Tommy Emmanuel, CGP

The real-time exuberance acoustic guitarist Tommy Emmanuel brings to every note of every song he plays is palpable and infectious. His fans are in love with his unbound talent as a guitarist of multitudes, his ability to play three parts at once, always with pure heart and real soul. He is a true virtuoso.

In 2018, Emmanuel made the great album, Accomplice One, a series of duets with musicians great and varied including Rodney Crowell, Mark Knopfler, Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Jake Shimabukuro, and more. Now comes the long-awaited sequel, Accomplice Two. It shares the same exuberance, diversity, and sense of adventure as the first album, with a great range of artists. This album features rock legends Michael McDonald, Jorma Kaukonen, and Little Feat; bluegrass superstars such as Billy Strings, The Del McCoury Band, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Sierra Hull, and David Grisman; country icons such as Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jamey Johnson, and Raul Malo; and guitar heavyweights like Yasmin Williams, Larry Campbell, and Richard Smith. The first single “White Freight Liner Blues” is out now and features the Grammy® Award-winner and claw hammer guitarist, Molly Tuttle.

Emmanuel was born in 1955 in Muswellbrook, New South Wales Australia, and started playing the guitar at age four. In his 20s, he was the most sought-after performer and session musician in Sydney. By age 30, he was burning on electric guitar with several rock bands in stadiums across Europe. He could have gone on to live the rock star life. Yet, he yearned for something purer and closer to his heart. Casting off the reliable rock band engine of monstrous sonics blasting, Emmanuel went acoustic.

The inspiration for Emmanuel’s transformation was his hero, Chet Atkins, who represented the purity of one man, one guitar, and unlimited passionate for serving the song. Eventually Emmanuel met his hero and started a lifelong friendship which shaped Emmanuel’s music forever. Atkins welcomed Emmanuel into guitarist knighthood by bestowing upon him the coveted title of CGP (Certified Guitar Player), an honor awarded only to four other humans ever, and they recorded an album together, The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World. Receiving the love and esteem of Atkins lifted Emmanuel into a different realm. Because, as Atkins recognized instantly and told the world, musicians like this don’t come along that often; pay attention to this man. And people have paid attention from sold out shows all over the world to multiple Grammy® nominations, ARIA Awards, IBMA Awards, and countless “Best Acoustic Guitarist” wins in numerous music magazine readers polls.

About the Special Guests

Multi-instrumentalist-singer-songwriter Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams’ released their acclaimed eponymous debut in 2015. The release came after seven years of playing in Levon Helm’s band—and frequent guesting with Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady. A whirlwind of touring and promo followed, and when the dust cleared, the duo was ready to do it all again with Contraband Love, a riskier slice of Americana.