Tommy Emmanuel CGP - Living In The Light Tour
Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St., 37902 Knoxville Directions
Sun 23.08.2026 19:00
Hailed as "one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world" by NPR's World Cafe, Tommy Emmanuel got his start at the age of six, when he first began touring his native Australia with his family's band. As a teenager, he earned a reputation as a highly sought after sideman and session player, and by his early twenties, Emmanuel was playing on chart-topping hits and performing with acts like Air Supply and Men at Work. Inspired in part by his hero, Chet Atkins (who would later become a friend, mentor, and collaborator), Emmanuel stepped out on his own as a solo artist in 1979, releasing the first in a string of acclaimed instrumental albums that would make him an unlikely celebrity in his home country and beyond.
Performers
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Tommy EmmanuelGrammy-winning guitarist Tommy Emmanuel has spent more than six decades performing for audiences around the world with his virtuosic finger-style playing, infectious energy and adventurous spirit. Hailed by Chet Atkins as a Certified Guitar Player—an honor bestowed on only five musicians—Emmanuel has headlined everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, collaborated with icons like Eric Clapton, Les Paul, and Mark Knopfler, and inspired generations with his genre-defying artistry. His new album, Living in the Light, is one of his boldest projects yet. Recorded in four days with producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton), the record captures the raw immediacy of Emmanuel’s live shows, with most tracks cut in one or two takes. Blending acoustic pop, jazz, roots, classical, and even his own vocals, the songs range from the cinematic “Young Travelers” and soaring “Gdansk” to personal pieces like “Little Georgia” and “Scarlett’s World”, both written and named for his granddaughters. Now, recently celebrating his 70th birthday, Emmanuel is continuing to reinvent himself and inspire audiences worldwide. “I wasn’t chasing perfection with this album,” he says. “I was chasing honesty. As I get older, I find myself taking more risks and having a lot more fun in the process. When young people come to my shows and have this awakening that it’s okay to be different, that the possibilities of music and self-expression are limitless, that’s what it’s all about for me”. -
Trey HensleyGrammy Award winning singer-songwriter and 2X (‘23 & ‘25) IBMA Guitar Player of the Year