For decades, GRAMMY-winning guitarist Tommy Emmanuel has let his fingers do the talking. But on “Maxine,” he does something rare: he sings. The song, along with his electric and bass performances, marks a new chapter for one of the world’s most celebrated acoustic players.
From Living in the Light, out October 10 and crafted with producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Phish), “Maxine” finds Emmanuel channeling his virtuosity into something more personal, offering an unguarded glimpse of the artist behind the instrument. In the video, which premieres exclusively on American Blues Scene, Emmanuel masters his instrumental arsenal, moving seamlessly between his acoustic TE Personal 808 Custom Shop Maton, a Fender Custom Shop Telecaster based on the 1960 issue, and a Hofner Beatle Bass with two pickups.
He tells us, “This song was a big hit in Australia in the ’80s. It’s the story of a young prostitute who is playing with fire in her life. The storyteller wants to understand and help her. The composer, Sharon O’Neil, is an old friend with a gift for storytelling.”
Tommy Emmanuel began touring at just six years old in his native Australia, performing in a family band. By his teens, he had already turned heads as a highly sought-after session player and sideman. In his early twenties, he was contributing to chart-topping hits and sharing the stage with some of Australia’s biggest acts, including Air Supply and Men at Work.
Inspired in part by his hero, Chet Atkins (who would later become a friend, mentor, and collaborator), Emmanuel struck out on his own in 1979, releasing the first of a series of critically and commercially acclaimed instrumental albums that earned him celebrity at home and abroad. In the decades that followed, he headlined venues ranging from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall, toured with Eric Clapton and John Denver, won a GRAMMY Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement, performed for more than two billion viewers at the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony, and collaborated with legends including Les Paul, Mark Knopfler, Joe Walsh, and Richard Thompson.
Now 70, he still approaches each project with the wide-eyed thrill of discovery. “As I get older, I find myself taking more risks, and having a lot more fun in the process,” he says. “When young people come to my shows and realize it’s okay to be different, that the possibilities of music and self-expression are limitless; that’s what it’s all about for me.”
USA Tour Dates:
Oct 9–12, 2025 – Tommy Emmanuel’s Guitar Camp USA: Nashville Skyline 2025 – Nashville, TN
Oct 11, 2025 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN (with special guest John Pizzarelli)
Oct 14, 2025 – The Kentucky Theatre – Lexington, KY
Oct 15, 2025 – Cahn Auditorium – Evanston, IL
Oct 16, 2025 – McCoy Center for the Arts – New Albany, OH
Oct 17, 2025 – Clyde Theatre – Fort Wayne, IN
Oct 18, 2025 – The Palladium at The Center for the Performing Arts – Carmel, IN
Oct 19, 2025 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Detroit, MI
Oct 21, 2025 – Lincoln Theatre – Washington, DC
Oct 22, 2025 – Appell Center for the Performing Arts – Strand Theatre – York, PA
Oct 23, 2025 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA
Oct 24, 2025 – Tarrytown Music Hall – Tarrytown, NY
Oct 25, 2025 – University of Rhode Island Guitar and Mandolin Festival – South Kingstown, RI
Oct 26, 2025 – Tupelo Music Hall – Derry, NH
Oct 28, 2025 – The Wilbur Theatre – Boston, MA
Oct 29, 2025 – State Theatre New Jersey – New Brunswick, NJ
Oct 30, 2025 – Carnegie Hall – New York, NY (with Richard Thompson)
Dec 3, 2025 – Rose State College Performing Arts Center – Oklahoma City, OK
Dec 4, 2025 – Majestic Theatre – Dallas, TX
Dec 5, 2025 – Charline McCombs Empire Theatre – San Antonio, TX
Dec 6, 2025 – Cullen Performance Hall – Houston, TX
Dec 7, 2025 – The Paramount Theatre – Austin, TX
Dec 9, 2025 – The Hall – Little Rock, AR
Dec 10, 2025 – Dixie Center for the Arts – Ruston, LA
Dec 12, 2025 – Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
Dec 13, 2025 – The Lyric Theatre – Birmingham, AL
Dec 14, 2025 – Niswonger Performing Arts Center – Greeneville, TN
Mar 13–20, 2026 – Cayamo Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 22, 2026 – Key West Theater – Key West, FL
Mar 23, 2026 – The Parker – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mar 25–29, 2026 – Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea XI – Miami, FL
Apr 8, 2026 – Uptown Theater – Kansas City, MO (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 10, 2026 – Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 11, 2026 – Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah – Salt Lake City, UT (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 12, 2026 – The Egyptian Theatre – Boise, ID (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 14, 2026 – Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox – Spokane, WA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 15, 2026 – Tower Theatre – Bend, OR (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 17, 2026 – The Moore Theatre – Seattle, WA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 18, 2026 – Elsinore Theatre – Salem, OR (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 19, 2026 – Rogue Theatre – Grants Pass, OR (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 21, 2026 – Cascade Theatre – Redding, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 22, 2026 – Crest Theatre – Sacramento, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 23, 2026 – Rio Theater – Santa Cruz, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 24, 2026 – Palace of Fine Arts Theatre – San Francisco, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 25, 2026 – The Grove of Anaheim – Anaheim, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 26, 2026 – Fremont Theater – San Luis Obispo, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 28, 2026 – The Magnolia – San Diego, CA (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 29, 2026 – Ikeda Theatre – Mesa, AZ (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
Apr 30, 2026 – Fox Tucson Theatre – Tucson, AZ (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
May 1, 2026 – KiMo Theatre – Albuquerque, NM (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
May 3, 2026 – Cox Business Center – Legacy Hall – Tulsa, OK (w/ special guest Jack Schneider)
