A Final Conversation with a Master of Strings: Remembering David Lindley Through One of His Last Interviews
In the final years of his life, the legendary multi instrumentalist David Lindley remained what he had always been throughout his long career. He was thoughtful, technically brilliant, and deeply passionate about the craft of music. One of his late interviews offers a rare and revealing glimpse into the mind of a musician whose influence quietly shaped some of the most beloved recordings of the modern rock era.
Lindley, who passed away in 2023 at the age of seventy eight, was widely respected as one of the most versatile session musicians in American music. Over the decades he collaborated with artists such as Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Rod Stewart, Joe Walsh, and Bruce Springsteen. His unmistakable slide guitar and expressive string arrangements became a defining part of the sound of American rock and folk recordings from the nineteen seventies onward.
During the interview, Lindley spoke candidly about his earliest musical beginnings. As a young boy growing up in Southern California, he first gravitated toward the five string banjo. The instrument was so loud that he often practiced in a closet to avoid disturbing his parents. What began as a youthful experiment soon turned into remarkable success. Lindley went on to win the Topanga Canyon Banjo and Fiddle Contest five years in a row, a competition that rewarded speed, accuracy, musical creativity, and stage performance.
That early success foreshadowed the remarkable adaptability that would define his career. Lindley eventually became famous for his ability to play an astonishing variety of instruments including fiddle, lap steel guitar, oud, and numerous exotic string instruments collected from around the world. In the interview he even demonstrated one of his distinctive ouds, explaining how the instrument had been redesigned with modern electronics so it could be amplified on stage.
The conversation also turned to his long musical relationship with Jackson Browne. Lindley recalled first meeting Browne at a record industry convention in Los Angeles. The two musicians quickly discovered a natural musical chemistry. On one occasion Lindley joined Browne on stage to play fiddle on the song These Days, despite hearing it for the first time only moments earlier. The performance worked beautifully and marked the beginning of a partnership that would help shape the sound of Browne’s classic recordings.
Another subject Lindley discussed was the changing music industry. He described how he and his wife handled their own CD production and distribution, effectively operating as a small independent business. According to Lindley, modern recording technology had made it far easier for musicians to record and release music without relying entirely on major labels. For him, independence meant retaining more creative control and financial return.
News of Lindley’s passing was first widely reported by Rolling Stone, which confirmed the death of the influential musician at seventy eight. Though the cause of death was not immediately detailed, tributes quickly poured in from across the music world.
For those who worked with him, David Lindley was not only a master musician but also an essential collaborator whose playing elevated every recording he touched. His legacy lives on in the countless albums and performances where his unique sound helped define the character of American roots rock and folk music for generations.