Lhasa Live with Pedal Steel

Daniel Morris · Post by **Daniel Morris** » 21 Jul 2011 3:36 pm

Lhasa de Sala passed away about a year and a half ago.
A Montreal-based singer/songwriter of Mexican and American background, her impassioned songs (in Spanish, English, French) over 3 CDs are now all that's left.
She featured some pedal steel on her recordings.
I just ran across some concert videos, which once again show just how well our instrument can fit into various styles of music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKmo0L1y8tI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTJJoDwlLCs
The website for her is still active - the CDs are superb: http://lhasadesela.com/

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 22 Jul 2011 5:38 am

That is really nice! Bittersweet. Very sad that she passed so young. Thanks for making some of us aware of this artist's beautiful music for the first time!

Is that you on steel Daniel?

BTW, the PSG solo in the first clip with the wooden bar is really a nice touch! All in all, the steel's voice really complimented the music.

Daniel Morris · Post by **Daniel Morris** » 22 Jul 2011 1:31 pm

Always looking for steel in other contexts.

Would that I had had the chance to play for Lhasa.
I'm not sure who's on pedal steel in the videos.
On her first CD, there's only lap steel (Yves Desrosiers), and the second and third discs have pedal steel (Rick Haworth and Joe Grass respectively).

I've used a wooden bar for many years to get a banjo effect, but never used it the way the steeler in the video does.

So much territory to be explored on pedal steel....don't think I'll ever understand the myopic view of some players.

Glad you enjoyed Lhasa's music, Rick. I'd recommend THE LIVING ROAD if you like her style.