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From: tasilow
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  • Holy crap, just FABULOUS!

  • Only other guitarist I've heard that I'd compare is the late, great Michael Hedges.  Both guys have 4 hands with 6 fingers each.

  • Hello, Thommy, do You ever play TvB guitar tunenes ?

  • ...That Nine Pound Hammer...

  • He doesn't play music he feels it.

  • How he keeps hitting those base notes while RIFFING is almost too much for this average human being.

  • I can't do anything except smile when Tommy play's. He's amazing!

  • Is there a bassist or anyone else for that matter accompanying him? I'm having a hard time telling if theres any other musicians up there.

  • @FlyinfrigginD

    I know it is difficult to believe, but he is playing solo. Search for "Tommy Emmanuel - The Band "

    

  • @FlyinfrigginD Only Tommy

  • Respond to this video... and Tommy alone

    

  • 12 people can't lift a nine pound hammer...

  • @helegaran

    I know the feeling. I've seen Tommy 4 years in a row in San Francisco and his is without a doubt the finest live performer I've ever seen when it comes to pleasing a crowd. Or I should say "respecting his audience."

  • Tommy is more than likely the Best Guitar player alive today...I grew up listening to my Mother and Brother playing Finger Style ..My Mother played a Baby Martian.., She is a Tommy Fan now too..,,BTW I am a big Clapton fan as well, But there is a major difference in the 2 players. Tommy is the best Bar None.

  • very rare talent.

  • Son....I believe you did sell your soul to the devil! Tommy always blows me away!

  • Please give me 0,01% of this talent !

  • @2000mlauri If you can play Dust In The Wind, your almost half way to 0.01%. Keep up the good work!!!

  • Amazing....

  • I saw him yesterday night in Patrimonio (Corsica) .... Amazing!!! He's the BEST!!!

  • wowzers.....very skilled guitarist

  • Good night!!!

  • I wonder if he would win "Best Guitarist in the World" if put to a vote? I think so.

  • @iankyoko Well, the May 2008 and 2010 issues of Guitar Player Magazine, Tommy was named as "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in their readers' poll.

  • @LibertyOne001 I play guitar. It is so hard to do melodies convincingly.

  • 1.1% of people are jealous of Tommy.

    98.9% of people are too stunned to be jealous.

  • @mandarinisgreek2me oh you are so right ! I sat 2 hours... open mouth... shaking head....

  • What is this I don't even

  • he looks alot at his left hand fingers throughout this show, must be hurting, broken nail or something, but it doesn't seem to stop him does it?

  • I've never seen him make a mistake

  • incredible show !

  • Tabs? lol

  • i already watched this many times... but i'm still drooling again and again (just like the first TIME).

  • and to think, he never learned to read music.

  • I think, he has a contract with the devil !!

  • 4:24

    He glanced at his hand and it looked like it was in pain. Tommy Emmanuel cant even handle Tommy Emmanuel.

  • Funny thing is I locked myself in my room for a month to learn the Center Stage version note for note. Watching this tells he just improvs this everytime he plays it. I'm going to go smash my guitar up now.

  • that train part blew my fucking MIND

  • Just chalk another one up to the spectacular TE!

  • How could anyone with a musical background or even just a love of music dislike Tommy Emmanuel????? He is one of the single smoothest guitarists in any genre of music ! His guitar playing steps across every boundary in music today. He plays with 100% precision not to mention heart and soul. I have been a fan of Tommy's since I first learned to play the guitar myself. I would absolutely love to share a stage or even a back porch and jam with him allowing myself to steal as many licks as I can !

  • How could anyone with a musical background or even just a love of music dislike Tommy Emmanuel????? He is one of the single smoothest guitarists in any genre of music ! His guitar playing steps across every boundary in music today. He plays with 100% precision not to mention heart and soul. I have been a fan of Tommy's since I first learned to play the guitar myself. I would absolutely love to share a stage or even a back porch and jam with him allowing myself to steal as many licks as I can !

  • Ok, Thats it. This confirms it. He sold his soul to the devil. Sigh...

  • type stringstopdotcom to watch new guitar accesory invention

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  • i'll show you MYYY nine pound hammer...ladies you know what i'm talkin about :)

    naw jp, but c'mon someone had to throw in a weiner joke

  • he was probably born as a guitar and then his other limbs came out...

