Book excerpt: This book is an excellent introduction to one of America's most quintessential instruments, the pedal steel. The first part of the book covers the skills required to play the instrument, including technique for the pedals and knee levers, bar control, and picking. The second half includes songs and licks that illustrate the full spectrum of the pedal steel's capabilities. Exercises and songs are presented in tablature and standard notation. The book comes with accompanying audio and video download available online, including play-along tracks