Emmanuel found fame with The Trailblazers, and played with many other Australian artists including INXS, Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham, Ian Moss, composer Pete Hawkes [Reg Lindsay OAM] ].

[2] He also played with many international artists such as British guitarist Hank B. Marvin and American performers Chet Atkins, Willie Nelson, Duane Eddy and Dolly Parton.

[5] Emmanuel died suddenly of an asthma attack in Parkes, New South Wales, on 24 May 2018, aged 65.

Award nominees and winners, excluding for sales and public voted categories, are selected by the ARIA Academy comprising "judges from all sectors of the music industry - retail, radio and tv, journalists and critics, television presenters, concert promoters, agents, ARIA member record companies and past ARIA winners".

It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January.