  • @borackaya Actually, as it happened, the umbilical cord between the two of them had to be cut. Nevertheless, it now serves as a strap.

  • for a great music he rubbed his guitar till his hands were pain from the friction but he did not stop this prove his passion for music

  • Unbelievable. Fabulous. Man that guy can play.

  • THE SINGLE MOST TALENTED PERSON I HAVE EVER HEARD OR SEEN!!!! The absolute GREATEST!!!

  • NOBODY can do what this guy does.

  • The last time I saw Tommy live, I didn't touch my guitar for a week...I didn't feel worthy...

  • @lesr131 lol  know what cha mean!

  • When Man created the acoustic guitar, God sent Tommy to play it...

  • WOW - I stand in awe!

  • 10 people can't swing a 9 pound hammer!

  • how the shit does he still have his hands?

  • A friend of mine tuned me into Tommy in June 2010. I was floored. I taught myself mandolin and guitar some 30 years go, and my two guitars had been siting in a closet for 16 years. Seeing what Tommy does with a guitar, inspired me. Got my old acoustic fixed up in August 2010, been practicing every day (one to three times a day) ever since, 1 to 3 times a day, till my fingers and hands are hurting. I have far surpassed where I was when I was last playing. Thanks Tommy, you are an inspiration.

  • @LibertyOne001 I met the guy and man would he love to hear that.

  • @punishr36 By the way, I got to see him live in February this year nearby. Bought tickets as Christmas presents for two of my guitar buddies. We were all floored. I hung around after for a bit, hoping maybe to see Tommy, but found out after about 30 mins, that the place had a "meet and greet" with Tommy before the show. So, missed a chance to meet him, but seeing him perform live was worth the price of admission AND MORE!

  • @LibertyOne001 Yes, he used to meet/greet after the show but his schedule is SO thick he was getting exhausted. He now does smaller meet/greets before some shows to keep the numbers down. It's worth it to keep him healthy! I've seen him 4 times live and he's always such a gentleman afterwards. Good luck next time!

  • @PJW1269 Yeah, figured as much, and that's fine. And yes, I have seen his touring schedule and understand what you mean. :)

  • @PJW1269 Whoops, I mean, he's a gentleman beforehand, now. He's a gentleman all the time really, but in terms of a meet/greet you can usually only do that before.

    Peace.

    B^)

  • Favourite guitarist is down to individual taste. Best guitarist is also a matter of opinion as most well known guitarists have many strengths but maybe some weaknesses but if Tommy has any weaknesses I haven't seen them. Nobody can deny that he is one hell of a musical talent and I just can't get enough of his brilliance on the geet-box. Rock on Tommy.

  • how do ppl NOT like? hes too good man. best acoustic guitar performer hands down

  • The 9 people that disliked this should be taken out back and shot.

  • @UltraTexan where is the back of youtube? I've never seen it before, and yes they should.

  • I love any guitarist that makes sure that they- themselves come through with their own sound (i.e. Andy Mckee, Alex Degrassi, Phil Keaggy or Tommy Emmanuel just to name a few). It should never be about competition (that doesn't exist between them....just with us fans), it is about complementing each other and bringing out their true voice.

  • R.I.P John Henry

  • its a bluegrass song and he ruined it

  • @brandonch25 its not a bluegrass song, its a merl travis song, and it is under the country/blues category...listen to merl travis play it

  • @helegaran yeah i did , thats my bad i heard tony rice do it and i assumed it came from a blue grass background

  • @brandonch25 Its all good...there are a lot of covers of this song

  • The Art Tatum of guitar!

  • Boys Boys, there are great players and there are great song writers with not much great playin!

  • I've seen him 3 years in a row at the Palace of Fine Arts in Frisco. He is the BEST

    And I have my ticket for next February!

  • The Box  with 6 stings is just the box showing off

  • Mr. Emmanuel. Could you please have sex with my sister? I'd like to have a baby one of you in my family.

  • @azahnd82  As far as I know,Tommy is kinda busy but I'll gladly plug your sister. Just let me know when and where and tell her to douche first.

  • Ok 95% of his stuff di not come from Chet. Chet was a huge influence and Tommy frequently pays homage to him. But what sets tommy apart is blazing single string runs popping in and out of his fingerstyle. Without losing rhythm. But beyond that it's the incredible positve joy he radiates. I have never seen a guitarist with that kind of radiant energy and joy coupled with those chops.

