The Steel Guitar Forum

The Artistry of Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Knowing what I know now about the difficulty of studio sessions and how hard it can be to immediately find the perfect part or tasty fill to please a nervous producer and artist, these tracks below from the early 70’s featuring Sneaky Pete Kleinow continue to amaze me with their depth of artistry and creativity. Of course, these were recorded in a different era, when freedom of expression was much more encouraged on sessions than it is now; today I dare say there would rarely if ever be an occasion where pedal steel would support a song entirely from the intro on out - and maybe that would seem boring to most casual listeners - but a couple of these tracks below seem to prove otherwise.

Imagine walking into the studio where you don't know anyone there and have never heard these songs before. You set up, get in tune then come up with these parts. For me these are flawless examples of improvising the perfect part to support the song and the singer while under the gun in the recording studio.

Sometimes when I feel I've hit a wall with my steel playing, I turn to Sneaky Pete for inspiration. To me, the depth of his imagination reflects the mind of a truly original artist. These tracks below are as important to me as paintings on a museum wall.

(In order to preserve bandwidth in this area, I've moved these links over to the "Steel On The Web" section as Bob suggested).

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 74#2215374

“Come A Little Closer” Fleetwood Mac

“Take It Easy / Our Lady of the Well” Jackson Browne

“Too Shy To Say” Stevie Wonder

“You Can Almost See It” Linda Ronstadt

Well said. Totally unique, a true treasure. I'd never heard the Fleetwood Mac song, thanks for the links Fish.

I love everything he did on Sandy Denny's "Sandy" record but this one stands out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28zG4ZVgsQM

Little Feat backin-up Sneaky Pete

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y1m5hPXGsc

Keep on Pickin'!

Glenn

@ Fish
From the the first time I heard it I believed that your playing was inspired by Mr. Kleinow on this song by Marshall Crenshaw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPqGt2ZIJRU

Thanks Steve for these links. I just about wore out my copy of the first Linda Ronstadt record, trying to copy Pete's steel parts. Good stuff!

Sneaky Pete is truly unique among steel players.

I think he was the only guy to play steel with Frank Zappa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3expVNVi6Gw

(and Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, etc.)

Wow Marshall Crenshaw. We used to cover Someday, Someway and Whenever You're On My Mind. Very under appreciated talent. Just like Sneaky Pete.

Maybe it's time for a Sneaky Pete tribute album, how 'bout it Steve?

Cartwright: I'd love to hold a Sneaky Pete tribute album in my hands.
I'd volunteer, but my fingers are still worn out from dialing the phone for the Buddy Emmons tribute. Hopefully someone else will step up to the plate and take a swing at the idea.

Joachim: I should pay royalties to the Kleinow estate for "steeling" Sneaky's spirit for "Like A Vague Memory." Sometimes my Fender 400 just takes me into that zone, but the results are always a distant fifth place to Sneaky's musical and tonal brilliance.

I hope more people will post some of their favorite, lesser known Sneaky tracks.
He had his own tuning, his own sound and his own original ideas....a perfect storm.

Oh, I see you used a Fender guitar on that recording, thanks Fish.

ebb-
You got me on that one! I never heard that one and I have a LOT of them. A great touch, unlike any other.

One of my favorites,a remake of the Little Feat tune by Golden Palominos.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fh-9W19da-I
Here is my tribute to Pete on a recent recording by Texan Billy Eli. My 400 is in there if you listen closely,particularly in the last minute or so.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=243iSIegKJ8

The phase-shifted transition between "Take It Easy" and "Our Lady of the Well" is what first hooked me to the pedal steel guitar in the 70's and Pete's playing is the lead-in to my web site. The gratitude that I have to that man is immeasurable.

The phase-shifted transition between "Take It Easy" and "Our Lady of the Well" is what first hooked me to the pedal steel guitar in the 70's and Pete's playing is the lead-in to my web site. The gratitude that I have to that man is immeasurable.

John Cale "Andalucia":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7iLFuapeY8

Fish,
It is not a lesser known track, but I am amazed that you did not revere to it in this topic.
Album Suite Steel; Yesterday; a duet with Buddy Emmons and Sneaky Pete taking turns in playing lead and rythm and showing their totally different approach and yet complimenting each other. You can hear their mutual respect throughout the music. This makes this track priceless for each fan of both players.

BTW I like your playing in Sneaky’s spirit on Buddy Millers albums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDisWRd5A2U
A distant fifth place? no that is to modest, it is only obvious that you admire Sneaky Pete and you do a fine job showing that. So many people are doing the same with Emmons, it only means that those players are an inspiration and not a goal to be equaled.

He was one of a kind...I think the singer in my band (who also plays steel) might be the ultimate fan...he has an about 12x12" tattoo on his back of his Fender steel guitar with angel wings coming off the sides...

K Maul wrote:One of my favorites,a remake of the Little Feat tune by Golden Palominos.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fh-9W19da-I

Here's the original from Little Feat's first album (Sneaky Pete on Steel):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs94a1X9BTA

Pure Kleinow :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CjwjPcM_9w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzgDzTmegr0

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Great post Steve.. Pete was a master craftman of pedal steel.. I get a chuckle these days when I hear from GOOD good steel players, about how the old Fender cable steels are "limited".. Limited my ass, to be perfectly blunt and obnoxious about it.. WE are limited, not the instrument,pete proved that a thousand different times.. He will never have his sound, style, and touch duplicated..He was and is a national treasure, albeit unknown to too many...

here's an old favorite Burritos tune with pete's playing all over it.his 400 sounds almost like glass bells or something on this one, just lovely..

btw, the reason I picked this video out of 5 or 6 on YT will become apparent pretty quickly.. A very young Michelle Phillips .. bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVXL32JW3E

Yes indeed, thanks for the links, Fish. I often try to steer students and steel fans who don't really warm up to "traditional country" toward "The Legend and the Legacy". Every time I listen to those tracks I'm transported. What a monster!

Ultimate fan...Casey James Prestwood....

Yeah, Pete truly was a man alone on a mountaintop. I miss him.
For awhile now Jim Palenscar has had in his store a Fender 400 tuned to Pete's B6 setup...8 or 9 pedals - I forget exactly how many - and a couple levers (Pete had 2, LL & RR).
We've all taken turns sitting at it, and trying to find some of his signature licks. Some are easy to find, most aren't...but it's really humbling to sit at that steel and marvel at how Pete got so much out of it. Everyone ought to try it once...

That guitar now belongs to Greg Leisz