We got a record deal because of Jack Tempchins past of writing songs for the Eagles on their early records. I worked with Rose Flores from Austin Texas last year out here in NZ and Greg was all over her albums and material --- fantastic playing ! Pearl Jam have played that song countless times. I really enjoyed his work on the recent Blue Ridge Rangers" album (John Fogarty). There are so many great recordings with him playing, and listeners have plenty to treat themselves to. What drew you to the pedal steel? I heard this, and could not get that steel guitar sound out of my head. I never really liked the Grateful Dead, and now Im in Bobs band the Wolf Brothers with Don Was. He was inspired to pick up the pedal steel after hearing Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Buddy Emmons. And until the record came out, I didnt even see the producer until after I finished the session. And they cut some stuff up. I didnt know much about Roxette and it was just that day. We were both planning on being on tour a lot. She decided she wanted to go play some live shows. Did certain pedal-steel albums influence you? Its actually playing really specific and dedicated, punctuated lines, which is what they were looking for. I especially love what came out of that. I was like, Thats an unusual thing, to play on two different Albums of the Year two years in a row. Not only that, the year that Daft Punk won, I played at the Grammys. The group released their debut album, WPA, on September 15, 2009. The same thing happened when I heard pedal steel on records that I listened to. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. They just had me improvise on it. Once I got to the point where I could hang out in bars, I used to go to country bars. In 1989, he played on k.d. Join That was the first time I worked with him. Click HERE to hear me play Moon of Manakoora recorded on the D9th lap steel tuning, which is nothing more than dropping the 4th string on your C6th from a G note to an F#. I actually went to the same high school as Jackson. Mint items are in essentially new original condition but have been opened or played. She wanted something focused on every song. He was a member of Funky Kings who released their eponymous debut album on Arista Records in 1976. All in good time --, [This message was edited by Russ Young on 22 November 2002 at 09:12 PM. Its overwhelming. Larry Klein bought me onto Turbulent Indigo. Editors picks Yeah. It wasnt the first band that wasnt successful that I was in, but it was the band that had the most attention focused on it, quite a bit in a very short time. David Murphy (left) photographed by Richie Tyndall. I recently tried to just make a list of the names of the people Id played with, but it was so many that I had to stop. This track will really take you on a ride into the sonic frontiers, and Leisz shows just how much expression the pedal steel is capable of. Youve recorded and toured a ton together over the years. http://archive.guitarplayer.com/archive/artists/frisell.shtml. And now hes one of my best friends. I was there and saw them playing. She was on my radar as somebody up-and-coming. Greg Leisz is a songwriter, sideman, and producer who pays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar. He is one of my favorites. As an Amazon Associate Playpedalsteel.com earns from qualifying purchases. All Rights reserved. We had the pleasure of opening for her here in Fort Myers a while back. I went in and played a couple of songs with him live in the studio with a full band. But with the Daft Punk project, everything that band does seems to be very important. I havent really been hunkered down as much in the last couple of months, particularly since Ive been vaccinated. In the late Sixties when a lot of people were listening to harder rock, Led Zeppelin and things, I was listening to Jimmie Rodgers, old country music like Hank Williams, bluegrass music, and I was learning how to play that music, and I was learning with other musicians that were kind of turned on to that. ], Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Rather, it is usually tuned to an open chord, often an extended chord like a 6th, 7th, or 9th. Buddy Miller's "Majestic Silver Strings". His tone (on recent recordings) is, in my opinion, the best you will find in the world. Not to be pigeonholed in just roots music, Leisz (pronounced "Lees") has also played with the likes of Beck, Matthew Sweet, Bad Religion, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Brian Wilson. February 21, 2023. He has an uncanny ability to always connect with the listeners ears. Those guys are people that I just and I watched the Daft Punk segment, which was great. It was a natural fit with a lot of people. For more ideas on utilizing the pedal steel sonically, check out the page below, Stay up to date on articles, tabs, and more, The pedal steel is much easier than it seems if you approach