  • this is fan-fucking-tastic audio/visual entertainment

  • I feel like hurting someone when I see dislikes on this video

  • @helegaran Art is not a competition. There is no "best" among great artists. There is not wrong with critical commentary, it is a good thing. Dude seems a little limited in his featured repetoire, it is not exactly experimental music, just down the middle like a strike at bowling alley. Dude is certainly a monster and very musical. Yes he is a monster of monsters but if you listen to experimental music, then dude is like an arrow from a bow- powie! Artists are different. check out Lenny Breau.

  • @Joeey I wouldn't say limited. I'm not sure if you've seen his original stuff, and his other stuff.... He can play a lot more than just blues, and this style.

  • @Joeey No one said he was experimenting.., Yes his songwriting isn't necessarily crazy out there or anything... But his guitar playing is the best. Screw experimenting when you can be the best at what everyone else is trying to do.

  • @bejerama Repeating, art is not a competition. Among great artists, one is not the "best." Monet is not "better" than Picasso is not better than Van Gogh.etc. This fellow Tommy certainly has a great gift and is musical and deep.

  • @helegaran

    Same here!

  • @helegaran They only don't like it because they couldn't play like that in their wildest dreams!

  • @wjb585 Well, the quality of the recording could be better. Perhaps they disliked the video because they felt the quality did not do Tommy justice?

  • @helegaran Yeah, makes me want to build concentration camps for those dislikes people.

  • @helegaran how 'bout killing them?

  • @helegaran mayb their not disliking the music, i disliked it cuz his shirt was stupid

  • @helegaran i got 12 bullets and a colt 45

  • What an international treasure this man is!!! He's easily the best guitarist I have ever seen (or ever will see); freaking amazing.

  • This is competitive playing!

  • Yea to all of the other comments..if he can figure out how to do this we should probably elect him president..he could fix every thing. Never heard anyone get more out of a six string acoustic.

  • The most amazing thing I think is that I've seen him 3 times over a period of about 5-6 years, and he got BETTER each time. He was ridiculous enough the first time, but a year later he did some of the same songs and he had actually improved on that!

  • Oh my god Tommy how do you do it?

  • youre my idol

  • your my idol

  • Saw him in Mellerud, Sweden 2 days ago.. It was amazing.

  • 3:28 WOW LOL

  • I agree that he is the best ever.....at least the best I've ever seen, and I've seen him 3 times in SF, and I've ordered tickets for next February and can't wait!

  • Hell, what a band!

  • i love watching tommy, I never have seen anybody that can play the guitar like he can

  • Anyone knows if Tommy plays with nails or fingertips?

  • @Marsipaniaa Fingertips. Few reasons you can notice .. he has a few videos showing how he plays, on close ups you can see his hands clearly .. and fingernails would be a much sharper sound.. his fingering sound is much softer.

  • @Marsipaniaa he has a thumb pick but uses his fingers for the rest

  • The energy and projection he possesses while playing amazingly is something within itself! Total guitar entertainment.

  • I totally agree, this guy is really the total package as far as guitar/entertainers go. No one I've seen compares to him. As a guitar player, I would not even waste my time trying to do this guys's tricks, they are way to impossible for the average player. Emotion mixed with an extreme gift of music and the combination is simply amazing.

  • 3.25

    jaw-drop....

  • his voice is pretty good on this too, he needs to sing more and i think hed exponentially get more popular than he already is, i found him through looking up chet atkins and hes becoming my biggest influence, ive literally been unable to watch anything else other than his music, hse just amazing. he deserves all the attention in the world, if more guitarists studied this style music would get alot better than just the people stuck in first posistion

  • 8 people missed the "Like" button

  • Best..

    Guitarist...

    Ever

    -Comic Book Guy, and Ted Hoeborn, Union City, California

  • wicked bad ass ;)

  • This is what a true CGP does and he does it with more style and emotion and tone than anyone. This guy really is from another planet. Thanks for posting this great diplay of music at it"s finest.

  • So strange if i say this but someway he reminds me of a person with a typical dutch face and a slightly dutch accent in his singing

  • That poor guitar. It was just laying in its case all cozy. Suddenly, there were footsteps approaching. The guitar thought, "oh $@%^...here come Tommy."

