Tommy Emmanuel

Tommy Emmanuel at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater

How much can a guitarist say through a few strings and a distinctive touch? Tommy Emmanuel has spent decades answering that question with a fingerpicking style that draws from blues, rockabilly and countless other American musical traditions. Watching that level of craft unfold in real time is a different experience than hearing it through headphones. You see the technique. You feel the room respond. You notice details that recordings flatten.

His fingerpicking approach draws on blues, rockabilly and other musical traditions. For listeners drawn to the guitar, that range offers a reason to pay attention to how a musician shapes a phrase. Make the guitar itself the focus of your evening, following the details that draw you to instrumental music. It's an evening built on skill, presence and the kind of storytelling that happens when someone knows their instrument that well.

If you appreciate live music for the craft as much as the catalog, this is the kind of show that rewards your attention. Hoyt Sherman Place Theater in Des Moines hosts Tommy Emmanuel on Saturday, January 23, 2027, at 7:30 PM. Bring the friend who listens closely and wants to see how it's actually done.

Find tickets for Tommy Emmanuel at Hoyt Sherman Place and follow the musicianship in person.