Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley dead at 78

David Lindley passed away on Friday (March 3, 2023) at the age of 78. This was announced by his family. His death was preceded by several months of serious illness. A number of musicians expressed their sympathy. Among them Peter Frampton, who wrote on Twitter: “Among musicians he was a giant. With every first note on the unique style and sound. recognizable.”

It’s so sad to hear of David Lindley’s passing. He was a giant among musicians. Always his unique sound and style gave him away in one note. My thoughts are with his family.

— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) March 4, 2023

Especially in the 70s and 80s Lindley made a name for himself. After leaving his own early band project, the psychedelic rock group Kaleidoscope, he played for some of the biggest rock and pop musicians of the time. These include Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, Bruce Springsteen and Ry Cooder – often as part of his involvement with the studio band The Section. Best known is his lap steel guitar solo on Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty,” the title track of the album of the same name. It’s just one of the highlights of this collaboration that spanned the entire ’70s. During this time, Lindley managed Browne’s band.

A unique musician

In addition to his eccentric appearance and an idiosyncratic passion for making music, he was also distinguished by his professionalism in dealing with unusual and non-Western stringed instruments. These include the Middle Eastern lute-like plucked instruments Oud and Saz.

Later in his solo and band career, he devoted himself even more to his experimental traits, which he had already realized with Kaleidoscope, during the 80s, for example, as part of the band El Rayo-x, and then in increased collaboration with the reggae drummer Wally Ingram and the composer Henry Kaiser. With the latter, Lindley also contributed the music to Werner Herzog’s 2007 film Encounters at the End of the World.

David Lindley is survived by his wife and their daughter.

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