it with certain essentials in mind. I was usually to shy to go up and talk to anybody about it, but I just kind of absorbed the music. The Steel Guitar Forum I think she had an idea of how she wanted to do it. It has really great songs, but it had some amazing pedal steel by Buddy Emmons. I can see why his recording career show so many credits. I keep a Strat copy with a Nut Riser and strung with 11's tuned to Open E for gritty Lap steel Blues. Greg Leisz played some really nice parts on her new CD "Illustrated Songs" but I did not see this listed among his credits. My understanding is he uses a '66 bolt-on push/pull for most of his studio work. I was doing Gloria or something. A marvelous pedal steel player, Leisz has some of the most tasteful playing and impactful tone. As well as Ryan Adams "Ashes & Fire", he is on a few tracks. Please check the fields highlighted in red. Her original version was more what she was doing at the time. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It was just basically recorded in a bedroom. Join I just went in and overdubbed on one song. He said, Im not sure what songs Im going to do. Its got a great honky-tonk sound, and Leisz shows how at home he feels playing pedal steel in a more traditional context too. Just interested in his equipment and tunnings. I actually went to college for a while and studied geology. Use these diagrams as a reference tool, or memorization aid for your practice and playing. I want to go back here and talk about your life. She set me straight and said, Im not going to tell you anything. They made it look like a recording studio onstage. The idea that you were going to have to go to Vietnam and maybe kill people, it wasnt conducive to thinking about being a musician. There was a lot of music I couldnt really understand. Theres one song where you can really hear how its cut up and moved in the track. He spent time at the Ashgrove, the Troubador, and clubs on the Sunset Strip . In 2013 alone, the pedal-steel guitarist played on records by Daft Punk, Eric Clapton, Kris Kristofferson, Glen Hansard, the Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Bragg, John Fogerty, and way too many others to mention here. Part of his universal appeal -- which certainly draws on the experimental nature of those influences -- comes from an open-minded approach to lap and pedal steel, an approach that casts aside Nashville references. The longer scale of the Strat (as opposed to traditional Lap steels) seems suited to this type of stuff. I didnt meet him. It wasnt from the manager or a business person. They tweaked it here and there and made that the track. I just liked the sound of the guitar and I wanted to do it. Up until that time, it seemed like there was always some kind of a studio you worked in. I basically was just playing music with my friends. We spent two hours on the phone with Leisz, and just barely scratched the surface of his life and career. How Do the Pedals and Knee Levers Work on a Pedal Steel? Thats one of my favorite Lucinda Williams songs. In January 2008, Leisz joined the group Works Progress Administration, a band composed of Leisz, Sean Watkins (guitar), his sister Sara Watkins (fiddle), Glen Phillips (guitar, vocals), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). I went in and did one day where I played on a few songs. Private Messages Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46, Our mailing address is: In 1987, Leisz began working with Dave Alvin (formerly of The Blasters). I basically thought at one point that Id be a geologist or a forest ranger or something like that. I really had no idea it would become what it became. She didnt want a lot of guitar parts. When I spoke to Eric, he said to me, Do you know Hop Wilsons music? I said, Yeah, I know it really well. He was surprised. I dont think Warner Bros. was particularly happy, but they allowed her to do it. ], [This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 26 November 2003 at 07:59 AM.]. I basically felt like I had to hone my own skills. Playpedalsteel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Note chart for the E9 pedal steel neck. lang's Grammy-winning Absolute Torch and Twang and joined her on the resulting tour. A few weeks later, they called me back and I did another song. T Bone wasnt even there to tell me it was good. This is the same type of lap steel that Greg Leisz used (along with his Bill Asher steel) when I saw him with Bill Frisell. Any kind of musical style or production can probably be enhanced one way or another with a touch of Leiszs pedal steel, and this track is no exception. At some point, Roxette came to town for a gig and they asked me to come into the studio and play with them. Here, these artists tell their complete stories, giving an up-close look at life on musics A list. This was a time where I met a lot of people like Victoria Williams and Lucinda