A special tribute show is being held during this year’s Parkes Elvis Festival to honour the memory of one of the world’s best lead guitarists Phil Emmanuel.
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Phil, along with his little brother Tommy Emmanuel, were the inductees on the Parkes Elvis Festival Wall of Fame in 2018, which recognises the contributions those have made to the Australian music industry. Sadly, in May 2018, Phil passed away suddenly from an asthma attack.
The festival will honour Phil in a special tribute show, coordinated by his brother Darcy Emmanuel.
The show will take place at the Little Theatre on the corner of Bogan and Dalton streets on Saturday at 6pm.
A number of respected musicians will come together in Phil’s honour for the event, but there is a touching feature. Two of the guitarists taking to the stage that night are prodigies of Phil’s, who he taught from teenagers and who Phil had the highest regard for. They are Jamie Bryen and Dean Ray.
Phil believed Jamie – who’s also known as “Floorboards” – was that good a player that he could play Orange Blossom Special on a barbed wire fence. Dean is the runner-up in the 2014 X FACTOR competition, who Phil described as Australia's next “international rock star with unlimited ability”.
Other artists performing include local sensation Mick Green, singer Elisa Massari who penned a song about Phil’s life, and Darcy is hoping Kahlia Martin from Cobar will also make an appearance.
Darcy also has plans to unveil a memorial stone at Phil’s Tribute Concert.