David Lindley, "Maxi-Instrumentalist," Passes Away at 78
A few songs he helped make famous from Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt.
David Lindley passed away this morning at the age of 78. He exceeded the label “multi-instrumentalist” on various guitars and string instruments to achieve the honorific “maxi-instrumentalist.” His name may mean nothing to most. To others it may ring a bell as crucial Jackson Browne sidekick during the 1970s (and at times later).
Myself, I didn’t even recall that he was in the late-’60s band Kaleidoscope, and we even covered them at Zygote in 1970. I did lose track of him after awhile (meaning when the ‘70s passed when he often played on records by Ronstadt, Zevon, Crosby and Nash, Rod Stewart, Ry Cooder, Terry Reid and etc. ) Later he appeared or recorded with….dig this collection of varied names: Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Iggy Pop, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris, Little Feat, Bruce Springsteen, Aaron Neville, John Prine, Eric Clapton, James Taylor—need I go on? My man Jason Isbell, a musician I would not have necessarily associated with him, tweeted:
The loss of David Lindley is a huge one. Without his influence my music would sound completely different. I was genuinely obsessed with his playing from the first time I heard it. The man was a giant.
He also led the group El Rayo-X. Wrote a tune about a condom. And a biographical note from the L.A. Times on this native of Pasadena:
Starting with 1991’s “A World Out of Time,” he and avant-garde guitarist Henry Kaiser released a series of albums based on field recording expeditions held in Madagascar and Norway. Around this time, Lindley struck up a partnership with Hani Naser, recording a series of albums with the Jordanian oud player. He also developed an enduring relationship with reggae percussionist Wally Ingram.
A few selections from his recordings, hastily assembled but this is what I can do tonight.
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David’s indelible intro and outro to “Before the Deluge.” I saw them live two or three times in that period, Lindley with his long hair and always—Hawaiian shirt.
On a later tour with Jackson, “For a Dancer.” Noted: “I don’t know what happens when people die / I can’t seem to grasp it as hard as I try.”
Interviewed and singing here, much later, with Bonnie Raitt
Playing on a Zevon classic, “Carmelita”
And another, “Mohammad’s Radio.” They did some later stuff, too.
And with Ronstadt on “Heart Like a Wheel”
Got to sing lead with Ry Cooder here.
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I’m absolutely crushed by the news of his passing. As far back in my childhood as I can remember, Jackson Browne’s music was the first music imprinted in my young brain and it was Lindley’s lap steel (or pedal steel) that drew me in the most. I’ve loved his music for 50 years now. His is a tremendous loss. It’s hard to properly express my sadness.
He was.such a gem. He was a god among me and my guitar playing friends. He delivered fully on the emotional terrain Jackson laid, and then moving on in his polyester glory as El Rayo X. He embodied all the heart wrapped in his outrageous humor. He’s irreplaceable. RIP...