Greg Leisz


Gregory Brian Leisz is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo, lap steel and pedal steel guitar.

Biography

Leisz was born, in Buffalo, New York, on September 18, 1949. He grew up in the garage band culture of mid-1960s Southern California. He spent time at the Ash Grove, The Troubador, and clubs on the Sunset Strip. He began playing guitar and soon added dobro and lap steel, inspired to pick up the pedal steel after hearing Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Buddy Emmons. In 1975, he toured with John Stewart. He was a member of Funky Kings who released their eponymous debut album on Arista Records in 1976.
In 1987, Leisz began working with Dave Alvin. Their collaboration led to Leisz producing several of Alvin's albums, including King of California, Black Jack David, Ashgrove, and West of the West. In 1989, he played on k.d. lang's Grammy-winning Absolute Torch and Twang and joined her on the resulting tour. For the next eighteen years he toured with Lang and recorded with her, including her album Ingenue. Starting the early 1990s, he worked often with Matthew Sweet, played on Sweet's album Girlfriend and toured with him.
In January 2008, Leisz joined the group Works Progress Administration, a band composed of Leisz, Sean Watkins, his sister Sara Watkins, Glen Phillips, Benmont Tench, Luke Bulla, Pete Thomas, and Davey Faragher. The group released their debut album, WPA, on September 15, 2009.
In 2010 and 2011, Leisz toured with Ray LaMontagne as a member of his backing band, The Pariah Dogs. He toured in 2013 as a member of Eric Clapton's band, in 2015 as a member of Jackson Browne's band, and again in 2017. He appeared in the 2016 Cameron Crowe cable television series Roadies, accompanying Jackson Browne on three songs in the last episode of the series.
Leisz played mandolin on the mid-2021 Bob Dylan recordings of "Blowin' in the Wind," "Masters of War," "The Times They Are A-Changin' (song)," "Simple Twist of Fate," "Gotta Serve Somebody," and "Not Dark Yet" produced by T-Bone Burnett and recorded and mixed by Michael Piersante for a one-time sale as Ionic Originals.
Greg married Estonian musician Mai Leisz in April 2018.

Awards

In 2010, Leisz was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist by the Americana Music Association.
In 2011 he received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for his contributions to Ray LaMontagne's album God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise.

Discography

As sideman

With Ryan AdamsDemolition Love Is Hell Ashes & Fire
With Amy AllisonSad Girl Sheffield Streets
With The BanglesDoll Revolution Sweetheart of the Sun
With BeckOdelay Mutations Morning Phase
With Jackson BrowneThe Naked Ride Home Standing in the Breach Downhill from Everywhere
With Peter CaseTorn Again Full Service No Waiting Flying Saucer Blues Who's Gonna Go Your Crooked Mile?
With Eric ClaptonClapton Old Sock
With Joe CockerOrganic Hymn for My Soul
With Holly ColeDark Dear Heart Night
With Paula ColeThis Fire Amen Courage
With A. J. CroceAdrian James Croce Cage of Muses
With David CrosbySky Trails For Free
With Marshall CrenshawLife's Too Short Miracle of Science 447 What's In The Bag? Jaggedland
With Shawn ColvinFat City These Four Walls
With Sheryl CrowThe Globe Sessions Wildflower
With Grey DeLisleHomewrecker The Graceful Ghost Iron Flowers
With Don FelderRoad to Forever American Rock 'n' Roll
With John FogertyThe Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again Wrote a Song for Everyone
With Bill FrisellHappy Man Blues Dream The Intercontinentals Disfarmer All We Are Saying Guitar in the Space Age!
With Amy GrantBehind the Eyes Somewhere Down the Road
With HaimDays Are Gone Something to Tell You
With John Wesley HardingWhy We Fight John Wesley Harding's New Deal
With Natalie HembyPuxico Pins and Needles
With Joe HenryCivilians Invisible Hour
With Missy HigginsThe Sound of White On a Clear Night
With Mark KnopflerOne Deep River
With Miranda LambertRevolution Four the Record Platinum
With k.d. langShadowland Absolute Torch and Twang Ingénue Drag Invincible Summer Watershed
With Amos LeeSupply and Demand Last Days at the Lodge Mission Bell As the Crow Flies My New Moon Transmissions
With Charles LloydI Long to See You Vanished Gardens featuring Lucinda Williams
With Jim LauderdalePretty Close to the Truth Every Second Counts
With John MayerHeavier Things Born and Raised The Search for Everything Sob Rock
With Shannon McNallyJukebox Sparrows Geronimo
With Joni MitchellTurbulent Indigo Taming the Tiger Shine
With Keb' Mo'The Door Big Wide Grin Suitcase
With The MurmursPristine Smut Blender
With Willie NelsonThe Great Divide Heroes
With Aaron NevilleI Know I've Been Changed My True Story
With Randy NewmanBad Love Harps and Angels
With Mark OlsonMy Own Jo Ellen The Salvation Blues
With Judith OwenLost And Found Somebody's Child
With Sam PhillipsOmnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop) Cameras in the Sky
With Chuck ProphetBalinese Dancer Homemade Blood No Other Love ¡Let Freedom Ring!
With Bonnie RaittSlipstream Dig In Deep
With Carrie RodriguezSeven Angels on a Bicycle Love and Circumstance
With Vonda ShepardIt's Good Eve By 7:30 From the Sun
With Bruce SpringsteenWrecking Ball Western Stars
With Barbra StreisandThe Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two
With Matthew SweetGirlfriend 100% Fun In Reverse Kimi Ga Suki Living Things Sunshine Lies
With Matthew Sweet and Susanna HoffsUnder the Covers, Vol. 1 Under the Covers, Vol. 2
With SYMLNobody Lives Here
With Teddy ThompsonTeddy Thompson Upfront & Down Low
With Tiger ArmyTiger Army V •••–
With St. VincentMasseduction Daddy's Home
With Loudon Wainwright IIIHere Come the Choppers Recovery
With Rufus WainwrightUnfollow the Rules Folkocracy
With Gillian WelchRevival Soul Journey
With Jennifer WarnesThe Well Another Time, Another Place
With Lucinda WilliamsCar Wheels on a Gravel Road Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone The Ghosts of Highway 20
With Robbie WilliamsEscapology Intensive Care
With Victoria WilliamsLoose Musings of a Creek Dipper Water to Drink
With Brian WilsonImagination Gettin' In Over My Head
With Wolf BrosLive in Colorado

With others