String power
Tommy Emmanuel, Jerry Douglas to perform at NHCC
Tommy Emmanuel was born to be on the road.
He’s touring the country and has legendary musician Jerry Douglas joining him on tour.
“We’re having a great time,” he says during an interview while driving to Portland, Ore. “There’s nothing quite like being on stage and performing. It’s thrilling, and that’s why I’m still doing it all these years later.”
Emmanuel’s tour will make a stop at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Monday, Dec. 17.
The Australian guitarist is touring in support of his most recent album, “Accomplice One.”
The album is chock-full of guest artists, including Jason Isbell, Ricky Skaggs, Amanda Shires, Mark Knopfler, Douglas, Jake Shimabukuro and Suzy Bogguss.
With nearly 30 albums under his belt, Emmanuel has a multitude of songs to choose from, although he doesn’t work from a set list.
“I have a pretty wide repertoire to pull from,” he says. “The challenge is finding the balance of new and old. There’s something for everyone.”
Though he’s constantly on tour, Emmanuel feels that each show is an opportunity for him to learn and improve.
“I’m still working on everything,” he says. “I’m working on my songwriting, arranging and playing. I’m always waiting for something to happen to inspire me to write, though if I’m not feeling it, it’s not going to happen. I’ve learned that I cannot force music. It has to f low out of me.”
Emmanuel does have some tricks to get inspired.
“I’ll listen to great songwriting: The Beatles, Elton John, Stevie Wonder.” he says. “Those are my ‘go-to’ points of inspiration for songwriting.”
In 2019, Emmanuel will celebrate the 40th anniversary of his debut album, “From Out of Nowhere.”
Being on tour for nearly that long, he admits to learning a few tricks about keeping him in top form.
And he’s not a risk-taker.
“I don’t do things like skiing, because I don’t want to risk breaking a thumb,” he says. “One lesson I learned quickly when I first started was to take care of my hands. In the winter, I moisturize my hands every day. Growing up in Australia, it was always humid all the time, and I didn’t need moisturizer. My first long tour in America, I suffered terrible splits in my fingers. My hands were bandaged up, and it became difficult to play. Since then, I pay attention to my hands.”