On The Fly

In this episode, The Tommy Emmanuel Effect: Casual Listener to Accomplished Guitarist . . .  The first time you see Tommy Emmanuel perform, you might swear it's like watching a magic trick. You're kidding  —   where's the bass player and drummer – hiding backstage? But no — it’s just him, one guitar, and a sound so full it feels like a whole band is coming from that single instrument. You don't believe me, click here. If you’ve ever felt uninspired in your guitar playing—or always wanted to learn but lacked motivation—Tommy Emmanuel might be just the spark you need. Tommy isn’t just a guitarist; he’s a force of nature. His signature mix of Travis picking and percussive techniques transforms the guitar into a full rhythm section, melody line, and harmony all at once. His control and precision make it look effortless, even though he’s juggling what feels like three instruments at the same time. It’s no wonder that Chet Atkins honored Tommy with the rare title of “Certifi...

In this episode - Fingerstyle Guitar . . . In a previous podcast, we shared our experience at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, where we attended a concert by the accomplished fingerstyle guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. Suppose you've never seen Tommy in concert. I promise - you will never look at a guitar the same way again! And believe what you are seeing and hearing is possible. Every inch of his guitar gets plucked or pounded to propel the beat, scratched to imitate symbols, driven with a rhythmic thump, thump, thump to lead with the bass, and magic fingers that tickle the strings to drive pure harmonic tones. So, please don't pass it up when you can see him live. During a local performance by Tommy Emmanuel at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on December 14, 2022, we were introduced to Mike Dawes, an exceptionally talented and creative guitarist renowned for his impressive fingerstyle technique. It was a delightful surprise! Born in England on November 20...