
Earlier this summer, Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini and tattooed English pop star Amy Winehouse announced the powerhouse club tour of the fall.
But Winehouse, an admitted "recreational" drug and alcohol user, reportedly overdosed, and canceled the outing for some rest and relaxation--though evidently not rehab.
Nutini, who's pushing his debut, "These Streets," supports Winehouse and her decision, and has chosen to headline the United States alone, beginning with a Sept. 10 show. His full itinerary is shown below.
"When I've seen her live, I think she does great shows," Nutini said during an interview with LiveDaily. "I thought maybe I had something to lend--especially with her band. I would have loved to have been on a tour with those guys because they're such great musicians."
However, Nutini, who scored a minor hit with the funky song "New Shoes," isn't sure what to believe about Winehouse's situation.
"Don't read what they say in the newspapers and things, because you'd be doing yourself a bit of a disservice," the 20-year-old Nutini said. "For me, they have, in the past, fabricated stories from nothing. So you don't know what to believe.
"Certainly, I was under the impression that she was in a bit of a bad way. So I'm glad she's not being pushed and she's actually getting to rest and recuperate."
Nutini, dubbed one of VH1's "You Oughta Know" acts, said some of his headlining shows were moved to smaller venues than those that would have housed the canceled co-headlining tour.
"Amy Winehouse had a lot of clout. I think she's had a really amazing note with the American public. I think that would have benefited us. … Now the only thing I'm worried about is whether or not we're going to be faced with empty halls."
He does have faith in the United States, though, as he's had great experiences here--once he gets past what he calls the "intimidating" customs agents.
"Once you get by the custom desks at the airport, America's pretty good. … With the badge comes this real need to be very intimidating. I didn't like it. But when you actually get in the country, it's an amazing place to be. The experiences I've had in America have been amazing, from snowmobiling to running up the 'Rocky' steps in Philly."
Nutini went on to say that, out of all of the dates on his nearly two-month tour, he's looking forward to playing Detroit's St. Andrew's Hall. He's hoping that one of his idols, singer Sixto Rodriguez, best known for his 1970s song "Sugar Man," will pay him a visit.
"He actually ran for mayor of Detroit in 1997. I'm bloody sure he did. I never knew he was based in Detroit until recently. He actually came to one of the shows in Boston. He drove from Detroit to Boston. It was such an honor. I hope he's going to be around when we go back. Maybe we might get to do some recording or something."