Two-time Grammy Nominee Tommy Emmanuel will be bringing his passionate and infectious live show to the Alban Arena.

Tommy’s unique style – which he simply calls ‘finger style’ – is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. With no need for a band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, Tommy plays all that on one guitar.

Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try his unique style as a child, three years after receiving his first guitar at the age of four. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel’s biggest fans and awarded him a CGP, Certified Guitar Player, a title given by Chet to only 5 guitarists in the world.

He went on to work as a session player in many bands, including the rock group Dragon who supported Tina Turner tour in 1987. He has since carved out his own style as a solo artist in recent years, even recording an album, The Day Finger Pickers Took Over The World, with Chet Atkins in 1997.

The show is in support of his album It’s Never Too Late, released in September last year. The album is 14 tracks of original music with no vocals or featured artists, just acoustics.

Tommy has been voted Favourite Acoustic Guitarist in both Guitar Player Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s reader polls, and could be called a YouTube sensation with videos reaching more than 29 million views.

The Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3LD, Wednesday, January 18. Details: 01727 844488