Guitar heroes

Once the guitarist in the background for the likes of Air Supply and Olivia Newton John in his homeland of Australia, Tommy Emmanuel has made his name as a master fingerstyle guitar player, garnering acclaim from other musicians and a standing ovation at Les Paul’s 90th birthday celebration in New York City in 2005. The only other legendary performer out of the many at that event to get a standing ovation was Les Paul himself.

Emmanuel has performed in Baton Rouge many times; a Feb. 8 show at the LSU Union Theater will be his eighth. He will be sharing the stage with jazz guitar player Martin Taylor. The two released an acoustic duet album, The Colonel and the Governor, in 2013.

Carlton Jones, who, through his organization Guitar Dreamers, has promoted many acoustic guitar concerts in Baton Rouge over the years, says the show will help them donate guitars to missionaries, orphanages, prisons and others.

“These are the best of the best,” Jones says of Emmanuel and Taylor. “They are not ‘classical’ players, but will play everything from jazz to Chet Atkins to the Beatles to old standardsa very fun, entertaining concert.”

Find out more about the Feb. 8 show at guitardreamers.com.