(Gregory Brian
Leisz)
Compositor, intèrpret i
productor
Instruments: Lap steel,
guitarra pedal steel, guitarra, dobro, mandolina, banjo
Gèneres: Rock, folk,
country, pop, jazz, blues, acústico
Naixement: 18 de setembre de 1949 a
Buffalo, Nova York, EUA.
Leisz
va néixer a Buffalo, Nova York, el 18 de setembre de 1949. Va créixer en la
cultura de les bandes de garatge del sud de Califòrnia a mitjans dels anys
seixanta. Va passar temps a l'Ash Grove, The Troubador i als clubs del Sunset
Strip. Va començar a tocar la guitarra i aviat va afegir el dobro i el lap
steel, inspirat per aprendre el pedal steel després d'escoltar Sneaky Pete
Kleinow i Buddy Emmons. El 1975, va fer una gira amb John Stewart (anteriorment
de The Kingston Trio). Va ser membre de Funky Kings, que va publicar el seu
àlbum de debut homònim amb Arista Records el 1976.
El
1987, Leisz va començar a treballar amb Dave Alvin (anteriorment de The
Blasters). La seva col·laboració va portar a Leisz a produir diversos àlbums
d'Alvin, inclosos King of California, Black Jack David, Ashgrove i West of the
West. El 1989, va tocar als àlbums guanyadors d'un Grammy, Absolute Torch i
Twang, de k.d. lang, i es va unir a ella a la gira resultant. Durant els
següents divuit anys va fer gires amb Lang i va gravar amb ella, inclòs el seu
àlbum Ingenue. A principis dels anys noranta, va treballar sovint amb Matthew
Sweet, va tocar a l'àlbum Girlfriend de Sweet i va fer gires amb ell.
El
gener de 2008, Leisz es va unir al grup Works Progress Administration, una
banda composta per Leisz, Sean Watkins (guitarra), la seva germana Sara Watkins
(violí), Glen Phillips (guitarra, veu), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla
(violí), Pete Thomas (bateria) i Davey Faragher (baix). El grup va publicar el
seu àlbum debut, WPA, el 15 de setembre de 2009.
El
2010 i el 2011, Leisz va fer gires amb Ray LaMontagne com a membre de la seva
banda de suport, The Pariah Dogs. Va fer una gira el 2013 com a membre de la
banda d'Eric Clapton, el 2015 com a membre de la banda de Jackson Browne i de
nou el 2017. Va aparèixer a la sèrie de televisió per cable Roadies de Cameron
Crowe del 2016, acompanyant Jackson Browne en tres cançons a l'últim episodi de
la sèrie.
Leisz
va tocar la mandolina a les gravacions de Bob Dylan de mitjans del 2021 de
"Blowin' in the Wind", "Masters of War", "The Times
They Are A-Changin' (cançó)", "Simple Twist of Fate",
"Gotta Serve Somebody" i "Not Dark Yet", produïdes per
T-Bone Burnett i enregistrades i mesclades per Michael Piersante per a una
venda única com a Ionic Originals.
Greg
es va casar amb la música estoniana Mai Leisz l'abril de 2018.
El
2010, Leisz va rebre el Premi a la Trajectòria com a Instrumentista per part de
l'Americana Music Association.
El
2011 va rebre un premi Grammy al millor àlbum de folk contemporani per les
seves contribucions a l'àlbum God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise (2010) de
Ray LaMontagne.
