MEDIA RELEASE PR40591
Internationally Renowned Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel Receives 'Order of Australia' Medal in Washington,
D.C. From Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley
WASHINGTON, July 27 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Internationally renowned, award-winning Australian guitarist Tommy
Emmanuel was honored as a Queen's Member of the Order of Australia on July 26
in Washington, DC. The ceremony took place at the residence of the Australian
Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency the Honorable Kim Beazley.
The prestigious Order of Australia Award, established in 1975, is
bestowed on Australian citizens for meritorious service in a particular area
or field of activity. Emmanuel is cited for, "service to the music and
entertainment industries as a guitarist, and to the community as a supporter
of Kids Under Cover." Kids Under Cover is an Australian charitable
organization working to build homes and provide scholarships for homeless and
at risk young people.
"I was humbled and honored to be awarded with the Order of Australia,"
said Emmanuel. "To be so recognized by my country for making music and for
serving the young people of Australia is incredibly wonderful and deeply
fulfilling."
The announcement of Emmanuel's Order of Australia medal was made June 14.
Typically, investitures take place at various times in the recipient's state
of residency or, as in Emmanuel's case, overseas by an Australian Ambassador.
As Emmanuel's 2010 U.S. tour included a stop in Washington, DC, it presented
an ideal opportunity to have Beazley preside over the investiture.
Emmanuel began playing guitar at age four, and by age six was a part of
his family's professional band. He has long been one of Australia's most
respected and best-loved musicians, and his award-winning career now spans
five decades and multiple genres including jazz, rock, blues, and country. He
is known for his distinctive "finger style" playing, using all ten fingers.
He was first inspired to try "fingerpicker" technique after hearing his hero,
Chet Atkins, play in the early 1960s. Atkins became a mentor to Emmanuel
after they met in the '80s. In 1996, a dream came true for him when they
jointly recorded the album The Day The Finger Pickers Took Over The World,
for which Emmanuel received his first of two GRAMMY nominations.
Emmanuel has achieved record-breaking sales in his home country, and has
a growing following in the U.S. and worldwide. Upcoming tour dates include
the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Czech
Republic and Russia in August, Midwestern United States in September; China,
Singapore and Thailand in October, another UK and Europe tour in November and
a 50th Anniversary Tour of Australia with his brother, Phil and full band in
December and January.
His versatility -- and virtuosity -- has brought him to venues including
the Sydney Philharmonic, the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the Grand Ole Opry, the
world's top jazz festivals, performances for the Masai people in remotest
Kenya, and Carnegie Hall for Les Paul's 90th birthday tribute.
Most recently, Emmanuel released the album and DVD Center Stage, which is
currently featured as a pledge drive broadcast for Public Television in the
United States. His extensive list of awards has recently been added to with
Guitar Player Magazine's top annual Guitar Legend award in 2009 -- as well as
its Thumbpicker of the Year honor. In 2010, he was named Best Acoustic
Guitarist -- for the second time -- in Guitar Player's Readers Choice awards.
SOURCE Tommy Emmanuel
CONTACT: Michael Jensen, +1-626-585-9575, info@jensencom.com; or
Kerry Roberts, The Roberts Network, +61-2-9712-8445,
kerryroberts@therobertsnetwork.com.au,
both for Tommy Emmanuel
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