  • HE SINGS TOO !?!

  • Best one man band in the planet!

  • Possibly the best guitar player on the planet!

  • I have never seen different techniques combined so smoothly. Amazing!

  • that's gotta be like a super power or something ..

  • Hands Down, Tommy is the by far the most impressive guitarist all around. concidering he never learned to read music.

  • @lancealexander1 Actually he has learnt to read music but why he would have bothered so late in his career, can only be answered by him. He's a country boy from the sticks in NSW & eventually he became a session guitarist backing for other musos. The ABC got wind of him and started playing his tracks & doing live gigs in the station & he sky rocketed from there. eventually he learnt to read.

  • @kanakaken saw him 2 nights ago here in birmingham,england and he said he CANNOT read music.

  • @0611dean I don't deny what you say is correct but don't forget, he is an extremely modest person and perhaps what he meant is, he doesn't sight read. If that is the case why would he try? His playing negates any need to do so. If it's true though that he never learnt to read music full stop, then I stand corrected and I heard wrong. One thing is for certain though I doubt anyone could sight read and the way he does with such feeling.

  • agree and adding dancing to the fourth reason

  • i love listening him play :) he is the best ....all the others can go hide away

  • great job. God bless.

  • i always wonder how Tommy Emmanuel can play rhythm guitar and the solo, bass line harmony guitar, and melody at the same time

    Tommy Emmanuel is my favorite acoustic guitarist :D

  • and god said let there be Tommy... and he saw that it was good. And he said.. ok creation is done.. Tommy is here... I'm chillin and listenin to some insane pickin... I've earned it.

  • Vale Yommy,Rule Tommy.

  • just saw him live.....his fast stuff is great, his slow stuff is great, his covers are great, his singing is great...but his original instrumental ballads are breathtaking, he plays like an orchestra, what feel....rock on tommy!!!!!!

  • pro i love him

  • Anyone know where that crossroads are that he met the dark dude at ? Tell and I'm off soonest. WILD.

  • He's got built in rhythm to wazoo. That helps!

  • Good stuff ...Merle would dig it.

  • arguing on the internet is like the special Olympics, you might win but ur still a retard...

    great tommy emmanuel, i have to see him live

  • Best guitarist of all time: Tommy Emmanuel hands down

    REASONS

    Plays with emotion and personality

    He's funny and a great entertainer

    He strives to make good contact with the crowd

    He can play a bassline, rhythm part, melody, and solo at the same time (ON ACOUSTIC)

    He has so many original and amazing techniques

  • @rack325i Hey, don't forget he's Australian!

  • @rack325i you forgot the fact that he can sing too ^^ this guy is totally amazing

  • @rack325i You forgot to mention that he sings too. lol

  • @rack325i his epiccc. and he can play soo well way better than anyone i know and he can play two melodys with one hand.

  • @rack325i

    I agree with all the best of the best. No one can touch him.......

  • @rack325i 1) there is no greatest anything of all time. 2) many people do all of the things you mentioned. 3) 95% of what he does comes from chet, merle and a few other outlaw country players. Including the "original" techniques you mentioned.

    I'm NOT SAYING he's not good. He's incredibly badass, but man, think before you speak. (or post)

  • @johanivanovic what PARACHUTEMAN4 says=)

  • @rack325i No so fast my friend, ever heard of Chet Atkins???/

  • @rack325i chet atkins is better

  • @brandonch25 skill wise, no he isnt

  • @rack325i You mean best or favorite? If you mean BEST, that statement is insulting to the true masters of the guitar. Tommy is a hack among the REAL masters. He might be your favorite, and thats cool but c'mon, lets be realistic.

  • @Microverse1 Actually, a lot of people feel he's one of, if not, the best. If I recall correctly, Clapton and Satriani are among them.

  • @Etyrnal2K Find me a crdible musician who says that Tommy is the best guitarist in the world. He might be better than clapton (not that difficult), and satriani is better than either of them, but Vai and Johnson are better than Satriani (especially vai, as demonstrated by his use of intense music theory, as applied to his improvisation.) Pat Metheny, who is in no way my favorite guitar player, is far superior to all of them in pure musical knowledge and skill. Thats not really debatable.

