ASHLYEE HICKMAN
Staff Writer
Many musicians have performed at Pepperdine University, but it is not every day when watching the musician play is just as entertaining as hearing him play.
Guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel’s one of a kind musical technique allows him to entertain audiences on both levels.
He calls the technique “finger style.”
Picture piano players: They play music using all of their fingers, each of them able to operate independently to achieve a masterpiece of a composition.
Tommy Emmanuel does that too — on his guitar.
This means that Emmanuel has the capability to use both of his hands to play multiple musical parts on his instrument.
“I’m still discovering my talent,” Emmanuel said. “I knew I wanted to play music when I was about four.”
Emmanuel — who tags his name with the letters C.G.P., meaning certified guitar player — started playing the stringed instrument at the young age of 4 and not long after he and his family went on the road for a chance at stardom.
The path to success was extremely long, but Emmanuel now has 45 years in the music business under his belt.
So it is safe to say that he has picked up a bit of wisdom along the way.
“The most important thing is to put the people first,” Emmanuel said. “Give them your priority. Make sure you put every thing you can into your performance.”
He definitely practices what he preaches. Watching Emmanuel perform is like witnessing a musical whirlwind on a small stage: raw, uninhibited and free.
“I play with every ounce I have,” he said. “I’m exhausted after every time I perform.”
The Australian native’s performances sometimes include him imitating natural elements such as thunder and lightning, which sound authentic based on audience reaction.
He also performs various genres of music, ranging from classical to folk to jazz. Emmanuel said he gathers inspiration for his music through a multitude of sources, some which may not even be noticed by most people.
“Things that happen to you, places you go and the people you meet are all inspiration,” he added. “Everybody has an instant story.”
Despite not being able to read sheet music — a fundamental skill for musicians — Emmanuel has managed to establish a solid career.
“If I could read it, I could probably expand my knowledge,” he said. “The only way it has held me back was when I wanted to work for orchestras.”
He was often turned away from orchestras because he was not able to sight read, which requires an artist to read a piece of music and perform it on the spot.
But the tables have turned as Emmanuel now hires orchestras to play his music.
Along with receiving the designation as a certified guitar player in 1999, which is high praise in the guitar realm, Emmanuel has been honored many times for his work throughout the years. In 1997, he was nominated for a Grammy for his work with his mentor, Chet Atkins, on the album “The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World.”
The late Atkins even referred to Emmanuel as “one of the best guitar players on the planet.”
According to his Web site, Emmanuel recently received awards for Album of the Year, Thumb Picker of the Year and an induction into the Thumb Pickers Hall Of Fame in Kentucky.
To Emmanuel the accolades are a nice perk.
“It’s very nice,” he said. “A person would be lying if he said he didn’t care about awards. Every musician likes to be appreciated, but it’s not my goal.”
Though a seasoned musician, Emmanuel never ceases to learn and enhance his musical chops or fuel what he calls his “creative engine.”
“Music is something I’ve worked at all my life and it’s a work in progress,” he said.
Another distinctive characteristic of Emmanuel’s performances is that they are never the same twice.
He said he strives to make each show unique because people come see him multiple times and he wants them to be happy.
“I have a repertoire that is fairly wide — different styles, different songs. I like to try to mix them up,” he said. “You can be lead by your instinct, and you can trust it.”
Pepperdine students will have a chance to see Emmanuel’s thumb-picking show on Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. when he graces the Smothers Theatre stage with his energetic and unique performance.
Until then, Emmanuel is traveling across the nation — in Oklahoma one night, Louisiana the next. For him it is “just another day at the office.”
Tickets are available by calling the Center for the Arts box office at ext. 4522.
09-14-2006
