After the electric guitar, the mouth harp, the shakuhachi and all kinds of keyboards, the Pedal Steel Guitar came into my life. This beautiful harmonic complex instrument. I never could have expected to spent my time with this beauty from 1973!
Thanks to Buddy Emmons [ the ‘Bud’ in Sho-Bud } I am now sailing on the harmonic sea, day after day.
What is it and what does it sound like?
Most people wonder what it is when they see a pedal steel, they have never seen one before! Is it a kind of guitar? Ten strings, no frets, played with a steelbar, foot pedals, knee levers, a volume pedal, finger picks. It’s a one of a kind instrument. True, there is a connection with the lapsteel guitar. Sometimes people start playing a lapsteel and later switch to pedal steel, realising it’s a totally different instrument. So you got to hear it. How does it sound? Well most people relate to the country roots of the pedal steel and it is true, the pedal steel signature sounds can be found on hundreds of hit records from 60’s and 70’s. These records are also a good starting point for the aspiring steel player, you listen to records and you study Winnie Winston’s Pedal Steel Guitar book for some basic technics. There are not that many steel players compared to guitar players and steel teachers are hard to find!
Thanks to the internet we do have one great steel player who is teaching an online course. That player is Paul Franklin. Forget most of the YouTube tutorials and go to: https://www.mmmlearn.com [Modern Music Masters].
Lloyd Green
While you’re visiting the Modern Music Masters site check out the [free] interview Paul Franklin did with legendary steel player Lloyd Green!
Lloyd Green is one of my heroes, his sound is ‘pure bliss’ David Lynch would say. Lloyd is one of the most heard pedal steel session players ever. Listening to Lloyd gives you a very good impression of the possibilities of the pedal steel guitar. What I personally like so much about Lloyd is his approach to the pedal steel . Back to basics, the less is more approach. You don’t need ten pedals, try finding solutions while using 3 pedals. Work on it! This manual approach leads to a personal sound. Contrary to the steel players that use a lot of pedals, they often sound less personal and more mechanical.
Here are some Spotify links to Lloyd Green performances. https://open.spotify.com/track/2obqdDUWBctiXuag3Qpvm0?si=28f7197b4d0e4c23 [ Bob Dylan and Lloyd Green on a rare recording of “if not for you” ]. https://open.spotify.com/track/1F9TL32Ipxh4vZpagkRNb3?si=5bfc3112927d481a [ Dale Watson and Lloyd Green on ” carryin’ on this way ” }. https://open.spotify.com/album/198nARcRUDQheqR0YhODYe?si=2jtzFIAFQ6atUVu6MZMwsw [ Lloyd Green solo performance on ” Venus Moon ” ]
Old and New Steel
Lloyd Green, Pete Drake, Buddy Emmons, Ralph Mooney, that’s old steel now. Once pioneers and now classic steelers. These ‘steelers’ were part of the first generations that created the golden age of the steelguitar. Starting in the 50’s way into the seventies they played almost exclusively country music. Then in the seventies new steelers started making a name for themselves, they were playing the new countryrock sounds. Blending folk, country, rock, acoustic, electric into a new music. In a way here is where the ‘Americana’ genre was born. Well known steelers like Sneaky Pete Kleinow [ Flying Burrito Brothers ] and Rusty Young [ Poco ] took the pedal steel to other stages and venues. They are like a bridge between the old and new steel.
Greg Leisz
The dominant player today is Greg Leisz, besides pedal steel he also plays lapsteel and guitar. A humble player, you will hear him on records with Bill Frisell, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Brown, and dozens of other great artists. He even got a big hit on YouTube. Hear Greg in an interesting conversation on the Steel Guitar Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KMAQ0D1vINMuo2XJpBMTy?si=e0bc63d52a4e4b41
Some examples of Greg playing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP06CxtGneI ‘Clocks” Coldplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-to2sh3sDc4 Bill Frisell ‘#9 Dream / ‘Come Together”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_RXG4sXqs Joni Mitchell ‘Live’
Greg Leisz feels like a modern player but works in the classic E9th style, And Greg also fits into the definition of a session player: be complementary, keeping the spotlight on the singer. But the main thing is, Greg is a tasteful player and he’s got a great sound!
Daniel Lanois
A player who is embarking on a new pedal steel journey is Daniel Lanois. He is perhaps best known as a producer. He has been working with Bob Dylan, U2, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Robbie Robertson and countless others. Lanois has a lifetime love for the pedal steel. It starts at a very young age and it took him on this great experimental journey, reinventing the Pedal Steel, turning it into ‘ a church in a suitcase ‘ playing these beautiful songs that are based on the old hymns. [Reminding me of the story of the Bandoneon ‘ the little organ in a suitcase ‘ ]. Lanois uses only 3 pedals, no knee levers. His sound is pure and personal, one instantly recognises his sound. Pure, simple and deeply rooted in the old folksongs and the closely connected church songs.
Here are some examples that will give an impression of Lanois and his steel guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K_XsOKH-to Lanois in conversation with Dweezil Zappa [ Guitar Power ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlzWymL5fq8 Lanois in conversation with John Bohlinger of Premier Guitar [ Rig Rundown ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5V6jmWQyZU Live at WFUV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoakeYvCaHM Daniel Lanois and Rocco DeLuca [ Live at the Belljar ]
Coda
There are two other things I want to share with you. There is an influential player, that did’t fit into this Post but I must mention her. Susan Alcorn, a great improviser on the pedal steel, influenced by jazz and classic music. Sadly, she recently passed away. Please go and visit her website. You won’t be disappointed. Susan Alcorn https://www.susanalcorn.net
Last but not least I want to include a link to the fantastic podcast on the History of Country Music by Tyler Mahan Coe: https://cocaineandrhinestones.com. It’s such a great series, you got to listen to them all! [ except maybe the horrific episode on Spade Cooley, don’t listen to that one because it will turn you away from his music and thereby also away from one of the greats of the steel guitar Joaquin Murphy ]. Anyway there is one episode I recommend to you that is related to this post and that’s the story on the great Ralph Mooney. You can listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6HOC5A2TcgbxQvCz9ExqUP?si=6ed25d5b951d49ea
That’s all folks. Happy steelin’