Enregistraments amb “Ryan Adams”
Demolition
(Lost Highway, 2002)
Love
Is Hell (Lost Highway, 2004)
Ashes
& Fire (Capitol, 2011)
Enregistraments amb “Amy Allison”
Sad
Girl (Diesel Only, 2001)
Sheffield
Streets (Urban Myth, 2009)
Enregistraments amb “The Bangles”
Doll
Revolution (E1 Music, 2003)
Sweetheart
of the Sun (Model Music Group, 2011)
Enregistraments amb “Beck”
Odelay
(DGC, 1996)
Mutations
(DGC, 1998)
Morning
Phase (Capitol, 2014)
Enregistraments amb “Jackson Browne”
The
Naked Ride Home (Elektra, 2002)
Standing
in the Breach (Inside Recordings, 2014)
Downhill
from Everywhere (Inside Recordings, 2021)
Enregistraments amb “Peter Case”
Torn
Again (Vanguard, 1995)
Full
Service No Waiting (Vanguard, 1998)
Flying
Saucer Blues (Vanguard, 2000)
Who's
Gonna Go Your Crooked Mile? (Vanguard, 2004)
Enregistraments amb “Eric Clapton”
Clapton
(Reprise, 2010)
Old
Sock (Surfdog, 2013)
Enregistraments amb “Joe Cocker”
Organic
(550 Music, 1996)
Hymn
for My Soul (EMI, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “Holly Cole”
Dark
Dear Heart (Alert, 1997)
Night
(Universal Music, 2012)
Enregistraments amb “Paula Cole”
This
Fire (Imago, 1996)
Amen
(Imago, 1999)
Courage
(Decca, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “A. J. Croce”
Adrian
James Croce (Seedling, 2004)
Cage
of Muses (Seidling, 2009)
Enregistraments amb “David Crosby”
Sky
Trails (BMG, 2017)
For
Free (BMG, 2021)
Enregistraments amb “Marshall Crenshaw”
Life's
Too Short (MCA Records, 1991)
Miracle
of Science (Razor & Tie, 1996)
447
(Razor & Tie, 1999)
What's
In The Bag? (Razor & Tie, 2003)
Jaggedland
(429 Records, 2009)
Enregistraments amb “Shawn Colvin”
Fat
City (Columbia, 1992)
These
Four Walls (Nonesuch, 2006)
Enregistraments amb “Sheryl Crow”
The
Globe Sessions (A&M, 1998)
Wildflower
(A&M, 2005)
Enregistraments amb “Grey DeLisle”
Homewrecker
(Humminbird, 2002)
The
Graceful Ghost (Sugar Hill, 2004)
Iron
Flowers (Sugar Hill, 2005)
Enregistraments amb “Don Felder”
Road
to Forever (Top Ten, 2012)
American
Rock 'n' Roll (BMG, 2019)
Enregistraments amb “John Fogerty”
The
Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (Fortunate Son, 2009)
Wrote
a Song for Everyone (Vanguard Records, 2013)
Enregistraments amb “Bill Frisell”
Good
Dog, Happy Man (Nonesuch, 1999)
Blues
Dream (Nonesuch, 2001)
The
Intercontinentals (Nonesuch, 2003)
Disfarmer
(Nonesuch, 2009)
All
We Are Saying (Savoy Jazz, 2011)
Guitar
in the Space Age! (OKeh, 2014)
Enregistraments amb “Amy Grant”
Behind
the Eyes (A&M, 1997)
Somewhere
Down the Road (Sparrow, 2010)
Enregistraments amb “Haim”
Days
Are Gone (Polydor, 2013)
Something
to Tell You (Columbia, 2017)
Enregistraments amb “John Wesley
Harding”
Why
We Fight (Sire, 1992)
John
Wesley Harding's New Deal (Forward, 1996)
Enregistraments amb “Natalie Hemby”
Puxico
(GetWrucke, 2017)
Pins
and Needles (Fantasy, 2021)
Enregistraments amb “Joe Henry”
Civilians
(ANTI, 2007)
Invisible
Hour (ANTI, 2014)
Enregistraments amb “Missy Higgins”
The
Sound of White (Eleven, 2004)
On
a Clear Night (Eleven, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “Mark Knopfler”
One
Deep River (EMI, 2024)
