(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Tommy Emmanuel, CGP, or Certified Guitar Player—a title held by only four other guitarists in the world—is coming to South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on April 14, 2022 at 7:30pm. Emmanuel’s special guest will be fellow fingerstyle guitarist Richard Smith. Tickets range from $49-$59.
Tommy Emmanuel has achieved enough musical milestones to satisfy several lifetimes. At age six, he was touring Australia with his family band. By 30, he was a Rock lead guitarist playing stadiums. At 44, he was named a Certified Guitar Player by his idol, music icon Chet Atkins. Today, he plays sold-out shows everywhere from Nashville to Sydney.
The four-time winner of Australia’s Best Guitarist Award has helped bring the art of Rock guitar down under to a higher awareness by mixing Jazz improvisation with Blues, Country, Rock, Classical and Spanish music.
Influenced by the Merle Travis/Chet Atkins fingerstyle of guitar picking, Emmanuel developed a style of solo guitar playing that encompasses the range of a whole band—covering drums, bass, rhythm, lead guitar and vocal melody simultaneously. While some artists take a band on the road, Emmanuel built a complete sonic world entirely on his own with no overdubs or loops. Emmanuel has two Grammy nominations and has won countless awards. Numerous magazine polls have named him the greatest acoustic guitarist alive.
He has shown a mastery and affinity for both electric and acoustic axes and has been singled out by notable musicians such as Todd Rundgren, who dubbed him an innovator on the instrument. The title CGP, or Certified Guitar Player, was bestowed on Emmanuel by Chet Atkins and is held by only four other guitarists in the world—John Knowles, Jerry Reed, Steve Warriner and Paul Yandell.
One quality that defines Emmanuel’s greatness is the joy in his music.
“The joy,” he says, “is there always because I’m chasing it through music. Seeing the surprise in peoples’ eyes is worth living and working for… I can’t help but play to the people with all my heart, which is overflowing with joy of being in that moment that I’ve worked all my life for.”
Richard Smith is an English guitarist specializing in the fingerstyle guitar tradition of Merle Travis, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. His career achievements include being named the 2001 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion and inducted into the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame in 2009.
* NOTE: At this time, all SOPAC patrons are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test and wear a mask. All current Covid-19 Precautions & Policies can be found at SOPACnow.org/Covid-19.
Tickets go on sale for members beginning Monday, September 13 at noon and the public on Friday, September 17 at noon. Members are given the first selection of seats for performances. Membership is also considered a donation. Right now, donations are especially needed and appreciated as SOPAC recovers from damages due to Tropical Storm Ida.
Since 2006, South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including the Classical Concert Series, Jazz ‘N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
