David Lindley was a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who worked with an array of major musicians, including Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton, Warren Zevon (1947–2003), Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, and many others. His skills at a wide range of instruments, including guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin, and others, made him a prized session and touring musician. He also had a respected career as a solo artist.
- Died: March 3, 2023 (Who else died on March 3?)
- Details of death: Died in Claremont, California at the age of 78 of an undisclosed illness.
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Early Career
Lindley was already drawing attention as a musician by his teens. After learning the violin, ukulele, and banjo at a young age, he focused on fiddle playing, winning the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest five times. He soon began to explore world folk music traditions. In 1967, he formed Kaleidoscope, considered by some music historians to be the first world music-inspired rock band. They would release four albums, garnering Lindley a reputation as an artist of many talents.
Career Heights
In 1972, Lindley began the collaboration for which he’s best known: working with Jackson Browne. The pair would record and tour together for the rest of the decade. He would play on all of Browne’s landmark records of the period, including “Late For the Sky,” “The Pretender,” and “Running on Empty.” Lindley also became an in-demand session and touring musician, working with artists like Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999), James Taylor, David Crosby (1941–2023), Graham Nash, Bob Dylan, Toto, Rod Stewart, and many others. Lindley never stopped writing, recording, and playing his own music during this time, either. His 1981 album El Rayo-X, for example, was praised for its unique blend of American roots music, Middle Eastern influences, and reggae. Lindley would remain an active musician until his death, touring with Browne as recently as 2021.
Tributes to David Lindley
Full Obituary: Los Angeles Times