Enregistraments amb “Miranda Lambert”
Revolution
(Columbia Records, 2009)
Four
the Record (RCA Records, 2011)
Platinum
(RCA Records, 2014)
Enregistraments amb “k.d. lang”
Shadowland
(Sire Records, 1988)
Absolute
Torch and Twang (Warner Bros. Records, 1989)
Ingénue
(Warner Bros. Records, 1992)
Drag
(Warner Bros. Records, 1997)
Invincible
Summer (Warner Bros. Records, 2000)
Watershed
(Nonesuch Records, 2008)
Enregistraments amb “Amos Lee”
Supply
and Demand (Blue Note Records, 2006)
Last
Days at the Lodge (Blue Note Records, 2008)
Mission
Bell (Blue Note Records, 2011)
As
the Crow Flies (Blue Note Records, 2012)
My
New Moon (Dualtone Records, 2018)
Transmissions
(Hoagiemouth Records, 2024)
Enregistraments amb “Charles Lloyd”
I
Long to See You (Blue Note, 2016)
Vanished
Gardens (Blue Note, 2018) featuring Lucinda Williams
Enregistraments amb “Jim Lauderdale”
Pretty
Close to the Truth (Atlantic Records, 1994)
Every
Second Counts (Atlantic Records, 1995)
Enregistraments amb “John Mayer”
Heavier
Things (Aware Records, 2003)
Born
and Raised (Columbia Records, 2012)
The
Search for Everything (Columbia Records, 2017)
Sob
Rock (Columbia Records, 2021)
Enregistraments amb “Shannon McNally”
Jukebox
Sparrows (Capitol Records, 2002)
Geronimo
(Black Porch Records, 2005)
Enregistraments amb “Joni Mitchell”
Turbulent
Indigo (Reprise, 1994)
Taming
the Tiger (Reprise, 1998)
Shine
(Hear Music, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “Keb' Mo'”
The
Door (Epic, 2000)
Big
Wide Grin (Sony, 2001)
Suitcase
(Epic, 2006)
Enregistraments amb “The Murmurs”
Pristine
Smut (MCA Records, 1997)
Blender
(MCA Records, 1998)
Enregistraments amb “Willie Nelson”
The
Great Divide (Lost Highway, 2002)
Heroes
(Legacy, 2012)
Enregistraments amb “Aaron Neville”
I
Know I've Been Changed (EMI, 2010)
My
True Story (Blue Note, 2012)
Enregistraments amb “Randy Newman”
Bad
Love (DreamWorks Pictures, 1999)
Harps
and Angels (Nonesuch Records, 2008)
Enregistraments amb “Mark Olson”
My
Own Jo Ellen (HighTone Records, 2000)
The
Salvation Blues (Hacktone, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “Judith Owen”
Lost
And Found (Century of Progress, 2005)
Somebody's
Child (Twanky, 2016)
Enregistraments amb “Sam Phillips”
Omnipop
(It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop) (Virgin, 1996)
Cameras
in the Sky (Littlebox Recordings, 2011)
Enregistraments amb “Chuck Prophet”
Balinese
Dancer (China, 1993)
Homemade
Blood (Cooking Vinyl, 1997)
No
Other Love (New West, 2002)
¡Let
Freedom Ring! (Yep, 2009)
Enregistraments amb “Bonnie Raitt”
Slipstream
(Redwing, 2012)
Dig
In Deep (Redwing, 2016)
Enregistraments amb “Carrie Rodriguez”
Seven
Angels on a Bicycle (Back Porch, 2006)
Love
and Circumstance (Ninth Street Opus, 2010)
Enregistraments amb “Vonda Shepard”
It's
Good Eve (Vesperalley, 1996)
By
7:30 (Jacket, 1999)
From
the Sun (Redeye, 2008)
Enregistraments amb “Bruce Springsteen”
Wrecking
Ball (Columbia, 2012)
Western
Stars (Columbia, 2019)
Enregistraments amb “Barbra Streisand”
The
Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two (Columbia Records, 2025)
Enregistraments amb “Matthew Sweet”
Girlfriend
(Zoo, 1991)
100%
