cryptique Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I didn't know about his animation/special effects work. What a talented guy. His name is one I recall seeing in many album credits over the years -- sometimes listed only as "Sneaky Pete." Story Flying Burrito Brothers guitarist dead SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, a steel guitar prodigy who rose to fame as one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers, has died. He was 72. Kleinow, who also worked in film as an award-winning animator and special effects artist, died Saturday at a Petaluma convalescent home near the skilled nursing facility where he had been living with Alzheimer's disease since last year, his daughter Anita Kleinow said. During a musical career that spanned six decades, Kleinow helped define the country-rock genre in the late 1960s and 1970s by taking the instrument he had picked up as a teenager in South Bend, Indiana, to California. His prowess with the pedal steel guitar influenced a generation of rock-and-rollers, including the Eagles, the Steve Miller Band and Poco. Besides co-founding the Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons in 1968, he enjoyed a steady gig as a session musician, recording with such singer-songwriters as John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell and bands as varied as the Bee Gees and Sly and the Family Stone. Kleinow played and recorded regularly with Burrito Deluxe, a band he founded in 2000 following the rebirth of alt-country music and fronted until he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. His last recording with the group is scheduled to be released next month, said Brenda Cline, the band's manager. Kleinow also won acclaim as an animator, special effects artist and director of commercials in television and film. His credits ranged from the original "Gumby" series -- he wrote and performed the theme music as well as designed cartoons -- and the relaunched "The Twilight Zone" to the movies "Under Siege," "Fearless" and "The Empire Strikes Back." He won an Emmy award in 1983 for his work on the miniseries, "The Winds of War." Kleinow is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ernestine, his daughters Anita and Tammy, and three sons, Martin, Aaron and Cosmo. Plans for a memorial service to be held in Joshua Tree later this month are pending. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Really sad....RIP Sneaky Pete....he played in many of the versions of the FBB over the years..... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fortuneinmyhead Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 sad r.i.p. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Damn. He was sooo good on the steel I didn't realize he was from South Bend, or he was married for 54 years! R.I.P. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Wow, that came out of nowhere. He played a wicked solo on "It Just Might Be a One Shot Deal" from Frank Zappa's "Waka/Jawaka" album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Wow, that came out of nowhere. He played a wicked solo on "It Just Might Be a One Shot Deal" from Frank Zappa's "Waka/Jawaka" album.that is one of my all time favorite pedal steel solos ever..... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Basil II Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Wow........Skip Battin,and now Ol' Sneaky Pete Alzheimer's is such a bitch........ -Robert. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nettles Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 A superb player, and from the article it seems there was alot more to him then just that, that's something to be admired. RIP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
muller Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 one of the all time great pedal steel players. a great great shame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anodyne Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 he was an amazing talent and made quite an impact. he was an innovator. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
So Long Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 he was a master of the steel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fritz Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Oh man. A wonderful pedal steel player. In a couple of weeks our band is playing at an alternate country music festival outside Tamworth, Australia. Now I know who to dedicate Sin City to when we play it. Rest in peace, Sneaky Pete. Here he is with Garth Hudson. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Until I read the obit in the Trib this morning I had no clear idea about his involvement in the special effects business. Pretty amazing that the guy had two talents. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 10, 2007 Author Share Posted January 10, 2007 Until I read the obit in the Trib this morning I had no clear idea about his involvement in the special effects business. Pretty amazing that the guy had two talents.So I guess you didn't read my initial post in this thread at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 So I guess you didn't read my initial post in this thread at all. NO, I did, but clearly not carefully enough....sorry... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Willkoman Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Thanks for posting cryptique. I was sad to hear the news but would have been worse off to not hear of all Pete's accomplishments. He was quite a guy. All that talent plus he stayed married to the same woman for 54 years. Truly a successful life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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