Gordon Wells is, as he's fond of saying, a man on a mission.

His goal: to expose new audiences to music made on the pedal steel, an instrument that looks like the lovechild of a guitar and a keyboard. The friendly musician, who prefers to be on a first name basis with everyone he meets, is coming to the Cranford Community Center on January 26 at 7:30pm.

The pedal steel is most often used in the country music genre, which is some of Well's favorite music, but he says he'll be playing more than just country on Wednesday night.

"An instrument is an instrument," he said. "It doesn't have to be restricted to a particular genre. Music is music, and I should be able to play any style."

Though he grew up in Cranford and is a class of '67 graduate of Cranford High School, Gordon says that this is the first time he's playing in Cranford as an adult, and that he's excited.

In between songs, he will talk about the pedal steel as an instrument and describe some of the techniques he's using, as part of his effort to educate his audience about the instrument. In addition to original songs, Gordon will play titles his audience might recognize.

"It's good to play something people can relate to," he said.

Gordon started playing the guitar in high school, but it wasn't until six or seven years later that he gave the pedal steel a shot.

He said the pedal steel was the most difficult to learn due to "all the layers of technique," and he said that people who start with another instrument pick up the pedal steel faster than those who haven't.

Aside from the guitar and the pedal steel, Gordon also plays the electric bass, the banjo and the mandolin.

"It helps to know music first," said Wells.

Gordon said he started playing the pedal steel in order to learn the song "I'll Paint Rainbows All Over Your Blues" by John Sebastian. Within a few years, he said, he had taught himself the song. Though Gordon's had teachers, his early years are self-taught; he learned by ear.

"The pedal steel is a largely oral tradition," he said.

Wells, a professional musician who has toured most recently with BethAnne Clayton, says it's the emotion that attracts him to the pedal steel. He says the vibrato a musician can perform with the steel is on par with the violin or cello.

"It all comes down to emotion," said Wells. "(The pedal steel is) one of the most expressive instruments."