Remembering Neil Flanz: Pedal Steel Standard Bearer

Austin — and the world — has lost one of the all time pedal steel greats last December: the monstrously talented Neil Flanz.

Neil toured with some of the greats, including Emmylou Harris, Charlie Louvin, and Marcia Ball, though he is best known for his playing with the legendary alt-country icon Gram Parsons. An inductee into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, Neil was an indelible part of the Austin live music scene.

I knew Neil just a little through mutual friends who played with him. As a guitarist who dabbles in the pedal steel world and plays professionally in a non-virtuosic sense, I was inspired — and more than a little intimidated — by his ferocious talent, in spite of his friendly, humble personality. In 2019, I finally mustered the nerve to float the concept of my taking lessons from him, though we didn’t quite get things sorted by the time Covid hit. I planned on reaching back out to him in late 2021 when I found out that he’d passed away.

Sigh. Yet another reminder to leap at the opportunities life tosses ones way.

I thought that was the end of the story of my (admittedly scant) connection to Neil when my good friend Jill (who played drums with Neil in Fingerpistol) reached out to let me know that she was charged with dispensing Neil’s gear to musicians she felt worthy of receiving it (this being one of Neil’s final wishes). Asked whether I’d have room in my studio for Neil’s Fender Steel King amplifier, I leapt at the chance to give a second life to something owned by a hero of mine (I’m perhaps getting better at that earlier stated life lesson).

And here it sits, with the spirit of Neil and so many artists he backed drifting through the wires. I’m not sure I’m truly worthy, but I’m nevertheless grateful.

Thank you, dear Neil.