TOMMMY EMMANUEL is a lot of things: an esteemed Grammy-nominated guitarist, composer and performer whose must-see shows combine virtuosity with his engaging storytelling wit. He's a prolific recording artist, has been twice voted Best Acoustic Guitarist by readers of Guitar Player magazine and honored as a Member of the Order of Australia. He's also a road warrior and a modern medicine man.
EMMANUEL has just announced a new array of U.S. headline tour dates starting July 15, for which he'll be joined by different artists along the tour route such as Jorma Kaukonen, Mike Dawes and Joe Robinson (see itinerary below with a breakdown of which shows these artists will be appearing with EMMANUEL). Tickets go on sale thisFriday, March 1: https://tommyemmanuel.com/tours/
The announcement of these dates come on the heels of the conclusion of the U.S. tour by EMMANUEL andJOHN KNOWLES, two of the three remaining Certified Guitar Players (an honor bestowed by Chet Atkins). The sold-out coast-to-coast swing was in support of the acclaimed HEART SONGS, their collaborative instrumental album released January 11 via CGP Sounds/Thirty Tigers. HEART SONGS--which peaked at #2 on theBillboard Jazz Albums chart--spotlights the players' proficient ability to capture and radiate emotion through their instruments with special arrangements of "Cold, Cold Heart," the album's lead-off single written by Hank Williams; "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" written by Billy Joel; and the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love," which has over 5 million views on YouTube. View it here. While in NYC in January for two sold-out shows at City Winery, the twosome took time out to do live sessions with Paste and Relix.
In 2018, EMMANUEL earned the #1 "Bluegrass Album" on the Billboard charts with his ACCOMPLICE ONEcollaborations album, released January 19 via CGP Sounds and distributed by Thirty Tigers. The album also debuted in Top 5 on Billboard's "Heatseekers Albums," Top 15 on "Independent Albums" and Top 20 on the"Americana/Folk" chart alongside its #1 debut on the iTunes "Jazz Albums" chart. Cowboys & Indianspremiered the video for "Deep River Blues," his collaboration with Jason Isbell. The song is a stirring interpretation of the country blues classic by the late Doc Watson. Watch the video, directed and edited byJoshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard, here. It features EMMANUEL, with muddied hands, finger-picking his acoustic guitar by a small creek in the backwoods of Nolensville, TN and celebrating the Watson's pioneering guitar style.
The 16-track collaborative album, a mix of new takes on indelible classics and brand new originals from TOMMYand his collaborators, also achieved a #10 debut on Americana Music Association's "Top 40 Albums" chartwhile "Looking Forward To The Past" (feat Rodney Crowell) and "Borderline" (feat Amanda Shires) are both on Americana Music Association's "Top 40 Singles" chart (all monitored by CDX Traction). The album features guest artists such as Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler, Rodney Crowell, Amanda Shires, Jerry Douglas, J.D. Simo, Ricky Skaggs, David Grisman and more.
The tour dates are:
DATE |
LOCATION |
VENUE |
||
MON |
7/15 |
Homer, NY |
Center for the Arts of Homer |
with John Knowles* |
WED |
7/17 |
Wilkes Barre, PA |
F.M. Kirby Center for the Arts |
with Mike Dawes |
THU |
7/18 |
New London, CT |
The Garde Arts Center |
with Mike Dawes |
FRI |
7/19 |
Beverley, MA |
The Cabot |
with Mike Dawes |
SAT |
7/20 |
Oak Hilly, NY |
Grey Fox Music Festival |
|
SUN |
7/21 |
Englewood, NJ |
Bergen Performing Arts Center |
with Mike Dawes |
TUE |
7/23 |
Wilmington, DE |
The Queen |
with Mike Dawes |
WED |
7/24 |
Annapolis, MD |
Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts |
with Mike Dawes |
WED |
9/18 |
Elmhurst, IL |
Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel |
+ Benefit Show |
FRI |
9/20 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center |
with Joe Robinson |
SAT |
9/21 |
Kansas City, MO |
Arvest Bank Theatre |
with Joe Robinson |
SUN |
9/22 |
Lincoln, NE |
Rococo Theatre |
with Joe Robinson |
MON |
9/23 |
Des Moines, IA |
Hoyt Sherman Place |
with Joe Robinson |
WED |
9/25 |
Kalamazoo, MI |
Kalamazoo State Theatre |
with Jorma Kaukonen |
THU |
9/26 |
Columbus, OH |
Davidson Theatre |
with Jorma Kaukonen |
FRI |
9/27 |
Cincinnati, OH |
Taft Theatre |
with Jorma Kaukonen |
SAT |
9/28 |
Frankfort, KY |
Grand Theatre |
with Pat Bergeson & |
Annie Sellick |
||||
*Rescheduled dates from Heart Songs Tour |
||||
+Benefit Show for Elmhurst College & Emmanuel Family Scholarship Fund (rescheduled date) |
ABOUT TOMMY EMMANUEL:
TOMMY EMMANUEL has achieved enough musical milestones to satisfy several lifetimes. At the age of six, he was touring regional Australia with his family band. By 30, he was a rock n' roll lead guitarist burning up stadiums in Europe. At 44, he became one of five people ever named a Certified Guitar Player by his idol, music iconChet Atkins. Today, he plays hundreds of sold-out shows every year from Nashville to Sydney to London. He's piled up numerous accolades, including two Grammy Award nominations, two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (the Aussie equivalent of the Recording Academy) and repeated honors in the Guitar Player magazine reader's poll including a cover story for their August 2017 issue. A noted fingerstyle guitarist, EMMANUEL frequently threads three different parts simultaneously into his material, operating as a one-man band who handles the melody, the supporting chords and the bass all at once. His talents, which translate in any language, carry him to the far corners of the globe, but EMMANUEL never plays the same show twice, and he improvises big chunks of every date. That leaves him open to those technical imperfections, though they also provide some of the humanity to an other-worldly talent.
For more information on TOMMY EMMANUEL, visit:
Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen
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