Tommy Emmaneul is celebrated guitar player from Australia who has been playing the instrument since he received his first one aged four.
The 71-year-old has played at some of the world’s most iconic venues, including London’s Royal Festival Hall, Paris’s L’Olympia and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
In 2024, he received a Grammy for his part in an instrumental cover of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues.
Now, he’s set to take to the stage at Parr Hall for one night only on Wednesday.
“I travel the world trying to bring music to people to forget about their troubles for a little while,” he said.
“Even if I distract them for an hour and a half, it’s a good medicine. I’m trying to bring a little entertainment and comfort for people.
“That’s the whole reason I’m here on earth. That’s all that matters to me.”
Tommy makes sure that every performance is its own unique experience, as he doesn’t use a set list and instead lets the energy from the audience dictate which songs he chooses.
“I use my intuition and my instincts and put it out to the audience and feel what comes back,” he said.
“It lets me know what I should play next. I walk out knowing what I’m going to start with and then I just go from there.
“I see how the audience reacts and it’s like I’m out there flying a kite, and the audience is giving me the wind – let’s see how high we can take it.”
For the 71-year-old, taking to the stage feels just like going home and he savours every moment.
Reflecting on his career and the heights it has taken, Tommy says it feels surreal to have been able to live his childhood dream.
“We were so poor and struggling, travelling from town to town as a family [when I was a child],” he said.
“But we didn’t know that we were struggling, we were all just together and having a good time.
“I feel so fortunate to be living my childhood dream. Here I am at 71 and I’m just loving every minute of it.”
Tommy will perform at Parr Hall on Wednesday at 7.30pm and you can find tickets via https://culturewarrington.org/whats-on/tommy-emmanuel-cgp/ or the box office on 442345.
