Nickel and Steel is a mostly-acoustic trio from Chicago and Oak Park. N&S performs original music with elements of old-style-country, folk and melancholy rock.  Oak Park songwriter Paul Stephanides leads the trio on vocals and acoustic guitar. Hailing from the southwest side of Chicago, country musician Karl Paulsen has set aside the bass in exchange for the pedals, levers, and 10 strings of the pedal steel guitar. They are joined by classically trained Andrew Sharp returning to the stage on upright bass.