Williams, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Rosie Flores there was a bunch of people that all kind of knew each other and were playing in the same clubs in L.A. in the late Eighties. She seems sweet. Versatile and musically accommodating, Greg shapes up many tracks with his pedal steel playing. It was the sound of it. Greg's toured or recorded with Dave Alvin . T Bone has a lot of I dont want to say he delegates, but he trusts musicians to just do what he thinks theyre going to do. When she was making Car Wheels, that was really at the end stages of the record. I basically grew up inside of that. When I ordered my Williams, Bob Rudolph told me that he uses S-12 Extended E9th tuning. The reason Im on this song [laughs] is because Jim called me and said, Im mixing this song. He tried to get a deal as a solo artist and he was told that he should get a band around him. And then I started working with some musicians that were playing in some of the folk clubs in Southern California. I can imagine that being intimidating. He didnt introduce anyone. Playpedalsteel.com also participates in affiliate programs with CJ, PartnerStack, and other sites. Greg Leisz is my favorite modern pedal steel player. He toured in 2013 as a member of Eric Clapton's band, in 2015 as a member of Jackson Browne's band, and again in 2017. He felt it would be too many musicians and that it should be more stripped-down. Victoria had already gotten a deal and made a record in New York. He needs an artificial heart. The word "ubiquitous" is usually placed in front of pedal steel player and guitarist Greg Leisz's name. This track has such a sweet groove to it, and Leisz adds just the right ambience to float with it. "I don't know how to comprehend everything I've done," says the musician, who has also played with Beck, Phoebe Bridgers, Bob Weir, Smashing Pumpkins, and Lucinda Williams. It was really a drag that she didnt continue after that because she didnt get enough people didnt really appreciate that last album. I went through a little bit of soul searching. The record came out and you cant even hear what I played. Ive worked with Lucinda a lot since then, and even co-produced two of the last three albums [The Ghosts of Highway 20 and Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone] that shes made. It doesnt always work. Do whatever you want to do.. I was like, Im going to try and keep playing music and try to get better. I saved up my money one summer and bought my first pedal steel and started teaching myself how to do that. No. Going back here, can you talk about playing with the Smashing Pumpkins on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness? Theyd stick it in their wallet and maybe theyd lose it, or maybe theyd write it down. ], Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain. I took piano lessons when I was nine, but I didnt have a good teacher and I gave it up pretty quickly. The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap.Unlike the usual manner of playing a traditional acoustic guitar, in which the performer's fingertips press the strings against frets, the pitch of a steel guitar is changed by pressing a polished steel . With tasteful use, the blues scale can go a long ways in many musical styles and playing environments. I worked on a bunch of stuff with her, including a bunch of stuff that was never released when she got dropped from Warner Bros. To jump ahead, youre on Right on Time on Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Youre touring with Bob Weir now. Getting paid for anything is always a pain in the neck. I knew right then it was all up to me. Utilize the major scale on common positions of the fretboard using foot pedals. We had a laugh about that. There was a lot of questioning, to be totally honest. One lesson that will aid your set of lap steel guitar lessons nicely is this one from your friends at the National Guitar Academy: Slide Guitar Tuning: The Essential Guide. He began playing guitar and soon added dobro and lap steel. It has a deep, full body sound, with amazing resonance. By the next year, the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. I never thought of it as a career. Every one of the past 30 years has been that busy in the studio, and hes still found time to tour with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, K.D. Greg Leisz Follow Artist + The word "ubiquitous" is usually placed in front of pedal steel player and guitarist Greg Leisz's name. Ive been very fortunate since all my friends and family have remained healthy and fine. Id sometimes listen to the band just to hear the pedal-steel player. