Legendary Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel pays a heartwarming tribute to his closest friend and lifetime collaborator, his brother Phil whose untimely passing earlier this year sent shockwaves through the national music community.
“It was a big surprise, but you know Phil had asthma really bad and he had one lung that wasn't working very well, and he was still smoking, so I don't know what to tell you other than it was a shock but he didn't have a lot to fight with,” Tommy says.
He goes on to explain how Phil's death on 24 May came in quick succession after that of their sister, motivating Tommy to perform again with Phil while they still had the chance. “Our eldest sister passed away a month before Phil, and I flew out and went up to Ingham in North Queensland for her funeral,” he says.
“Phil and I spent a couple of days together there and I sensed that he was not as strong as he used to be and if we want to make plans we'd better get on with it.”
The idea was for Phil to accompany Tommy on his current, extensive tour of the United States before embarking on a longer tour as a duo next year.
With Phil's passing, Tommy is now performing a series of tribute shows to Phil.
“We're doing a memorial concert for him in Brisbane at The Tivoli [Theatre] and I'm going to play some of his tunes and stuff like that with a band. His daughter [Jessie] is going to come sing with me and we're going to do a video presentation of his life and all that, so it's going to be beautiful.
“Everybody has just rallied to this cause so I'm really, really thrilled to be a part of it. But in my shows I'll be playing the song that I wrote for him and telling some stories that maybe people will find interesting.”
As brothers, friends, musicians and co-songwriters, Phil and Tommy shared a relationship that was less 'my brother, my keeper' and more 'my brother, my teacher'. “At our age it's hard to remember everything but at the same time Phil and I did so much together growing up as kids and learning everything together,” Tommy says.
“Our musical training was we just helped each other. He was an incredibly generous person who, if he figured something out, he'd show me straight away. That's what he was like, it was a really wonderful relationship and we just adored each other.”
At Adelaide Guitar Festival Tommy will be performing with Pedro Javier Gonzalez and Richard Smith. “We're going to play individually as well as together, and there's so much variety in what we do,” he says.
“Pedro is from Barcelona, he's one of the world's greatest flamenco players... and Richard Smith plays everything from Scott Joplin piano rags on the guitar to Django Reinhardt tunes.”
After a lifetime of writing, performing and instructing, the legacy Tommy will leave behind will be that of 'Australia's guitar teacher', having inspired countless guitarists with his technical finesse and personal charm. “What I've tried to achieve in my lifetime so far is something worth handing on,” he explains.
“Trying to set a standard to reach for and trying to lay out a path for young people to follow that I know works. I'm just using my instincts really but I'm blazing a trail that is real, that will take you places.”
The Phil Emmanuel Memorial Concert takes place at The Tivoli Theatre (Brisbane) 7 August.
Tommy Emmanuel & Friends perform at Adelaide Festival Centre 9 August as part of Adelaide Guitar Festival 9-12 August.
Tommy Emmanuel Australia Tour 2018
Thu 2 Aug - Canberra TheatreFri 3 Aug - Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (Nowra)
Tue 7 Aug - The Tivoli Theatre (Brisbane)
Thu 9 Aug - Adelaide Festival Theatre
11-12 August - Sydney Guitar Festival
15-19 Aug - Guitar Retreat Australia (Dandenong)
