Tommy Emmanuel

Genres:	Country & Bluegrass • Folk • Holiday & Seasonal • Jazz • Music Videos & Concerts • Pop / Rock • Special Interest
Descriptive "tags":	acoustic • guitar • acoustic guitar • fingerpicking guitar • solo guitar • instrumental • guitar virtuoso • fingerstyle
Decades Active:	1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s

Biography

31 May 1955, Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia. Emmanuel began playing guitar while still a small child, inspired in part through hearing a Chet Atkins record on radio. He played in the family band from the age of six, touring Australia. Gradually developing a formidable technique, he played in many styles, including jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, but focused on country music. Following the death of his father, from 12 years old he helped the family’s income by giving guitar lessons. He played in a late version of rock band Dragon and toured with a Tina Turner show. Among musical side trips Emmanuel has made was a spell playing drums in the band Goldrush in which his brother, Phil Emmanuel, also played and he and his brother have recorded together. Although his career choices have usually found Emmanuel playing electric guitar, he has expressed a particular fondness for the acoustic instrument on which he started out. He demonstrated this by...

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