Jackie Bristow

US-based Kiwi singer /songwriter Jackie Bristow will make a flying visit this month with her Coming Home New Zealand 13-gig tour.

Bristow lives in Austin, Texas, where her own brand of alt-country roots rock has set the stage opening for many big name US artists.

She has spent much of the last year touring the United States and opening shows for world famous guitarist Tommy Emmanuel.

She has been playing to 1500-seater sell-out stadiums in some of the most prestigious venues in the States.

``This past year in the US has been an amazing time. It's been quite a trip; opening for a musical genius like Tommy Emmanuel was a real honour and gave me a lot of exposure on many levels which has lead to a lot of wonderful opportunities.

``Since that tour I have opened for some very creditable artists including Marc Cohn, BJ Thomas, Bettye Lavette, Joe Ely, John Oates, John Waite, Jimmy Webb, Jimmy Lafave, Marcia Ball, Bob Schneider and Charlie Robison.

Born and raised in Gore, the southern Kiwi girl has found her wings. Thousands of Americans have attended concerts to listen to her soulful seductive melodies that can reduce an audience to pin-drop silence as she sings an A Capella version of Aotearoa, a love song about New Zealand. Whether singing about New Zealand or Texas, one thing is certain, Bristow digs deep and bares her soul.

``I am based in Austin, Texas. It is a magical place to live as a full time working musician. It is the live music capitol of the world, there is a wonderful musical community and a lot of inspiration in this town. I am on the road a lot around the US and have the had the opportunity to visit many towns, but there is no place like home and I very excited to be returning to New Zealand, playing shows, seeing friends and family; I can't wait,'' Bristow said today.

She will open her tour in Palmerston North on February 17 and the last concert will be at Auckland's Uxbridge Arts Centre in Howick on March 10. Other venues include Wellington, Petone, Lyttelton, Ashburton, Oamaru, Dunedin, Gore, Cromwell, Queenstown and Ponsonby.

Bristow's songs have featured in Australian and New Zealand film and television hit shows such as The Secret Life Of Us, Home And Away, Outrageous Fortune, Shortland Street, and Go Big.

She made a name for herself as the voice of Australia worldwide some years ago after her track "This is Australia" won Tourism Australia's song competition. She has put out three albums with world class musicians and is continuing to grow her label overseas. Her last release "Freedom" 2010 was highly acclaimed and Jackie is looking forward to returning to the studio when she returns to the US to start work on the 4th album. She has many new songs and new stories to share.

She has proven to be an artist that shows no sign of stopping. Music from her Freedom CD is programmed in rotation at 7000 Starbucks cafes in the US. Her live performances have been captivating. One review on her February tour with Emmanuel said: "The show opened with New Zealand-born singer and guitarist Jackie Bristow. Opening for a musical giant like Emmanuel would seem a daunting task, but Bristow was relaxed as her soulfully seductive melodies reverberated within the auditorium. Her beautiful voice and earnest songs resonated with the audience, and they applauded her eagerly. Near the end of the show, Bristow joined Emmanuel on stage for an amazing duet that received a standing ovation".