Grammy-winning guitarist Tommy Emmanuel has released the official video for “Black and White to Color,” the newest single off his upcoming album Living In The Light (out October 10). Recorded and mixed with producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Phish), Living in the Light is a virtuosic blend of acoustic pop, jazz, classical, and roots music delivered by one of the modern era’s most accomplished and versatile guitarists.
“It’s a song about life,” Emmanuel explains of the song. “Sometimes life seems straight forward, and that you have it all figured out. Then suddenly you must take a different road, and things just change into a new colour. It’s kind of like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.”
“Black and White to Color” follows the propulsive first single “Scarlett’s World,” dedicated to Emmanuel’s granddaughter. Emmanuel captured most of the performances on Living in the Light in one or two takes, and the sense of joy and wonder in these sonic explorations is more than just palpable; it’s intoxicating. While many of the recordings are solo instrumentals, Emmanuel lends his voice to several of the album’s tracks, as well, grounding his dazzling, percussive fretwork with a poignant dose of warmth and vulnerability. “There are elements of rockabilly, blues, even traditional African music all woven into the music,” Emmanuel explains. “I’m a world traveller, and I’ve absorbed so much music along the way. It all gets synthesized through a kind of osmosis into my psyche and my soul and then comes out in my own unique style.”
More than sixty years into his storied career, Tommy Emmanuel is still hungry for adventure. “As I get older, I find myself taking a lot more risks, and having a lot more fun in the process,” says Emmanuel, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday. “When young people come to my shows and have this awakening that it’s okay to be different, that the possibilities of music and self-expression are limitless, that’s what it’s all about for me.”
Full tour dates and ticket details can be found at tommyemmanuel.com