Fun (Zoo, 1995)
In
Reverse (Volcano, 1999)
Kimi
Ga Suki (RCAM, 2003)
Living
Things (RCAM, 2004)
Sunshine
Lies (Shout! Factory, 2008)
Enregistraments amb “Matthew Sweet and
Susanna Hoffs”
Under
the Covers, Vol. 1 (Shout! Factory, 2006)
Under
the Covers, Vol. 2 (Shout! Factory, 2009)
Enregistraments amb “SYML”
Nobody
Lives Here (FIN., 2025)
Enregistraments amb “Teddy Thompson”
Teddy
Thompson (Virgin, 2000)
Upfront
& Down Low (Verve Forecast, 2007)
Enregistraments amb “Tiger Army”
Tiger
Army (Hellcat, 1999)
V
•••– (Rise, 2016)
Enregistraments amb “St. Vincent”
Masseduction
(Loma Vista, 2017)
Daddy's
Home (Loma Vista, 2021)
Enregistraments amb “Loudon Wainwright
III”
Here
Come the Choppers (Sovereign, 2005)
Recovery
(Yep Roc, 2008)
Enregistraments amb “Rufus Wainwright”
Unfollow
the Rules (BMG, 2020)
Folkocracy
(BMG, 2023)
Enregistraments amb “Gillian Welch”
Revival
(Almo Sounds, 1996)
Soul
Journey (Acony, 2003)
Enregistraments amb “Jennifer Warnes”
The
Well (Virgin, 2001)
Another
Time, Another Place (BMG, 2018)
Enregistraments amb “Lucinda Williams”
Car
Wheels on a Gravel Road (Mercury, 1998)
Down
Where the Spirit Meets the Bone (Highway 20, 2014)
The
Ghosts of Highway 20 (Highway 20, 2016)
Enregistraments amb “Robbie Williams”
Escapology
(Chrysalis, 2002)
Intensive
Care (Chrysalis, 2005)
Enregistraments amb “Victoria Williams”
Loose
(Atlantic, 1994)
Musings
of a Creek Dipper (Atlantic, 1998)
Water
to Drink (Atlantic, 2000)
Enregistraments amb “Brian Wilson”
Imagination
(Giant, 1998)
Gettin'
In Over My Head (Brimel, 2004)
Enregistraments amb “Wolf Bros”
Live
in Colorado (Third Man, 2022)
Live
in Colorado Vol. 2 (Third Man, 2022)
Enregistraments amb altres
Gregg
Allman, Southern Blood (Rounder, 2017)
David
Baerwald, Bedtime Stories (A&M, 1990)
Jessie
Baylin, Little Spark (Blonde Rat, 2012)
Karla
Bonoff, Silent Night (Not On Label, 2020)
Mose
Allison, The Way of the World (Anti-, 2010)
Dave
Alvin, Out in California (HighTone, 2002)
Anjani,
Blue Alert (Columbia, 2006)
Fiona
Apple, Tidal (Clean Slate, 1996)
Jann
Arden, Happy (A&M Records, 1997)
Steve
Azar, Heartbreak Town (River North, 1996)
Bad
Religion, Recipe for Hate (Epitaph, 1993)
Joan
Baez, Whistle Down the Wind (Proper Records, 2018)
Bash
& Pop, Friday Night Is Killing Me (Sire, 1993)
The
Beach Boys, Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 (River North, 1996)
Bonnie
"Prince" Billy, Beware (Drag City, 2009)
Mary
Black, Shine (Dara, 1997)
Bon
Jovi, Lost Highway (Island Records, 2007)
Chris
Botti, Slowing Down the World (GRP, 1999)
Michelle
Branch, Everything Comes and Goes (Reprise Records, 2010)
Phoebe
Bridgers, Stranger in the Alps (Dead Oceans, 2017)
Jon
Brion, Meaningless (Straight to Cut Out, 2001)
Jonatha
Brooke, The Works (Bad Dog, 2008)
T
Bone Burnett, Tooth of Crime (Nonesuch Records, 2008)
Brandi
Carlile, In the Canyon Haze (Elektra Records, 2022)
Carlene
Carter, Carter Girl (Rounder, 2014)
Neal
Casal, The Sun Rises Here (Glitterhouse, 1998)
Tracy
Chapman, Let It Rain (Elektra Records, 2002)
Bruce
Cockburn, Dart to the Heart (True North, 1994)
Adam
Cohen, Adam Cohen (Columbia Records, 1998)
Christina
Courtin, "Christina Courtin" (Nonesuch,2009)
Crowded
House, Intriguer (Fantasy, 2010)
Rodney
Crowell, Sex & Gasoline (Work Song, 2008)
Velvet
Crush, Teenage Symphonies to God (Sony, 1994)
Ilse
DeLange, The Great Escape (Universal Music, 2006)
Brett
Dennen, So Much More (Dualtone, 2006)
Neil
Diamond, Melody Road (Capitol Records, 2014)
Bob
Dylan, Shadow Kingdom (Columbia Records, 2023)
Jakob
Dylan, Women + Country (Columbia, 2010)
Eagles,
Long Road Out of Eden (Lost Highway, 2007)
Tim
Easton, Break Your Mother's Heart (New West Records, 2003)
Kat
Edmonson, The Big Picture (Sony, 2014)
Ramblin'
Jack Elliott, A Stranger Here (ANTI, 2009)
Melissa
Etheridge, Breakdown (Island Records, 1999)
Brandon
Flowers, The Desired Effect (Island Records, 2015)
Julia
Fordham, Falling Forward (Virgin Records, 1994)
Glenn
Frey, After Hours (Universal Music, 2012)
Lisa
Germano, Magic Neighbor (Young God, 2009)
Barry
Gibb, In the Now (Columbia Records, 2016)
Grant
Lee Buffalo, Mighty Joe Moon (Slash, 1994)
Gratitude,
Gratitude (Atlantic Records, 2005)
Michael
Grimm, Michael Grimm (Epic Records, 2011)
Indigo
Girls, Despite Our Differences (Hollywood, 2006)
Ben
Harper, Diamonds On the Inside (Virgin, 2003)
Emmylou
Harris and Linda Ronstadt, Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions (Asylum, 1999)
Emmylou
Harris, All I Intended to Be (Nonesuch, 2008)
Mark
Heard, Second Hand (Fingerprint, 1991)
Beth
Hart, Leave the Light On (Warner Bros., 2003)
Ted
Hawkins, The Next Hundred Years (Geffen, 1994)
Highway
101, Paint the Town (Warner Bros., 1989)
Taylor
Hicks, Taylor Hicks (Arista, 2006)
Susanna
Hoffs, Susanna Hoffs (London, 1996)
Steve
Holy, Brand New Girlfriend (Curb, 2006)
Court
Yard Hounds, Court Yard Hounds (Columbia, 2010)
Jesca
Hoop, Memories Are Now (Sub Pop, 2016)
Niall
Horan, Flicker (Capitol Records, 2017)
James
Iha, Let It Come Down (Virgin, 1998)
Bon
Iver, Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Jagjauwar, 2011)
Jayhawks,
Tomorrow the Green Grass (American, 1995)
Courtney
Jaye, Love and Forgiveness (Not On Label, 2013)
Jorma
Kaukonen, Stars in My Crown (Red House, 2007)
Funky
Kings, Funky Kings (Arista Records, 1976)
Dave
Koz, Off the Beaten Path (Capitol, 1996)
Alison
Krauss, Windy City (Capitol, 2017)
Ray
LaMontagne, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise (RCA Records, 2010)
Hugh
Laurie, Didn't It Rain (Warner Bros. Records, 2013)
Hamilton
Leithauser + Rostam, I Had a Dream That You Were Mine (Glassnote Records, 2016)
Jenny
Lewis, Joy'All (Blue Note, 2023)
Lori
Lieberman, Monterey (Drive On, 2003)
Lifehouse,
Almería (Geffen, 2012)
The
Manhattan Transfer, The Spirit of St. Louis (Atlantic, 2000)
Dayna
Manning, Shades (EMI Canada, 2002)
Ricky
Martin, A Medio Vivir (Columbia, 1995)
Brian
McKnight, Back at One (Motown, 1999)
Christy
McWilson, The Lucky One (HighTone, 2000)
Natalie
Merchant, Motherland (Elektra, 2001)
Tift
Merritt, See You on the Moon (Fantasy, 2010)
Ramsay
Midwood, Popular Delusions & The Madness of Cows (Farmwire, 2006)
Gaby
Moreno, Alegoría (Metamorfosis, 2022)
Geoff
Muldaur, Password (HighTone, 2000)
Anne
Murray, Anne Murray (EMI, 1996)
