Tommy Emmanuel, born in May 1955 in Australia, began playing guitar at age four and performed professionally at six with his family band, the Emmanuel Quartet. After his father's death in 1966, the family settled in Parkes, and Tommy moved to Sydney in his early teens, working as a session musician on recordings for Air Supply and others, and playing with bands like Dragon in the 1980s. His solo career gained international attention with the 1993 album Up from Down Under, followed by Only in 2001 and collaborations like The Day the Finger Pickers Took Over the World (1996) with Chet Atkins, earning a Grammy nomination. Atkins named him a Certified Guitar Player in 1999, one of five recipients. Emmanuel blends fingerstyle, rock, country, and percussive techniques on acoustic guitar. Emmanuel is known for energetic live performances featuring intricate fingerpicking and rhythm work, maintaining a heavy touring schedule worldwide.