With a career that spans five decades, Australian native Tommy Emmanuel is one of the world's most respected guitarists. Guitar players and music lovers come to his shows to watch the magic hands of the 'guitar Wizard of Oz.' His live shows are known for their humor, passion, infectious joy, a pure love for the music, and his delight in sharing it with the world - one audience at a time.
Tommy has been playing professionally since age 6, when he started playing in his family's band. His unique style – "finger style" – is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, Tommy plays all that – at once – and on one guitar. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try this "finger style." Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel's biggest fans, and eventually honored him with the title of "Certified Guitar Player" for his contribution to fingerstyle guitar. It's a rare distinction shared by only four other people in the world.
2011 has been a busy year for Tommy with two records and a new PBS Special. First there's the recently released double disc, Little by Little, which features collaborations with Victor Wooten, Doyle Dykes, Dr. John Knowles (CGP), and others. One of Tommy's most memorial performances was captured on film and released as Tommy Emmanuel And Friends: Live From the Balboa Theatre, which began airing on PBS in June 2011. Tommy's next offering will be his first ever Christmas album entitled, All I Want For Christmas, which will be released in November 2011.
In all, Emmanuel's catalogue includes session work with Air Supply, Men at Work, and Michael Jackson, over 20 musical recordings, fourlive performance DVDs, three instructional DVDs, and two PBS specials. His awards include 2011 CMA Global Country Artist of the Year, 2008 and 2010 Best Acoustic Guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine's Reader's Choice Awards, 2009 Guitar Legend Award by Guitar Player Magazine, 1990 Best Guitarist by Rolling Stone Magazine, inductee in the Thumbpickers' Hall of Fame, and he is a two-time Grammy nominee.
Come see why Tommy Emmanuel is considered as, "the Greatest Acoustic Guitarist in the World."
FEATURED WEBSITES:www.tommyemmanuel.com, www.certifiedguitarplayer.com, http://tommyemmanuel.tv