After being voted Best Acoustic Guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards for the second time earlier this month, Australian virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel has just been honoured in a different way. He has been made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of his accomplishments in music and his charity work, in particular as a patron of Kids Under Cover – an Australian agency that provides housing for homeless children.
Although Emmanuel spends most of his life on the road, he has never forgotten where his roots lie. “I’m proud to be an Australian,” he comments. “We know how to work, we know how to treat our fellow man, and we know how to celebrate the joy of living! Having said that… looks like we know how to brag as well!”
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Honours aside, it’s business as usual for Emmanuel, who is currently touring the USA. He’ll be interrupting his American dates for a short European tour in August, kicking off with a one-off appearance at the Cheltenham International Guitar Festival on Tuesday 3rd August. (Please visit www.igf.org.uk for more information.)
After completing the US tour, he will be back for more concerts in the UK and Ireland in November, dates as follows:
November
6 Perth Concert Hall
7 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
8 Manchester Bridgewater Hall
9 Cambridge Corn Exchange
10 Birmingham Town Hall
11 Belfast Waterfront
13 Dublin The Helix (Mahony Hall)
14 Limerick University Concert Hall
In Perth, Emmanuel will be joined by a very special guest, award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor, and in Manchester, Cambridge and Birmingham, the Frank Vignola Trio, an amazing jazz outfit who jointly released the Just Between Frets album with Tommy and received many plaudits when they toured the UK with him earlier this year, will open the shows.
Following more European dates and an appearance at the Penang Island Jazz Festival in Malaysia, Emmanuel will finish the year with his 50th anniversary tour of Australia with his brother, Phil, and a full band.
What 2011 holds is yet to be revealed, but one thing’s for certain: no matter how many accolades are showered on him, Tommy Emmanuel will continue to entertain appreciative audiences around the world with his jaw- droppingly awesome guitar skills.
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