Greg Leisz

Born:: We're not sure when. We do know he's American.
Birthname:: We're not sure - tell us?
Snapshot:: A member of 1 group, and credited 20 times on others' music. 20 collaborations.

Greg Leisz is an American multi-instrumentalist, playing lap and pedal steel guitars, guitar, mandolin, and bass. Little known by his own name, his playing has appeared on recordings by Tiger Army, Bill Frisell, Dave Alvin, Tracy Chapman, The Smashing Pumpkins, Paula Cole, Matthew Sweet, The Jayhawks, Beck, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Bruce Cockburn, Wilco, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Peter Case, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Whiskeytown, Girish, Bad Religion, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Cass McCombs, John Fogerty, Natalie D-Napoleon, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, to name only a few. Leisz can also be heard on Avenged Sevenfold's 2007 self titled album on the tracks "Gunslinger" and "Dear God". He is credited on Amos Lee's as Greg Liesz.

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. Since then, he has enjoyed a busy career as a sideman. In 2008, he participated in the production of the album Psalngs the debut release of Canadian musician John Lefebvre.

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.

In January 2008, it was reported by Billboard that a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls had formed. The octet has since been renamed Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) and is composed of Leisz, Sean Watkins (guitar), his sister Sara Watkins (fiddle), Glen Phillips (guitar, vocals), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). The group released their debut album, WPA, September 15th 2009.

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