By Joe Sass
"Sneaky" Pete Kleinow of The Flying Burrito Brothers fame passed away on Saturday at the age of 72. Over the past few years, he had been living at a nursing home in Petaluma California suffering from Alzheimers. During an interview with the AP, his daughter Anita Klienow, said, "he was diagnosed about two years ago now and definitely didn't want to be left in a nursing home or anything like that. I think he made it in his head he didn't want to be there and found a way not to be."
Kleinow's steel guitar playing started when he picked up the instrument as a teen in South Bend Indiana. His love for the pedal steel came from listening to Grand Ole Opry broadcasts on the radio. A natural talent, he picked up the instrument quickly and began playing on live radio shows at the age of 16. "It was a God-given talent," Anita said. "He fell in love with it and was immediately expert with it."
Pete's big break came when Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman left the Byrds in 1968 and invited him to join their new band, the Flying Burrito Brothers.
When Pete joined The Flying Burrito brothers, he helped define an era of country rock in the late 60's and early 70's. He was one of the first to take the pedal steel into a rock mode, using a fuzzbox pedal and backwards recording techniques. His influence on guitar players Jerry Garcia of the Dead and Buddy Cage of The New Riders helped to shape their sound.
Quickly, Pete found himself playing as a highly requested session musician for artists like John Lenon Jackson Browne, Frank Zappa, Little Feat, The Steve Miller Band. Stevie Wonder, Sly & the Family Stone, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, and a laundry list of today's leading artists.
In 2000, Kleinow formed a group called Burrito Deluxe with Garth Hudson, former organist of The Band, Carlton Moody of the Moody Brothers on lead vocals and guitars, bassist Jeff "Stick" Davis of Amazing Rhythm Aces and drummer Rick Lonow. The group recorded two albums, Georgia Peach and 'The Whole Enchilada. Kleinow's last performance was at a 2005 Gram Parsons' tribute concert.
Kleinow leaves behind his wife Ernestine, daughters Anita and Tammy, and three sons, Martin, Aaron and Cosmo. Currently the family is working on plans for a memorial service to be held in Joshua Tree. No date has been set.
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