Tami Neilson "RIVER" (Joni Mitchell Cover)

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As Joni Mitchell's “Blue” turned 50 in June this year, CBC Radio asked Tami to cover a song from the iconic album. Tami Neilson chose “River”, and will be releasing it digitally on Nov 7th.


“It was a huge honour to be asked by CBC to perform my hero Joni Mitchell’s “River”, to celebrate her Blue album anniversary. (And, frankly, so daunting I almost said no!) This song is one I’ve carried in my heart for most of my lifetime, across miles and oceans “

Joni Mitchell's Blue is widely considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time.
Raw and honest, it has landed on dozens of "best of" lists. In 2012, Pitchfork described it as "possibly the most gutting break-up album ever made."
The record, released in June 1971, stands as a milestone in the Canadian musician's career. Its vulnerability and intricate vocal lines have inspired countless covers and influenced artists across generations.

Tami Neilson first heard Joni Mitchell's song "River" as a teenager. "I was on tour with my family band all around Canada and the U.S. and for my birthday one year, my dad gave me the "Blue" album on CD. I was immediately obsessed."
For Canadian-born Neilson, "River" dives into the pain of homesickness, a sentiment that resonated deeply during her first Christmas living abroad in New Zealand, where she now lives. "Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are flipped so it's really hot and summery, and it's so strange to be decorating your Christmas tree and in a sundress. I remember putting on the "Blue" album and the song "River" came on and I just immediately started sobbing. I know this song is about regret over a broken relationship.... But for me, it just became this song about homesickness and longing, and that hits hard especially this year.

Tami’s latest album “CHICKABOOM!” was released in February 2020, and although her world tour was cancelled, the album became Tam’s biggest release to date, with nearly 2M streams, placements in Snowpierecer and Family Law, and mass critical acclaim including rave reviews from Rolling Stone, No Depression, Billboard and more. CHICKABOOM! also earned Tami her first Juno Award nomination for Best Contemporary Roots Recording while winning New Zealand’s Best Country Song of the Year for lead single “Hey, Bus Driver” and for Best Country Artist.

Artwork By Maria Francesca Melis, an Italian-born illustrator and graphic designer who grew up in Sardinia, a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. She currently lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand.
https://francesca-melis.com