  • @Microverse1 Clapton said he's the best

  • @bejerama Clapton has "supposedly" said that about several guitar players. Most of us have heard his supposed Trey Anastasio quote.

  • @Microverse1 Clapton did comment on Tom,, but if you want to hear from someone who is a far more advanced guitar player than Clapton "no disrespect Eric" and see what he has to say about Tommy Emmanuel,, type in Tommy Emmanuel Center stage 3 minute and 54 seconds and listen to What Steve Vai says about him.

    Vai is a virtuoso on the electric to boot. Go check it out, it will blow you away. Cheers!

  • @rack325i He can dance while he plays!!!!! :D

  • @rack325i What's funny about this, is I got directed to Tommy Emmanuel on a tech forum. Bunch of people were arguing back and forth about "the best guitar player" and such. One finally ended the thread by saying "O.K., this 'my guitar player can beat up your guitar player" stuff is getting old. And with that, I'll leave you with this (YouTube link to YouTube - The Original Video! Tommy Emmanuel - Guitar Boogie & Stevie's Blues - July 2006 -- so there!" And with that, the thread ended. :)

  • @rack325i I found out about Tommy on a tech forum, long thread which ended with person saying "This 'my guitar player can beat up your guitar' stuff is getting old. I leave you with this -- (See YouTube -- The Original Video! Tommy Emmanuel - Guitar Boogie & Stevie's Blues - July 2006) -- so there! The thread died right there!

  • @rack325i you forgot one thing, HE CAN SING ALSO!!!

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  • @Setivo This is a great quote. I am going to steal it. I love funny people!

  • @Setivo As someone who works with people with cognitive disabilities, your comment is insulting. As for Special Olympics, they approach it with more passion than supposed normal people. I'll invite you to meet my friends, so you can call them retards! Watch their hearts be broken and then go on with your life. See how that goes. Cmon man!!! Praying for you.

  • Showmanship is an attribute that some performers have and are able to exploit it to their advantage. But it's not a prerequisite to be an accomplished player. I see it as a side bar, an addendum, something that happens when bouncing off the audience. I recently watched TE without an audience, I think it was a practice session before a show in Korea. To me, what grabs me the most is his clarity. I don't think I've heard him play this style before. The tune is called, 'The Robin".

  • Even so it's worth a look for the feelings and nuance he puts into 'The house". I have anumber of Rice favourites & 'Tipper' is one of them. One of the most blindingly fast guitarists who I really like only when he was a young teen is Jimmy Rosenburg. He is just TOO quick. Even though he was hailed as a re-incarnated Django, he lost his heart in his speed. we've lost many greats Atkins, Pass, Benson & others, who could almost make you weep with their brilliance, did so by their feelings & joy.

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  • this guy blows my mind

  • There are many other clips of TE showing his superb skills that maybe you need to see. One I particularly like is where he accompanies Richard Hudson of Oklahoma, playing Guitar Rag. He doesn't often play with other performers but when he does it's always in deference to the other player. Not only is he one of the best guitarist/entertainers, he's a true gentleman as well. If you are as observant as I think you are, you should know by now that I'm not a Brit. But that's of no consequence. Cheers

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  • @olatsmith I really should apologise for the 'wanker' jibe, I jumped in a little too quick. My music likes cover jazz, jazz blues, blues rock flamenco classical & others. One of my all time favourites & one that many of the great guitarista look up to and try to emulate, if Django Reindhardt. He died in '54, so is from the OLD school as well as CDs I have a lot of his script music as well. Another good TE cover is House of the Rising Son on this page but there is way too much reverb in it

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  • I can accept that

  • Rice on the other hand shows no emotion, his concentration 100% on what he is playing. His totally impassive playing is so bland you may as well be listening to a recording alone. I avtually think the mandolin player is a better performer than Rice, he's certainly more entertaining.

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  • @olatsmith He's the whole band, that's what he is. I have seen Tony Rice's version and as good as he is, for him to get the end result he has bunch of other musicians backing him. Some what of a difference, don't you think. The two styles are totally different, Rice is bluegrass and Emmanuel is jazz blues. I also play guitar and site read and can therefore appreciate the intricacies involved in each genre. As an entertainer, I have yet to see anyone come within cooee of Tommy Emmanuel.