songs with steel guitar

You'll find great steel guitar on a lot of authentic Hawaiian music, such as this:

 

Dwight Yoakam's album from 2001 - "Tomorrow's Sounds Today" has some wonderful steel from Gary Morse on it.

"What Do You Know About Love" is a great song. (look for that one on YouTube; i'd post it but i'm at work)

If you like old-fashioned honky-tonk music, this is a 5 star album.

His best album since "Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room".

 

Son Volt - especially the first two albums. Then sporadically thereafter, notably on their great song Methamphetamine, from the album The Search.

This is a band more in line with your listings of contemporary alt-country/Americana.

 

Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou" has a killer steel guitar solo in the middle.
"Look at Us" - by Vince Gill, has one of my favorite steel performances.

 

The entire HANK WILSON lp/cd is pretty fantastic. You are right though, that track does stand out.

The period with Cindy Cashdollar is pretty good too. The first Bob Wills tribute features her. The track MISERY with Marty Stuart features a great steel guitar throughout.

 

"Flight 602" by Chicago (from the 1973 album "Chicago VI")

The steel guitar was performed by their versatile guitarist none other than Terry Kath.

 

American Music Club: Everclear. Although Bruce played pedal steel on two tracks on California also, and on Mercury and San Francisco, but you can't hear him very much on the last two records due to the production.

 

Todd Rundgren--Piss Aaron from Something/Anything

 

anything by Bruce Kaphan!
instrumental tracks featuring pedal steel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kn386fP38A

as well - Kaphan's "High Desert" from "Ambient Excursions" is gorgeous.


also - "South City Midnight Woman" from "The Captain and Me".
Brothers Doobie featuring Skunk Baxter(?) on steel.

 

Haven't seen it mentioned--

The wonderful WPA with the great Greg Leisz.

http://www.wpamusic.com/

 

With the examples you gave I'm surprised no one has mentioned the newer Decemberists album yet.

My vote is for something completely different. The amazing Luke Vibert recorded an entire album with BJ Cole a while back titled Stop The Panic. Very cool electronic/trip-hop/drum n bass record with pedal steel all over it. I'm going off memory but I think the album starts with a sample of Roy Clark talking on an episode of Hee-Haw.

 

Sally G by the Wings

 

There is a Joni Mitchell live DVD called Painting With Words and Music that features her with a bassist, drummer, and guitarist/steel guitarist that is excellent. Also the Frank Zappa album Waka/Jawaka features Sneaky Pete Kleinow on pedal steel.

 

And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' - Michael Nesmith (Just Mike on acoustic and the amazing Red Rhodes on pedal steel)

If you want something recent and that may get the chance to see live, then Richmond Fontaine are the band for you; in particular, the album Winnemucca is drenched in Paul Brainard's pedal steel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rqXWPpGc4k&feature=related


I'm not one for "You Tube comments" as a rule but I felt that this was real sweet and I can see what the poster means...

I come from Galway in Ireland and I discovered what my Rock 'n' roll is after seeing Richmond Fontaine play here one night. I felt i finally got it somehow after seeing them. Not completely, but i began to understand what Rock 'n' roll could mean.The sound was real,spectral, and i was moved at how humble they were and how generous they were with their music and their thanks to the crowd. The music "industry" needs more bands like Richmond Fontaine



Oh, and if you want to hear a full orchestra of steel guitars, try to hear Mickey Newbury's Frisco Mabel Joy.

 

What songs/albums/bands do you enjoy that have steel guitar?

"Jenny" - Chicago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Ai67E6yz0

 

Matthew Sweet - "Your Sweet Voice" and "Winona", both on Girlfriend. Greg Leisz there too, I believe.

 

Here's a little sample of that Luke Vibert & MJ Cole album I mentioned a few posts back.

Luke Vibert & MJ Cole - Intro & Swing Lite - Alright

 

Clapton playing some Dobro on '461 Ocean Blvd'.

Clapton playing some more Dobro on 'Rough Mix'.

 

Most of Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection and some of Madman Across the Water LPs.

 

Here's my pedal/lap playlist, a mix of country and indie/rock (including a few mentioned in the thread) with the guitarists in brackets (if known, and hopefully correct):

I Should Never Have Let You Know - Matthew Sweet (Greg Leisz)
New Country - Beachwood Sparks (Dave Scher)
Good Year For The Roses - Elvis Costello (John McFee)
Gone For Good - The Shins
That's All It Took - Gram Parsons (Buddy Emmons)
Sleepy - Handsome Family (Dave Gutierrez)
Golden - My Morning Jacket
Unsatisfied - Replacements (Paul Westerberg)
Big Gay Heart - Lemonheads (Sneaky Pete Kleinow)
Albuquerque - Neil Young (Ben Keith)
Labelled with Love - Squeeze
Among the Living - The Thorns (Greg Leisz)
Pearl of the Quarter - Steely Dan (Skunk Baxter)
Darlin' - Richard Hawley (Richard Hawley?)
Willin' - Little Feat (Sneaky Pete)
Piss Aaron - Todd Rundgren (Ben Keith)
Calico Girlfriend - Mike Nesmith (Red Rhodes)
Louisiana Rain - Tom Petty (Mike Campbell?)
Jesus Gave Love Away For Free - Manassas (Al Perkins)
Sugar Magnolia - Grateful Dead (Jerry Garcia)
Satisfied - Hal
Firefly - American Music Club (Bruce Kaphan)
Yesterday's Train - The Byrds (Sneaky again)
I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You) - Hank Williams (Don Helms)
What's Made Milwaukee Famous - Jerry Lee Lewis (Lloyd Green)
Far Away Eyes - Stones (Ron Wood)
The Archetypal Man - Judee Sill (Buddy Emmons?)
The Distance from Her to There - Lambchop (Paul Niehaus)
Killing The Blues - Plant & Krauss (Greg Leisz)
How Cruel - Kingsbury Manx (Jerry Kee?)
Just Be Simple - Songs:Ohia (Mike Brenner)
No Lonesome Tune - Townes van Zandt (Rocky Hill?)
No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine - Dillard & Clark (Sneaky Pete)
Say You Miss Me - Wilco (Greg Leisz)

 

"Wheatfield Lady" John Stewart off The Phoenix Concerts cd/lp (Dangerous Dan Dugmore)

 

+1 Especial Junior Brown. Some fine steel playing on Guit-Steel Blues from the album 'Guit With It'.

 

One of my favorites

Link Wray - Tucson Arizona