Ten Telecaster Tales remakes the idea of the “concept album.” It is music that arrives inside a book. It’s also, arguably, the most comprehensive attempt at liner notes in the history of electric instrumental fingerstyle guitar albums.

In his latest offering, Rik Emmett delves into the creative process — the roots, influences, philosophy, and spirituality involved in writing and recording. Even the story behind these stories explores creativity. (Emmett dreamed of then commissioned a guitar — a one-of-a-kind Telecaster-style guitar — then wrote and recorded with and for it.)

Playfully, beautifully, Ten Telecaster Tales lays bare an artistic journey in an act of discovery — that the storytelling inherent in writing good musical compositions translates into good storytelling about the process behind the songs, and how compositions turn into recordings. A generous amount of fairy-tale mythology is sprinkled throughout — despite the whole process being assimilated by digital technology. The notion of a “telecaster tale” implies something “vintage” at its heart, and it is humanity that glues the layers together.

Principally, though, Ten Telecaster Tales is the next logical step for Emmett after publishing his memoir, Lay It On The Line. It represents the evolution of his life story into a combination of musical composition, guitar playing, and prose. After all, writing has always been the solid backbone and lifeline of his multi-faceted journey.

Rik Emmett's profile page

After a dozen platinum LPs from ’75 to ’88 with Triumph, Rik Emmett has released 20 more solo projects, ranging across genres. An avowed family man, he’s retired from touring but still writes and records. Rik was a Guitar Player magazine columnist for over a dozen years, taught with the Humber College music faculty, and is the Artistic Director Emeritus of the SongStudio songwriting workshop. He lives in Burlington, ON.

“When you witness the mastery of Rik Emmett on stage, playing his guitar, singing his songs, it’s hard to fathom that you have not yet seen the limits of his talent. You can’t imagine that he could also be a brilliant writer and cultural explorer, too. Yet, you’ll understand when you start reading Ten Telecaster Tales. Whether with a pick or a pen, Rik Emmett feels and thinks deeply about the creative process and how the heart and the mind come together in the work of a true artist. Eloquent, erudite, entertaining, and enlightening, this is a thoughtful meditation on art, creativity, and the human species.” — Terry Fallis, two-time winner of the Leacock Medal for Humour.