Acclaimed and Grammy®-nominated acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter TOMMY EMMANUEL—one of five people ever named a CPG (Certified Guitar Player) by his idol, music icon Chet Atkins—today (September 10) has shared the single + video for “Nashtownville.” It’s the third release from his four-song EP ACCOMPLICE SERIES VOL. 2 featuring Richard Smith, out today, September 10. The video was premiered yesterday (September 9) at Glide, which noted: “Emmanuel and Smith play off each other seamlessly creating an enrapturing acoustic duet that sounds bigger than its parts. With his nimble fingers, Emmanuel continues to up the ante, playing one note towards the vintage groundbreakers and another in his own influential present-- 'Nashtownville” is no exception.” Listen to the EP, a tribute to their heroes Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins, at all streaming platforms here.
Richard Smith is the revered British fingerpicking guitarist who has performed or recorded along the way with Chet Atkins, Les Paul and Tommy Emmanuel, among others. The EP, a tribute to their heroes Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins, also contains “Serenade to Summertime” “Twitchy,” and “Baby's Coming Home.”
"Nashtownville” was originally written by Chet Atkins and appears on the Jerry Reed & Chet Atkins album, ‘Me & Chet.’ Tommy and Richard’s interpretation of it, along with the other songs on their EP, was recorded at TuneSmith Studio outside of Nashville, TN in the spring of 2021. The video was filmed at the Chet Atkins statue in downtown Nashville, TN on the corner of Fifth Avenue North and Union Street. It was directed by Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard for Neighborhoods Apart Productions (The Killers, Lilly Hiatt, John Prine) and features many special guests such as Mark Pritcher (from Chet Atkins Appreciation Society), Annie Sellick, Pat Bergeson, John Knowles (fellow CGP), Stuie French, and a few more of Tommy and Richard’s friends. The police officer is played by Richard Smith’s wife, (versatile cellist) Julie Adams.
In other news, Tommy and Richard will tour together this fall starting October 12. The dates are listed here: https://tommyemmanuel.com/tour/.
Richard is also on Tommy’s Guitar Camp in Nashville, which takes place September 23-27 at the Virgin Hotel: https://tommyemmanuelguitarcampusa.com/
