Tommy Emmanuel advice on performing, 2008

"You have to find the courage to walk up onstage and laugh at yourself, to be able to say, 'Guess what, I'm shaking in my boots, but I really want to play for you, and I'm going to do my best.' Keep it that honest. Keep it that casual, that personal, and it'll really help. You've got to believe in your heart that the audience is not the judge and jury. The audience wants you to do well; they're waiting for you to do well. They're not waiting to cut you up."

From "Play Out Now!" my feature in the May 2009 issue of Acoustic Guitar. Available online here.