‘It’s Never Too Late’ For Tommy Emmanuel

That’s because a guitar placed in Emmanuel’s very capable hands seems to take on a new life as soon as the maestro begins to play, with the instrument often sounding like two, three or more guitars playing all at the same time.  But it’s just one man and his instrument that has captivated audiences throughout the world.

Fans aren’t the only ones amazed by Emmanuel’s playing.  Released in 1997, The Day Finger Pickers Took Over The World featured the musician playing with one of his all-time heroes – Chet Atkins.  Atkins was so taken with Emmanuel’s playing that he awarded him with a “Certified Guitar Player” citation, an honor Atkins had given to only four other musicians.

Emmanuel’s new album – It’s Never Too Late – will be released Sept. 18 on Thirty Tiger Records.  You can pre-order it via this link.

Although Emmanuel’s touring schedule appears to be an almost continuous trek through the end of February, the journey is actually split up into three segments.  Following his Sept. 10-14 guitar camp in Cambria, Calif., the “It’s Never Too Late Fall Tour” launches Sept. 17 in Los Angeles and runs until Nov. 21 when the virtuoso plays San Antonio.  But not all gigs within that timeframe are confined to North America.  In October Emmanuel crosses the Pacific for shows in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, So. Korea and Japan before returning to the States.

Nov. 28 marks the beginning of Emmanuel’s first “Classics & Christmas Tour,” an 11-city run that concludes Dec. 13 in St. Louis and features the guitarist performing one set of his favorite original songs followed by a set of holiday music.  The “It’s Never Too Late 2016 Winter Tour” kicks off on New Year’s Eve in Mesa, Ariz., and runs through Feb. 27 when Emmanuel plays Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Here’s the schedule:

Sept. 17 – Los Angeles, Calif., El Rey Theatre
Sept. 18 – Las Vegas, Nev., Boulder Station Hotel & Casino
Sept. 19 – Las Vegas, Nev., Red Rock Casino Resort
Sept. 24 – Englewood, N.J., Bergen Performing Arts Ctr.
Sept. 25 – Tarrytown, N.Y., The Tarrytown Music Hall
Sept. 26 – Albany, N.Y., The Egg
Sept. 27 – Providence, R.I., The VETS
Oct. 9 – Hong Kong, China, Academic Community Hall
Oct. 10 – Guangzhou, China, Guangzhou Nan Fang Ju Yuan Theater
Oct. 11 – Beijing, China, Peking University Hall
Oct. 13 – Wuhan, China, Wuhan Theater
Oct. 14 – Xi’an, China, Xi’an Concert Hall
Oct. 17 – Shanghai, China, Qian Sui Wan Life House
Oct. 18 – Taipei, Taiwan, Ming-Lun Hall
Oct. 20 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
Oct. 21 – Hanoi, Vietnam, Hanoi Youth Theatre
Oct. 23 – Busan, South Korea, Soyhang Theatre
Oct. 25 – Ulsan, South Korea, Hyundai Art Center
Oct. 27 – Osaka, Japan, Billboard Live Osaka
Oct. 28 – Tokyo, Japan, Cotton Club
Oct. 29 – Tokyo, Japan, Shibuya O-East
Oct. 31 – Singapore, Singapore Esplanade Concert Hall
Nov. 5 –  Boulder, Colo., Macky Auditorium Concert Hall
Nov. 6 – Colorado Springs, Colo., Pikes Peak Center
Nov. 7 – Tulsa, Okla., Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Nov. 12 – Annapolis, Md., Rams Head On Stage
Nov. 13 – Annapolis, Md., Rams Head On Stage
Nov. 14 – Virginia Beach, Va., Sandler Center For The Perf. Arts
Nov. 15 – Charleston, S.C., Charleston Music Hall
Nov. 18 – Houston, Texas, Cullen Performance Hall
Nov. 19 – Austin, Texas, Paramount Theatre
Nov. 20 – Dallas, Texas, Majestic Theatre
Nov. 21 – San Antonio, Texas, Empire Theatre
Nov. 28 – London, Ky., First Baptist Church
Dec. 2 – Burnsville, Minn., Ames Center
Dec. 3 – Des Moines, Iowa, Hoyt Sherman Place
Dec. 4 – Madison, Wis., Wisconsin Union Theater
Dec. 5 – Kansas City, Mo., Arvest Bank Theatre At The Midland
Dec. 7 – Columbus, Ohio, Capitol Theatre
Dec. 8 – Columbus, Ohio, Capitol Theatre
Dec. 9 – Cincinnati, Ohio, McAuley Performing Arts Center
Dec. 11 – Chicago, Ill., Park West
Dec. 12 – St. Louis, Mo., Sheldon Concert Hall
Dec. 13 – St. Louis, Mo., Sheldon Concert Hall
Dec. 31 – Mesa, Ariz., Mesa Arts Center Ikeda Theater
Jan. 15 – Carmel, Calif., Sunset Cultural Center
Jan. 16 – Campbell, Calif., Heritage Theatre
Jan. 17 – San Diego, Calif., Balboa Theatre
Jan. 19 – Malibu, Calif., Smothers Theatre
Jan. 20 – Malibu, Calif., Smothers Theatre
Jan. 21 – San Luis Obispo, Calif., Christopher Cohan Center
Jan. 22 – Santa Barbara, Calif., Campbell Hall
Jan. 23 – Merced, Calif., Art Kamangar Center At The Merced Theatre 
Jan. 24 – Sacramento, Calif., Sacramento Community Center Theater
Feb. 4 – Boston, Mass., The Wilbur
Feb. 5 – State College, Pa., State Theatre
Feb. 6 – New York, N.Y., Town Hall
Feb. 8 – Alexandria, Va., The Birchmere
Feb. 9 – Alexandria, Va., The Birchmere
Feb. 11 – Bethlehem, Pa., Moravian College
Feb. 12 – Glenside, Pa., Keswick Theatre
Feb. 13 – Cleveland, Ohio, Ohio Theatre
Feb. 14 – Grand Rapids, Mich., DeVos Performance Hall
Feb. 16 – Louisville, Ky., Bomhard Theater
Feb. 20 – Springfield, Mo., Gillioz Theatre
Feb. 21 – Champaign, Ill., Virginia Theatre
Feb. 23 – South Milwaukee, Wis., South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
Feb. 24 – Ann Arbor, Mich., The Ark
Feb. 26 – Indianapolis, Ind., Egyptian Room
Feb. 27 – Nashville, Tenn., Ryman Auditorium

Some shows are already on sale.  Pre-sale tickets, including meet-&-greets, are available for select dates.  Visit TommyEmmanuel.com for more details.

And be sure to revisit Pollstar’s interview with Tommy Emmanuel via this link.