Tami Neilson's stage duet with Willie Nelson at Texas Luck Reunion music event

The country star was joined by Willie Nelson for a duet. Photo / @tamineilson / Twitter

Tami Neilson has called the moment country music legend Willie Nelson joined her for a duet "beyond her wildest dreams".

The New Zealand-based country star appeared as one of Nelson's supporting acts at his annual Luck Reunion held at his ranch west of Austin, Texas in the US earlier this week.

Local news outlet The Austin American Statesman reported on the moment the pair came together for a moving rendition of ballad Beyond the Stars, writing that Neilson brought the main stage crowd to tears with her performance.

"Neilson was glad it came at the end of her set: 'How the hell am I supposed to do anything after that? I'm retiring tomorrow,' she joked - or at least we hope, as we'd like to hear a lot more from Neilson," wrote the outlet's Peter Blackstock.

The artist shared a photo of the pair onstage to Twitter afterwards, saying she would "never forget this moment as long as I live" and thanking Nelson for giving her a day "beyond her wildest dreams".

The annual music event was last held in 2019, as the Covid-19 pandemic meant the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled.

But for music fans, it was worth the wait.

And it was an emotional day for Nelson, as it came just a week after Nelson lost his older sister, pianist Bobbi Nelson, at age 91.

Well, I woke up this morning and it wasn’t just a dream after all 💙 pic.twitter.com/mnvEspBEsL

— Tami Neilson (@tamineilson) March 18, 2022

Canadian-born Neilson earlier teased her appearance at the event on Twitter writing: "This is the face I made when I got the message inviting me to do support for Willie Nelson !!! Y'ALL CAN U BELIEVE IT?!"

And she revealed she even cancelled a trip back to Aotearoa to seize the opportunity.

"I was supposed to be flying back to NZ that day, but one of life's Golden Rules is: When you're asked to perform with Willie, you change your damn flights!" she added.

The day before the performance, Neilson shared her excitement on Twitter.

"Playing Luck Reunion at 1pm on the World Headquarters Stage tomorrow with a surprise guest so special that I actually cannot fall asleep!!! All I'm gonna say is they better have a mop, cuz that's the only way they're gonna be able to get me up off the stage floor afterward," she joked.