Living In The Light with a legend _{by Madelaine Empson}

World-renowned guitarist and master entertainer Tommy Emmanuel, celebrated for his jaw-dropping finger-picking technique and boundless musicality, says he feels “like the Indiana Jones of the guitar world”.

“I’m on this wild journey, just making it up as I go, and I’m thrilled that so many people are having fun joining along with me.”

The next chapter of that journey will see Emmanuel return to Aotearoa on an unforgettable concert tour. He’ll celebrate his 2025 album Living In The Light, filled with genre-bending “songs that tell stories”, at Wellington’s Opera House on the 22^nd of May. I last interviewed the legend in early 2024 ahead of his autumn show at the very same venue. We covered his origins, early influences, and the evolution of his songwriting over 50 years, plus his (incredible) career highlights: headlining Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall, winning a GRAMMY®, performing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, opening for John Denver and Stevie Wonder, working with John Farnham, touring with luminaries like Eric Clapton and Tina Turner… to name but a few. This time, I started by asking about his relationship with his hero, mentor, and friend Chet Atkins.

How did you and Chet first meet?

I heard Chet Atkins when I was about seven on the radio. It stopped me in my tracks. I could tell he was playing everything at once. So many people did not believe that – they thought it was a recording trick. But I could hear it and I don’t know how to explain it – it’s just how I’m wired. I ended up being so passionate about it that I worked out how to do it myself, without anyone’s help. I got as many of Chet’s recordings as I could so I could learn songs. When I was a teenager, I was learning stuff that was already way over my head. But it helped me because, when I look back on it now, I had a better understanding of arranging a song, finding a good key to play it in, how to get the melody right, how to think in a different way. That was all through listening to his records.

I wrote him a letter and he wrote back to me. We sort of became pen pals for a little while. Then I got a note from him, mid-to-late 70s, saying that he’d heard me playing on a tape that someone in Australia had sent him. ‘I was suitably underwhelmed,’ is what he said [laughs]. He gave me his office number and address, and said, ‘When you come to Nashville, call me. I want to see you.’

I eventually made the pilgrimage in 1980. I rang Chet’s office thinking he wouldn’t remember me, but he said, ‘Hey! Where are you? Come on down, I’ll see you.’ So I get in my little Toyota Corolla rental car and go to his office. He came down the stairs, looking exactly like he did on his records. It was a beautiful moment of my life, when I met the guy that I just admired so much, who I had tried to steal as much as I could from [chuckles].

When I left Nashville to go to New York, Chet took us to the airport. He said, ‘You’ll be back, this is where you belong.’

Fast-forward to the late 80s, early 90s, to when I had built my career to a point where I was on the radio, on TV, writing songs that were getting radio play, producing other artists – I was starting to really carve out a good career back in Australia. I get this note out of the blue from Chet saying, ‘When you come to Nashville, I’m hoping to catch up with you.’

I went there as part of a country music showcase for Sony and gave it everything I had, and the crowd went crazy – threw babies in the air. Chet was in the crowd that night, and he came backstage to see me. He was amazed and had no idea I could do what I did. He said, ‘Are you here tomorrow? I’m going to make sure all the record companies come out and see you.’ The next night, I go out there, and all of Sony are down the front. Chet’s standing in the crowd like a teenager. I had a good night, and about a week later, I’m home and the phone rings and it’s Chet. He says, ‘Well, you really impressed this record company and they want us to record together.’

He said, ‘Would you like to do that?’

I said, ‘Is there a moustache in Mexico?’

I started writing for that album and wrote the song Mr. Guitar, which was Chet’s moniker back in those days… We made the album, I got my first GRAMMY® nomination, and the rest is history.

Wow! How have the two years been since we last spoke?

Holy smoke, it’s been unbelievable! My biggest problem is that things just keep getting better! This is what I’m meant to do. I’m 70 years old and I’m totally living my dream. And I’m a grandad with a beautiful family.

Within those two years, you recorded Living In The Light in just four days. That’s my question – how on Earth?

Here’s how I did it: Vance Powell, the engineer and co-producer. He’s the guy I wanted. He’s one of the greatest people on the planet right now to work with. He goes, ‘We start at 10, we finish at 6, I don’t work at night. Let’s get it done. I mix as I go.’ And I was ready. On the first day, I recorded Young Travelers, Scarlett’s World, Black and White To Color, Little Georgia, and You Needed Me. Those five songs are one take, finished and mixed in one day. There was not a minute wasted.

How do you hope it hits your audience when you perform it live in Wellington?

I always try to write things that grab you as soon as you hear them. Songs that make you go, ‘I’ve gotta hear that again!’ That’s what I’m always yearning for. And these songs work so well live. I don’t always write stuff that I think, ‘That’s going to be a good opener.’ But Black and White To Color – that’s the best opener I’ve ever written.  

As well as Living In The Light, will audiences get a sweeping career panorama of Tommy tracks?

I certainly hope so [laughs]. And maybe a Peter Posa song in there, you never know.  

Anything you’d like to say to your Kiwi fans?

Kia ora! I’d like to say thank you to New Zealand for always being kind and welcoming to me… and for providing me with the best ice cream in the world. Let’s hear it for hokey pokey!