she-cession,' analysts termed it. Women put their dreams and careers on hold to care for their families. The songs of "Kingmaker" question gender roles and expectations of women in society. She shines a line on the misogyny that pervades the music industry. She sings of the underestimation of women, of their strength, power, and resilience in the face of structural and cultural barriers to their full participation in society. Tami's story is at the center of this feminist tapestry: from singing with Kitty Wells at the age of 10, slipping demo tapes into the laundry bags of stars to now singing with Willie Nelson on "Kingmaker" -- from humble beginnings to success, on her own terms. Tami Neilson is a game changer, a cage shaker, a Kingmaker.
For Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, the search was essential. After woodshedding on new material for the better part of a socially-distanced year, Lukas and the band arrived at RCA's historic Studio A on Nashville's famed Music Row in late 2020 with a clutch of songs they believed in, and the conviction that after all they've experienced together, their time was now. Amidst the crescendo of their celebrated career, which includes six full-length albums, headlining tours, major festival appearances, extensive international road and recording work with Neil Young, and the acclaim that flowed from their contribution to Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's 'A Star Is Born', instinctively the band wanted to reach for something higher. Enter renowned producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile), whose collaborative, spontaneous approach has helped some of Nashville's most talented, flourishing artists make the best of their particular magic. 'A Few Stars Apart' was recorded over three immersive weeks and the upshot is unmistakable: a sound that's considered, spacious, and beautifully lush, with Cobb's masterful production every note is in service of the song. While the band's constant work schedule has usually necessitated recording albums in intermittent sessions that stretched over many months, they now found themselves with a rare opportunity to go into the studio and record their songs at a somewhat relaxed pace. It was the ideal setting to allow Lukas' expansive, soulful songwriting, the album's dazzling vocal performances, and the band's exquisite playing, to fully shine.