Known for supplying an array of prominent Nashville artists with inventive pedal steel guitar parts, English musician Spencer Cullum further burnished his reputation as one half of the eclectic instrumental duo Steelism. Throughout the 2010s, Cullum racked up loads of interesting studio credits with artists ranging from Deer Tick to Little Big Town while serving as a member of Miranda Lambert's band. His deeper influences -- surf rock, spaghetti Western, jazz -- became more apparent over his releases with Steelism, and in 2021 he fused his U.K. folk and prog rock roots with a Nashville studio sensibility on his first solo record, Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection.

Cullum's introduction to the pedal steel guitar came by way of another English master, B.J. Cole, whose massive list of credits began on 1970s albums by artists like Cat Stevens, Procol Harum, and Gerry Rafferty. After studying under Cole's tutelage, Cullum and his brother Jeff Cullum relocated to the U.S., where they spent some time as members of the Detroit group the Deadstring Brothers. After settling in Nashville, Spencer spent the front half of the 2010s developing an unusual and versatile resumé of credits that included Caitlin Rose, City and Colour, Nikki Lane, and Andrew Combs. He also teamed up with guitarist Jeremy Fetzer as Steelism and recorded a series of records that honored the duo's mutual love of surf music, Ennio Morricone soundtracks, jazz, and old R&B.

Cullum spent the back half of the decade touring and recording with country superstar Miranda Lambert, playing sessions with acts ranging from Lambchop to Kesha, and developing the solo material that would eventually comprise his debut album as a singer/songwriter. Working with a group of top-notch players from his Nashville crew, Cullum recorded 2021's Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection, which drew influence from '60s and '70s psych, British folk, and prog rock. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi