David Lindley (1944-2023)

HONORING ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST DISTINCT SLIDE PLAYERS MULTI-INSTRUMENTALISTS OF ALL TIME AND

- Andy Aledort

“THERE ARE TRADITIONS in the world that musicians are aware of — the power of music can do certain kinds of things. You can change somebody’s life. A lot of people have experimented with that, want to know what it is, but a lot of it is kept secret. What is it? I have no idea. I think if we knew what it was that made people react to music, we’d find some way to screw with it.”

David Lindley, one of the greatest and most distinct slide guitar players and multi-instrumentalists of all time, passed away March 3, 2023, at age 78.

Brilliant and original, Lindley possessed an utterly unique sound earmarked by the touch, tone, phrasing and articulation of a true master musician.

The line on Lindley has always been, “If it’s got strings on it, David plays it.” Among the many instruments in his arsenal were the guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin, lap steel, Hawaiian guitar, electric and upright bass, as well as the more exotic hardingfele, tambour, oud, bouzouki, cumbus, saz, cittern, baglama, gumbus, charango and zither.

The first time I saw Lindley live was with Ry Cooder at NYC’s Beacon Theater on October 13, 1990. He had nearly a dozen different instruments behind him onstage, and he switched from one to another as the night progressed.

The band featured Ry and David on vocals, guitars and other stringed instruments, Ry’s son Joachim on percussion and the R&B/soul singers Terry Evans, Bobby King and Willie Green. I mentioned to David that I attended this show — which was otherworldly — and he said, “Oh man, you saw the one! That was an incredible night. [