Tommy Emmanuel

Description

Give a listen to “Old Photographs,” the closing track on Tommy Emmanuel’s It’s Never Too Late, and you’ll hear the distinctive squeak of finger noise as he runs his hands across the frets of his Maton Signature TE guitar. It’s an imperfection in the performance that players typically try to eliminate in practice, and in the hands of a less-secure musician, that sound could easily be edited from the recording. But in their own way, those imperfections are perfect. For all of the masterful technique and flashy ability that’s brought Emmanuel recognition among the world’s greatest guitarists, that finger noise lets the audience know he is one of them. That click conveys warmth and humanity; and it demonstrates an honesty in the sound. Given his first guitar at age four, Emmanuel pursued music with a passion throughout his youth in a variety of bands. Once solo, Emmanuel earned standing ovations from audiences, and received two Grammy® nominations, two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association, and repeated honors in the Guitar Player magazine reader’s poll. Emmanuel was honored by the late Chet Atkins as a Certified Guitar Player, making him one of only five musicians to receive the C.G.P. distinction from the master.