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. It was like, Maybe we can put this instrument on this one song. I also played some other stuff on a couple other songs, but the songs didnt make the record. Sometimes, for whatever reason, they just dont use it properly or they bury it in the mix. They were all getting more into roots music. Search Married to Mai Leisz . He showed me the song [River Runs Deep] and pulled out an acoustic guitar. We did a spring leg and a fall leg. I cant really believe it myself. Greg Leisz: Lap Steel Craig Schumacher: Synth Bass John Convertino: Drums, Thunder Drum Brian Lopez: Backing Vocal 3. The Robert Plant / Alison Krauss album was another amazing record. Tunings The Lap steel guitar is not tuned in standard guitar tuning ( E-A-D-G-B-E, low to high). I really liked that project. Lovely conversation with this music legend. Some of you may know about Gaby Moreno. your profile | join | preferences | help | search. Later, I did play on a James Iha solo album [Let It Come Down] that Jim Scott produced. Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46, The greatest musical hands in the world, now on CD! I already knew it and I came out of the Sixties and had a folkie background and could understand that stuff. My understanding is he uses a '66 bolt-on push/pull for most of his studio work. I hope I didn't make a fool of myself. I was drawn to the records that I guess now we talk about as folk-rock or country-rock and I kind of got pulled into the pedal steel through that music, through hearing it on the records that I liked. It is very versatile and there is a lot of learning material available online. If youre interested in diving deeper into playing chords and scales on E9 pedal steel, check out these guides, Learn the chords on the E9 neck in a way that makes playing simple and enjoyable. I didnt really see myself in the picture. The best way for me to do that was, I felt, I needed to play music, not sit around and wait for something to happen. I tended to gravitate towards jobs where I didnt have to be around a lot of people. And it was a cool thing to get to do that. I was going, Oh, shit. Starting in 1986 or so, your credits list gets insane pretty quick. Watch this gear and we'll notify you if it becomes available again. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Their collaboration led to Leisz producing several of Alvin's albums, including King of California, Black Jack David, Ashgrove, and West of the West. If someone asked me for my phone number, Id gladly give it to them and write it on a piece of paper. He uses phosphor bronze light strings and tunes to open D (D A D F# A D). But I played on a song with Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson. Its pretty interesting. produced by Lee Townsend recording and mixing engineer: Judy Clapp. I saw Rosie play in San Francisco a couple years ago - she was great! And the Japanese version has a bonus track thats almost a pedal-steel instrumental. Leisz single-handedly liberated pedal steel from the bondage of country.. from $995.00 $1,773.00 Sale SOLD 2022 Electro Hawaiian Model 1 Lap Steel Custom $3,900.00 Sold Out Sale 2022-2023 Asher Electro Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel Trans Cherry with Gig Bag! Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46, Powered by Infopop www.infopop.com 2000 While Greg ranges widely stylistically, he can also play excellent straight-ahead country style, as on some of his work with Rosie Flores. s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 - Regal RD45 - fender hotrod deluxe. Getting Started (C6th Hawaiian Tabs)Hawaiian Steel Guitar. I know. Im fully vaccinated, have been for some time. And then I was like, Wow, I can actually play this stuff. Thats just a huge, huge record. Can you bring your 12-string over here to the studio? All Lap Steels 2022-2023 Asher Electro Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel Black with Gig Bag! And so she goes through this whole process where she has these hits and she makes another record and it didnt do well, and the label immediately stopped supporting her. If you have a certain kind of shy disposition, youre usually intimidated because you dont know what to say and you just hope the person that is intimidating wont be intimidating because of something that you say. Theres so many little things that happen when you make records. Wayne Shorter, Jazz Legend Who Collaborated With Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell, Dead at 89 That was fascinating since I spent more time with her and got to see more process. Includes a bonus section of over a hundred pages of extra chord charts, key references, and more! Its not just flavoring. Thanks for checking out this post, hope it is helpful and makes playing more enjoyable! He just sits up there in his golf shirt and jeans and is up there like he just walked out of his house and went down to the local bar and hes onstage playing. It was that tour. I thought, Well, my names in there. Tony Berg is a producer Ive worked with quite a bit. This is a gorgeous Asher Acoustic Hawaiian Teardrop Lap Steel owned and played by Greg Leisz who had been using it for recording and touring with Jackson Browne.