"Mellow" pedal steel (recent) music recommendations

Alec Martin · Post by **Alec Martin** » 19 Apr 2023 5:51 pm

Hey y'all, I've been reading from the forum for a while but this is my first post - not a pedal steel player (yet), but a huge fan and loving gleaning from the conversations on this forum. Thus, I don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but I'm looking for some pedal steel music recommendations for a very certain style/vibe, particularly from (~smaller acts from) the last 10 years or so. I really enjoy Indie folk or chill Americana (or whatever genre-term you want to label it with), along the lines of the songs below:

The is the main group for calm/chill/quiet/mellow/relaxing kind of vibe (hooray for running up search keywords).
Parlor Hawk - Every Bone
South San Gabriel - This Rookie Runs
Red House Painters - Song For A Blue Guitar
Will Johnson - Hatteras
Relic Quarry - Angel Light
The Decemberists - Clementine
Itasca - No Consequences
Sera Cahoone - You're Not Broken

These are a similar vibe but a bit more upbeat:
Mipso - Coming Down the Mountain
Blitzen Trapper - Taking It Easy Too Long
Vetiver - Busted
Watchhouse (aka Mandolin Orange) - Wildfire
First Aid Kit - Emmylou
Son Volt - Anodyne, Creosote
Dylan LeBlanc - LOW

The (~sonic) themes broadly stated are "nostalgic", "wistful" or "lonesome" pedal steel tones in a folk/indie/acoustic context - stuff that probably isn't very challenging to play, but tugs at the heartstrings to hear; really sweeping and melodic.
I'm not per se looking for country or bluegrass (though I am a fan of both, just not on the lookout for that specifically here - maybe if its on the more indie side?), and generally speaking I really like it when the vocals are tucked back a bit and/or reverb'd, such that the pedal steel feels like a co-vocalist, if that makes sense. I'm not pedal-steel restrictive either - lap steel or what-have-you is fine too, so long as it hits that nostalgic tone.

I've done some hunting around by looking for other albums that the pedal steel players from these albums (Ricky Ray Jackson, Matt Stoessel, Dylan Schorer, Paul Brainard, Eric Heywood, Greg Leisz, Russ Pahl, Bog Egan, Melvin Duffy, etc.) have also played on, which has proved fruitful but I'm now scratching the bottom of the barrel and think I need some new leads (which partially why I'm especially wondering about smaller acts from the last ~10 years or so that I probably won't run into myself very easily).

At the very least, maybe there's some good tunes in here for others to see later.
Thanks in advance for your help!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 20 Apr 2023 6:28 am

I would recommend Since by Richard Buckner, which has Eric Heywood.
Also wanted to add Full Service No Waiting by Peter Case which features some great playing by Greg Leisz.

Jeff Phunmongkol · Post by **Jeff Phunmongkol** » 20 Apr 2023 7:48 am

Hi Alec

Here are some current recommendations! (90% sure on the credits/players but please correct me if I'm wrong):

- Teddy and the Rough Riders (Luke Schneider on the recordings)
- Sylvie (Conor Catfish Gallaher)
- Caravan 222 (Tyler English)
- Dougie Poole's Rainbow Wheels of Death (Jack McLoughlin)
- Mapache - handful of their songs feature Dan Horne on steel

Jon Catfish Delorme also plays with The Nude Party.

Lots of cool music and players out there!

Alec Martin · Post by **Alec Martin** » 20 Apr 2023 9:44 pm

Thanks for those recommendations Mike - gotta love Eric Heywood and Greig Leisz!
Jeff, these are some great leads - a couple of those players I had not heard of before, and Slyvie and Caravan 222 both sound great! Mapache I had run across before but need to go through more thoroughly - thank you for this!

Please keep them coming y'all!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 20 Apr 2023 10:30 pm

Just about anything from Bruce Kaphan.

Alec Martin · Post by **Alec Martin** » 25 Apr 2023 9:37 pm

Ah yes, Bruce's work with REM and Red House Painters is well known to me - looks like he hasn't done too much in the last decade though? I've heard 2019's Blue Pacific by Victor Krummenacher, which has some pedal steel from him that sounds great though.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 26 Apr 2023 6:21 am

Bruce has a few solo steel CD's out. Check out his "Pelican Dreams" or "Slider" CD.

Alec Martin · Post by **Alec Martin** » 26 Apr 2023 10:19 pm

Oh I meant non-solo work he recorded in the last 10 years, but those are great albums too!
I should mention for the record here as well that I was recently set on to Curt Shoemaker's (lovely) solo pedal steel work as well - that's another great touchstone for the style I'm looking for featured by upcoming artists of the last decade or so.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 8 May 2023 12:37 am

Our own Gary Peters:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=391018

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 8 May 2023 7:43 am

Steelism might be worthwhile. Spencer Cullum Jr. keeps pretty busy.

Maggie Björklund is a Danish steel player with some interesting music.

The band Suss from NYC features Jonathan Gregg on pedal steel.

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 9 May 2023 12:24 pm

Here's a track I did a few years ago with Anders Parker. Kinda fits the vibe of the style you're talking about. The pitch shifting effect is from an eventide pitchfactor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIOl6sAYEG0