Sacred Steel-Events in New York City

Sacred steel is a distinctive African American gospel tradition that originated in the late 1930s within the House of God and Keith Dominion Pentecostal churches. Characterized by the prominent use of the lap and pedal steel guitar as a substitute for the traditional church organ, the genre features soaring, vocal-like melodic lines and aggressive vibrato. Rhythmically, it is driven by a syncopated, high-energy foundation provided by drums and bass, often reaching ecstatic peaks during worship services. While deeply rooted in spiritual devotion, sacred steel shares significant sonic DNA with electric blues and rock and roll, bridging the gap between sacred congregational music and secular improvisational traditions.