Tommy Emmanuel CERTIFIED GUITAR PLAYER

Tommy Emmanuel is one of the world’s greatest acoustic guitar players. This native Australian career spans over 5 decades. Tommy's unique style - he calls it simply "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- and more -on one guitar. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try this "fingerpicker" style as a child. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel's biggest fans. They eventually recorded a record together, The Day the Finger Pickers Took Over the World, which was nominated for a Grammy. His newest album and DVD 'Center Stage' was produced in 2008 and based on the popularity of Emmanuel's episode of a PBS series called “Sierra Center Stage” filmed live at the famous Sierra Nevada Brewery venue in Sierra Nevada, CA. Tommy's 'Center Stage' video has been featured on PBS stations around the country during 2009, drawing ever-larger crowds to his stunning live shows.