Greg Leisz

Greg Leisz (pronounced "Lease" [1]) is an American multi-instrumentalist, playing lap and pedal steel guitars, guitar, mandolin, and bass. Little known by his own name, his highly respected playing has appeared on recordings by Tiger Army, Bill Frisell, Dave Alvin, Tracy Chapman, the Smashing Pumpkins, Matthew Sweet, the Jayhawks, Beck, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Bruce Cockburn, Wilco, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Peter Case, Joni Mitchell, Whiskeytown, Girish, Bad Religion, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, to name only a few.

Leisz was influenced early on by the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, especially pedal steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow. During the 1970s he was a member of the short-lived and forgotten Funky Kings, created by Arista's Clive Davis to mirror the Eagles' success. The failure of the band convinced him that he would be happier outside of the spotlight. [2] Since then, he has enjoyed a busy career as a sideman.

Two of his closest collaborators are Alvin (formerly of the Blasters), for whom Leisz produced and played on several records, and Frisell, with whom he tours regularly and appeared on the records Good Dog, Happy Man, Blues Dream and The Intercontinentals. Leisz has also worked extensively with Matthew Sweet since the early 1990s.