Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Before his musical career, 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow worked as a special effects artist and stop motion animator for movies and television. At night, Kleinow would sit in on sessions playing pedal steel guitar, becoming acquainted with Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons of The Byrds, helping the group to replicate their newly country oriented sound onstage with Doug Dillard.

After leaving the Byrds, Parsons and Hillman invited Kleinow to join their new band, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Subsequently, Kleinow left behind his career in visual effects and spent the next thirteen years as a professional musician.

One of the first pedal steel players to work in a rock context, with his style of playing a recognised influence on a myriad of steel players, and in 2000, Kleinow formed a group called Burrito Deluxe with Garth Hudson, formerly of The Band.

Sneaky Pete died at a convalescent home in California early in 2007, after having lived with with Alzheimer's disease since 2006.

Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Shiloh Records Anthology Sneaky Pete Kleinow £10.99