Wainwright is the piano-playing son of folk luminaries Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. He was championed by family friend and Beach Boys collaborator Van Dyke Parks before his 1998 break-out debut album.

Tegan and Sara are twin sisters who burst onto the Canadian music scene the same year, eventually coming to the attention of Neil Young.

The rock icon brought the duo on board for his tour last year with the Pretenders, and then gave the sisters the opening slot at his annual Bridge School Benefit concert near San Francisco in October.

With histories like that, it’s obvious that family ties and good friends are integral to both acts. But they are out to prove themselves on their terms, playing the major markets starting May 2 in Vancouver and with heading down the West Coast to cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, then east to Chicago, Toronto, Boston and New York City.

Wainwright will be previewing his upcoming second album, Poses, due out June 5. Tegan and Sara continue backing their American debut, This Business of Art.