TOMMY EMMANUEL
“ PEOPLE WERE JUST SO STUNNED AND AMAZED, AND EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT WAS A RECORDING TRICK— HE COULDN’ T POSSIBLY BE DOING ALL THAT AT ONCE. IT LIT A FIRE IN ME!” ing, people have popped up like Joe Robinson and Richard Smith. There are some young guys in Japan who are pretty faithfully playing Chet and Merle Travis and Jerry Reed tunes. If you go to places like Russia— unfortunately you can’ t go there now— there are music clubs in Moscow where a bunch of guys faithfully recreate the Chet and Jerry Reed records. So, it is being handed on, and it will continue through the generations.
Speaking of that global reach, you’ ve brought this music to Russia, South Africa, China, Kenya, Japan, all over the world, creating bridges to other countries and cultures through your music. And you’ ve extended that reach beyond performing by sponsoring children in some of those countries and helping put musicians through college. I’ m trying to help young people get prepared for the future, for themselves. Because it’ s not getting easier out there in the world. It’ s getting harder, in fact. But the good thing is, there are so many
PHOTO CREDIT JESS GLEESON
68 | SPRING 2026