More than 60 years into his career, Tommy Emmanuel still isn't looking for a break.
Whether he's touring, recording, teaching or just practicing, Tommy is usually busy with something. But his latest album, Living in the Light, represents a shift more towards his own artistry and songwriting that previous collaboration-focused records — it's his first true solo album in 10 years.
Speaking with Q104.3 New York's Out of the Box with Jonathan Clarke, Tommy says that the new record poured out of him and was recorded and mixed in under a week.
"There's a few different [cover] things on there, but there's a lot of new songs, songs that I've written," he says. "I just went in and I recorded and mixed the whole album in four days. I had no choice but to get it done."
Tommy's muse led the recording process. He credits co-producer and engineer Vance Powell for making quick work on the technical side of the record, freeing him up to play his best.
"It was a joy to make," Tommy adds. "I love the direction that I'm heading. It's extremely unpretentious. Here are the songs, here's the story, here it is being played."
Watch the full interview via the player above!
Elsewhere, Tommy discusses his first contact with mentor Chet Atkins, his journey with Eric Clapton's music, his adoration for Billy Strings and how he angered Les Paul during while sitting in with Les's band at the Iridium.
Watch Tommy perform "Black and White into Color" and "The Entertainer" live in studio via the player below.