New Website Tommy Emmanuel Web 3.0 Launches in Advance of the Stellar Australian Guitarist's Fall 2011 U.S. Tour—Revamped Portal Creates Immersive Fan Experience

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel has launched the new Tommy Emmanuel Web 3.0 site (www.tommyemmanuel.com) in advance of his U.S. tour, which kicks off September 7 in Milwaukee, WI.  Just prior to the tour, Emmanuel will perform on the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon on September 4.  The revamped web portal and stateside tour dates build on a high-profile year for Emmanuel, celebrated as one of the world's greatest guitar players, and an all-time master of fingerstyle technique.  Recently, Emmanuel was named the CMA's (Country Music Association) Global Country Artist for 2011. The prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievement by an artist who has advanced country music's popularity outside the U.S., and was presented to Emmanuel by Keith Urban during Billboard's annual Country Music Summit in June.

A platform designed to facilitate an immersive experience for the artist's legions of fans worldwide, Tommy Emmanuel Web 3.0 creates a comprehensive online destination for all things Emmanuel by interconnecting three distinct sites: TommyEmmanuel.com, with web design by Ramon Dodd, and logistics by Gene Quinn, offering the latest news, artist/tour information, photos, fan forums, discussions groups, mailing list registration, and links to shop; CertifiedGuitarPlayer.com, home to the official Tommy Emmanuel storefront for music DVDs, merchandise, instruction books, and gear; and TommyEmmanuel.TV, an immersive online social and educational experience featuring exclusive footage of live performances, interactive lessons, interviews and a behind-the-scenes view of Tommy on the road as he tours the world.

Tommy TV treats fans and musicians to never-before-seen video content across a variety of engaging channels; passenger-seat views of Tommy on tour in the Endless Road channel; interviews and impromptu jams with the world's top players in Tommy & Friends; enlightening lessons and tips for players in Instruction; inspiring insight and guidance from Tommy in the Face Time channel; exclusive footage of live performances in Concert Hall; and behind the scenes happenings at events, workshops and concerts in In The News. Tommy TV allows viewers to create playlists, share videos, participate in discussions, zoom and loop video, and connect with other Tommy fans.

Tommy TV also offers highlights from two new interactive video courses; the 5-song Certified Gems and The Little By Little Songbook, which teaches 16 songs from Emmanuel's latest album. Produced by TrueFire, both courses feature full-song note-by-note breakdowns by Tommy, multi-angle video switching, looping, zooming, tab, notation and other handy controls designed to accelerate the learning process. Both courses are available for sale at CertifiedGuitarPlayer.com.

Released in February 2011, Emmanuel's latest album Little By Little presents 24 songs and features collaborations with guests. On the album's release day, Emmanuel and Little By Little's guest artists Anthony Snape and Pam Rose performed a sold-out concert in San Diego, CA.  The show was filmed in HD for PBS Television, and Tommy Emmanuel and Friends: Live From The Balboa Theatre has been airing on PBS stations in the U.S. since June.

Long one of Australia's most respected and best-loved musicians, 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—a technique he was inspired to try after hearing his hero, the legendary Chet Atkins, play in the early 1960s.  Atkins became a mentor to Emmanuel after they met in the '80s. Atkins presented Emmanuel with a coveted "Certified Guitar Player Award," an honor the Nashville icon bestowed on only 4 other guitarists before his death in 2001.

For more information and complete tour dates:  www.tommyemmanuel.com and www.truefire.com

SOURCE Tommy Emmanuel