Iconic pedal steel

[Joel Jackson]

Thanks for humoring me. I appreciate the input.

[Bob Shilling]

Sleepwalk is to the non pedal steel as ________ is to the pedal steel.

"Teach Your Children" for the general public.

"Together Again" for those familiar with country music, but not familiar with the instrument.

[Fred Treece]

Teach doesn’t fill the same bill that Sleepwalk does because it would still be a great song without the pedal steel. But it’s at the top of my list because everyone knows what song it is the instant they hear that opening lick.

[John Larson]

Teach doesn’t fill the same bill that Sleepwalk does because it would still be a great song without the pedal steel. But it’s at the top of my list because everyone knows what song it is the instant they hear that opening lick.

"Fire on the Mountain" by Marshall Tucker Band. The steel makes that song.

[Pete McAvity]

Someone already nominated Gerry Rafferty's Right Down the Line", but Steeler's Wheel's "Stuck In The Middle With You" is a good simple, popular lap example.

[Fred Treece]

I agree with you 100%, John Larson.
We’re steel players. We could give 100 examples where the pedal steel makes the song

[Roger Rettig]

I had intended to resist the temptation to participate but, as practice isn't going so well , here are my favourites (out of the country mainstream).

Two tracks by Steely Dan really resonated with me just as I'd acquired my first steel. One was 'Pearl of the Quarter' and the other, the exquisite 'Razor Boy'.

Skunk Baxter played perfect steel parts on both songs.

PS: I don't think 'Sleepwalk' has a PSG counterpart. That was a once-in-a-generation fluke and a melody that spoke to the teen angst of the day, haunting, like '(Theme to) A Summer Place' with a similar poignancy.

There was some pretty good music around then.

[scott murray]

I've been stumped trying to think of songs with obvious knee lever changes as requested in the original post...

then I remembered that Tammy Wynette's D-I-V-O-R-C-E was the first to use the E>F raise, played by Lloyd Green.

it's also been said that Pete Drake would sometimes add a particular change on a song just to make it special. I don't know of any specific examples but perhaps his "iconic" intro and turnaround on Tammy's Apartment #9 was one? it's certainly unique and probably my favorite thing he ever did

[John Larson]

Pete Drake would sometimes add a particular change on a song just to make it special. I don't know of any specific examples but perhaps his "iconic" intro and turnaround on Tammy's Apartment #9 was one? it's certainly unique and probably my favorite thing he ever did

Apt. No. 9 is one of the most beautiful steel intros ever, absolutely gorgeous. His playing for Dylan, George Harrison, and David Allan Coe's 70s albums stands the test of time as well.