"Sneaky Pete" Kleinow & Burrito Deluxe (live)

[LPJim]

While in Nashville last Thursday night I had a fun evening checking out Pedal Steel Guitar Great "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow with his new band, Burrito Deluxe. They played an early show at the Mercy Lounge.

Pete is a founding member of A&M's Flying Buritto Brothers, a prolific sessions player and a visual effects artist as well. Burrito Deluxe also includes Carlton Moody (guitar, mandolin, singer - front man of The Moody Brothers gospel act), Jeff "Stick" Davis (bass, formerly of The Amazing Rhythm Aces), Rick Lonow (drummer, worked with Johnny Cash & June Carter), and Richard Bell (keyboard -- formerly of Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band).

Conspicuously absent was Garth Hudson (organ/synth), formerly of The Band.

The place was well packed for the lively and sometimes mellow country-rock set, which included many cuts from their 2004 release, THE WHOLE ENCHILADA. They're slated to issue a new disc next year and some sample 4-song EPs were given out at the show. I was lucky to obtain one and look forward to the finished product.

Here's what they played:

Wheels ---- a track from GILDED PALACE OF SIN (SP 4175)
Streets of Baltimore
You Got Gold
Memphis Money
Woman Like You
Zydeco Ball --- 4 trax from "ENCHILADA"
The Weight -- The Band classic
The Letter --- Box Tops cover
Sun Will Rise

Mr. Kleinow's daughter assisted us in getting backstage, where we met everyone and did the autograph/photo opp thing. He mentioned what great fun they all had at the A&M lot way back when, especially doing the session work for the JOHN BRADEN album (SP 4172). There's a lot of Pete's pedal steel work to be heard there.

While he's not sure of Braden's whereabouts he's been in touch with FBB Veteran Chris Ethridge, who lives in Mississippi. Chris Hillman is still musically active and played in Nashville earlier this year.

Be sure to check out Buritto Deluxe when they do a club date near you and give THE WHOLE ENCHILADA a spin.

JB


www.pkleinow.addr.com

www.burritodeluxe.com

 

[Dave]

...Especially doing the session work for the JOHN BRADEN album (SP 4172); there's a lot of Pete's pedal-steel work to be heard there...

...Add artists like John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Bee-Gee's, Neil Sedaka and even Kenny Nolan, as well as Olivia Newton-John to the (long) list of artists whose albums "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow has played on... I'm sure I had an issue of Guitar Player which featured a Full and Detailed-Interview of this Legendary-Native of West Bend, Indiana...

"And WHO brought-up Braden...???!!!" :bigevil: Yes, that album WAS a "Showcase" of Pete's Best Work!!!!


Dave

 

[spanky1]

As a longtime Amazing Rhythm Aces fan, I was somewhat surprised when Stick's name came up on the A&M Corner site.

Any idea what happened to Stick and his departure from the aces? He was one of the originals of the group, and was, no doubt, instrumental in their getting back together after a 10+ year hiatus. Also, session ace, James Hooker departed a while before Stick. Any ideas? Couldn't they co-exist with Russell Smith?

Michael H.

 

[Dave]

The Pedal Steel is actually versatile enough that a multitude can be recorded and actually resemble a String Section; the late-Mickey Newbury is actually one-such artist who had a number of Pedal Steels (along with Electric Guitars) recorded as Interludes to some of the songs on some of his albums... (dubbed as "The Nash Philharmonic")

John Braden's "Song For Raymondo" on his A&M album, A&M SP 4172 had "Sneaky" Pete play more-than-one Steel there, too... Funny how the Steel Guitar originated in Hawaii and quickly became one of the most-used and common Country Music instruments (as well as some other genres) still today...

And Santo and Johnny made a lot of instrumentals (long after "Sleepwalk" even) dominated by that instrument... Still can't figure out why it's even called a "steel" as it's built like ordinary guitars--with wood...



Dave

 

[Mr Bill]

Still can't figure out why it's even called a "steel" as it's built like ordinary guitars--with wood...

I'm told it's because:
a) the bar you slide on the strings is made of steel and
b) it uses solid metal (not necessarily "steel" I suppose) strings becuase the slide would "buzz" as it moved along a coiled string (like the first three strings on a standard guitar
c) It can also be said that the mechanisms (pedals, rods, sometimes even the supports, etc) are not made of wood...

--Mr Bill

 

[Dave]

...I'm told it's because...:

...It can also be said that the mechanisms (pedals, rods, sometimes even the supports, etc.) are not made of wood...

OK, I guess I'm pretty convinced that it's NINETY-PERCENT STEEL; enough VS. Wood that that's why it's called a...!!



Dave

 

[LPJim]

Your bringing this thread back to life reminded me it's about time for Buritto Deluxe to release that follow-up album they were promoting at the show. The sample EP is quite good.
JB

 

[Dave]

Look at the back of that John Braden album, and I think Richard Bell's name appears there, too, actually! Did you ask HIM about Braden's where-abouts? I'm sure he played keyboards and even guitar on A&M SP 4172...!



Dave

 

[AM Matt]

I thought that "Sneaky Pete" was the late Pete Ham of Badfinger!! Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Dave]

...I thought that "Sneaky Pete" was the late-Pete Ham of Badfinger...!!

No, luckily they are two different people... Though I have to say, I equated the Slide Guitar heard on "Day After Day" with Kleinow's Pedal Steel, but I really doubt that it's him there...

I remember a recent Fairport Convention album (or maybe it was just Sandy Denny) that "Sneaky" Pete appeared on... (as the only American musician in that British group)



Dave