Meshell
Ndegeocello, Bitter (Maverick, 1999)
Nick
13, Nick 13 (Sugar Hill, 2011)
Stevie
Nicks, In Your Dreams (Reprise, 2011)
Peter
Ostroushko, Coming Down from Red Lodge (Red House, 2003)
Richard
Page, Peculiar Life (Little Dume, 2010)
Madeleine
Peyroux, Half the Perfect World (Rounder, 2006)
Grant
Lee Phillips, Virginia Creeper (Zoë, 2004)
Rebecca
Pidgeon, Behind the Velvet Curtain: Songs from the Motion Picture Redbelt
(Great American Music, 2008)
Robert
Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand (Rounder, 2007)
Lisa
Marie Presley, Storm & Grace (Universal Republic, 2012)
Tristan
Prettyman, Cedar + Gold (Capitol, 2012)
Daft
Punk, Random Access Memories (Columbia, 2013)
Joshua
Radin, Simple Times (Mom + Pop, 2008)
Ronna
Reeves, After the Dance (River, 1995)
Lana
Del Rey, Blue Banisters (Polydor, 2021)
Roxette,
Tourism (EMI, 1992)
Rumer,
This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook) (East West, 2016)
Leon
Russell, Life Journey (Universal, 2014)
Katey
Sagal, Covered (eOne, 2013)
Adam
Sandler, What's Your Name? (Warner Bros., 1997)
Timothy
B. Schmit, Expando (Lost Highway, 2009)
Avenged
Sevenfold, Avenged Sevenfold (Warner Bros., 2007)
Shivaree,
I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump (Capitol,
1999)
Michelle
Shocked, Got No Strings (Mighty Sound, 2005)
Ron
Sexsmith, Forever Endeavour (Cooking Vinyl, 2013)
Kevin
Sharp, Measure of a Man (Asylum Records, 1996)
Chris
Shiflett, Chris Shiflett & the Dead Peasants (RCA Records, 2010)
Percy
Sledge, Blue Night (Sky France Records, 1994)
The
Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Virgin, 1995)
Jill
Sobule, Dottie's Charms (Pinko, 2014)
Ringo
Starr, Give More Love (Universal Music Enterprises, 2017)
Ringo
Starr, Look Up (UMe, 2025)
Rod
Stewart, Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (J, 2006)
Curtis
Stigers, Brighter Days (Columbia Records, 1999)
Chris
Stills, Don't Be Afraid (Rupture Records, 2018)
Randy
Stonehill, Return to Paradise (Myrrh, 1989)
Syd
Straw, Surprise (Virgin, 1989)
Peter
Stuart, Propeller (Vanguard, 2002)
Natalie
D-Napoleon, Leaving Me Dry (Household Ink, 2012)
Toad
the Wet Sprocket, New Constellation (Abe's Records, 2013)
Jack
Tempchin and Richard Stekol, Live on Highway 101 (Night River, 2002)
Pam
Tillis, Sweetheart's Dance (Arista, 1994)
Allen
Toussaint, American Tunes (Nonesuch, 2016)
Shania
Twain, Now (Mercury Nashville, 2017)
Suzie
Vinnick, Happy Here (self-released, 2008)
Joe
Walsh, Analog Man (Fantasy, 2012)
Was
(Not Was), Boo! (Rykodisc, 2008)
Sara
Watkins, Sara Watkins (Nonesuch, 2009)
Watkins
Family Hour, Watkins Family Hour (Family Hour, 2015)
Paul
Westerberg, Suicaine Gratifaction (Capitol, 1999)
Whiskeytown,
Stranger's Almanac (Geffen, 1997)
Wilco,
Being There (Reprise, 1996)
The
Williams Brothers, Harmony Hotel (Warner Bros., 1993)
Kelly
Willis, Translated from Love (Rykodisc, 2007)
Dan
Wilson, Love Without Fear (Ballroom, 2014)
The
Wilsons, The Wilsons (Polygram, 1997)
Lee
Ann Womack, Something Worth Leaving Behind (MCA Nashville, 2002)
Lizz
Wright, Dreaming Wide Awake (Verve, 2005)
Dwight
Yoakam, Hillbilly Deluxe (Reprise, 1987)