David Lindley has taken his act on the road for the final time.
Damn, but that dude could play. And play anything with strings, with anyone who was up for it, according to his obit in The New York Times.
His collaborators included Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Warren Zevon, Ry Cooder, Iggy Pop, Graham Nash, and David Crosby. And that’s just the shortlist.
Writes Alex Williams:
Ever on the hunt for new sounds and textures, Mr. Lindley had “no idea” how many instruments he could play, as he told Acoustic Guitar magazine in 2000. But throughout his career he showed a knack for wringing emotion not only from the violin, mandolin, banjo, dulcimer and autoharp, but also from the Indian tanpura, the Middle Eastern oud and the Turkish saz.
That’s a dude you want on your album. He could probably play Celtic harp, rusty bedsprings or a chain-link fence if you needed it.
My people and me, we mostly knew Lindley from his work with Browne on albums like “For Everyman” and “Running on Empty.”
That first album was a who’s who of the musical world when it came out in 1973. Hear that raging piano in the background of “Red Neck Friend?” That would be Rockaday Johnnie, a.k.a. Elton John. Also in the mix on “For Everyman” — Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Jim Keltner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bonnie Raitt.
Our musical world is running a little closer to empty without Lindley, but that big band in the Next World just keeps on filling up.
Tags: David Lindley, Jackson Browne
Mad Blog Media 
March 8, 2023 at 9:27 am |
And don’t forget this one:
March 8, 2023 at 12:35 pm |
Dayum. Dude musta had 12 fingers on each hand. And three-four hands.
March 8, 2023 at 10:55 am |
Damn, I wish I could have seen him play. Mercury Blues is a fave of mine too. The source has one fantastic house band!
March 8, 2023 at 4:30 pm |
As I’ve read elsewhere, wherever he may be now is probably a great place to be.
March 9, 2023 at 1:22 am |
I just read David Lindley’s full NYT obit. Damn! One of the best obits I’ve ever read, and for an artist I’ve not until now just heard of. All those famous sounds and riffs. Wow. That kind of talent doesn’t come around all that often. I’ve listened to all of those artists and songs for decades and never knew. Patrick, you’re correct in saying that we’re running rather low on these incredible rockers and rollers.
March 9, 2023 at 6:17 am |
“Running rather low,” indeed. One might even say, “Running On Empty.”
March 10, 2023 at 7:24 pm |
Aitch-tee-tee-pee colon something rimshot dot com.
March 11, 2023 at 3:58 pm |
If genius is nothing to add but also nothing that can be taken away, that was David Lindley‘a guitar work. If you need a break from over-produced, digitized, auto-tuned music, this might help.
https://music.apple.com/us/album/that-girl-could-sing/305123822?i=305124039
March 10, 2023 at 7:53 am |
Sorry to see real talent leave the Mothership. He’s one of many who carry the real load across the music spectrum. Like Jim “Sticks” Keltner, he was able to pop up everywhere and anywhere. Appreciate the old newshound (POG) for scouring the wide ranging news sources for quotes and background. I’ve said it before: I get all I need to know from this blog. Outside of here, the rest is just usually noise. Now creative/expressive barking is another story…..
March 10, 2023 at 8:30 am |
Word, Herb. This is my only “social media.”
No worries folks, great musicians are returning to the source, but new ones are coming up to fill their shoes. Sounds like you like drummers. How about this guy?
March 10, 2023 at 11:58 am |
Is Ringo an underrated drummer? At 80 he was playing this funk.
March 10, 2023 at 8:52 am |
Keltner was everywhere, and seemingly all at once. I thought maybe he was like Superman with the robot versions of himself that he kept stashed at the Fortress of Solitude. Whenever he was busy here he could send a robot Superman there.
It’d take a lot less paper to list the people he didn’t play with than the ones he did. Check his Wikipedia page for the deets.
March 10, 2023 at 8:57 am |
You gents are too kind. I’m just an old retired wordslinger on the dole, casting about for items of interest I can toss at the digital wall here, see if anything sticks.