Welcome back to Guitardoor.com, where we celebrate the true, one-of-a-kind originals who play by their own rules. Today, we pay tribute to one of the most brilliant, eclectic, and universally respected multi-instrumentalists in the history of popular music: the late, great David Lindley. Instantly recognizable for his trademark polyester outfits and a dizzying arsenal of strange and wonderful stringed instruments, Lindley was the ultimate “musician’s musician” and a true master of the slide guitar, whose soulful, impeccable playing graced the records of countless legends, most famously Jackson Browne.
The Global Jukebox
The musical world of David Lindley was a joyous, global jukebox, a brilliant and seamless fusion of countless styles. While his foundation was in American folk, blues, and rock and roll, he was a true musical adventurer, a sonic ethnomusicologist who spent his career exploring and mastering instruments and styles from all over the world. This is what set him apart. His solo work with his band, El Rayo-X, was a brilliant and infectious blend of rock, blues, reggae, and world music. But it was in his role as a sideman where his genius for finding the perfect, genre-bending part shone brightest, elevating the work of artists like Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, and Ry Cooder with his one-of-a-kind sonic textures.
Anatomy of a Stringed Sorcerer
To listen to David Lindley is to hear a master of tone, touch, and pure, unadulterated soul. His playing was not about ego or flashy pyrotechnics; it was a masterclass in taste and the art of making any stringed instrument sing with a profoundly human voice. His genius was in his incredible ear, his flawless intonation, and his ability to conjure the perfect, emotionally resonant sound for any song, often on an instrument you had never seen before. He was a true sorcerer of the strings, and his approach was a joyful celebration of sound itself.
The Slide Master:
He is, without question, one of the greatest slide players of all time. His lap steel playing, in particular, is legendary for its sweet, singing, violin-like quality. His intonation was absolutely perfect, and his phrasing was incredibly lyrical and vocal.
The Pawn Shop King:
Lindley was the undisputed king of the “pawn shop” or “mail-order” guitar. He eschewed expensive, mainstream instruments in favor of cheap, quirky, and often plastic-covered guitars from brands like National, Supro, and Harmony. He believed these instruments had a unique character and soul that couldn’t be found elsewhere.
The Weissenborn Wizard:
He was almost single-handedly responsible for popularizing the Weissenborn acoustic lap steel guitar. He was a true master of this beautiful, hollow-necked instrument, using it to create some of the most beautiful and atmospheric acoustic slide sounds ever recorded.
The World Instrumentalist:
Beyond the guitar, he was a brilliant player of a vast array of global stringed instruments, including the oud, the bouzouki, and the saz, all of which he used to bring his unique, worldly textures to his work.
The Essential Textures
David Lindley’s unique and beautiful playing has graced countless classic recordings. To get a sense of his incredible versatility and soulful genius, these three tracks are absolutely essential.
Running on Empty (with Jackson Browne)
This is his most famous and iconic performance. The beautiful, soaring, and incredibly lyrical lap steel solo that defines this song is a masterpiece of melodic perfection. To approach playing it, the key is to make the lap steel sing. This requires flawless intonation with the slide bar and the masterful use of a volume pedal to create the smooth, violin-like swells that are its signature. It’s a lesson in pure, heartfelt melody.
Mercury Blues
The definitive track from his solo career with El Rayo-X, this is Lindley at his most fun and rocking. It’s a high-energy, infectious take on the blues classic. To approach the slide part, the key is to use a bright, slightly overdriven tone and to play with a real sense of swagger and fun. The solo is full of his signature clean, precise, and incredibly melodic slide licks, all delivered with a joyous, rock and roll energy.
Your Old Lady
Another brilliant track from his El Rayo-X days, this song is a perfect showcase of his funky, reggae-influenced side. To play the guitar part, the approach is all about the rhythm. The slide is used to play a clean, percussive, and incredibly syncopated part that locks into the deep reggae groove. It’s a masterclass in using the slide as a rhythmic, textural instrument rather than just a tool for soloing.
In the end, David Lindley’s legacy is that of a true American original and a musical treasure. He was the ultimate sonic adventurer, a player whose boundless curiosity, deep soulfulness, and impeccable taste enriched every piece of music he touched. He was a giant of the slide guitar and a master of all things stringed, a beloved and eccentric genius whose unique and beautiful voice will never be replicated.
Cover Photo Credit “The amazing David Lindley at Sam’s Friday night!” by Howdy, I’m H. Michael Karshis is licensed under CC BY 2.0
