R.I.P. David Lindley
Goodbye to one the music world's great multi-instrumentalists, vocalists and song interpreters
It seems like a week doesn’t pass these days without news of another of the music universe’s great talents moving on to the great beyond.
This week it’s multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, vocalist and stellar musician David Lindley.
I’m not going to list David’s extremely lengthy contributions, collaborations and iconic live performances — tons of other magazines, newspapers, blogs and Substacks will be doing that much better than I can. I’ve included a few links below.
I’ll be honest and say that I’ve listened to maybe ten percent of Mr. Lindley’s recorded output. There’s a lot. I suppose outside of his work under his name and with his long-time band El-Rayo X, I was aware of his collaborations with Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder and Warren Zevon. But I did not know about Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and so many others.
I also didn’t know about his first band Kaleidoscope, which is where Jackson Browne first discovered Lindley.
Kaleidoscope, a product of the late ‘60s, is said to reside at the intersection where American psychedelic meets Middle Eastern music meets folk. Based on a couple songs that I listened to in order to not seem too ignorant, that seems like an apt description.
I want to say that my initial exposure to David Lindley was back in 1981 with his hit song “Mercury Blues.” Of course it wasn’t his song, it was originally written by rural blues musician K. C. Douglas and Robert Geddins, and first recorded by Douglas back in 1948.
But he made it his own, and even with subsequent covers by the likes of Alan Jackson and Steve Miller, it’s Lindley’s version that has best withstood the test of time to my ears.
I own only one David Lindley album and it’s his debut, the one named after the band who would soon be added to his name before the album title, “El Rayo X.” The video below features an inspired live version of “Mercury Blues,” which comes right after the band plays their reggae-tinged album opener, “She Took Off My Romeos.” There’s a fun interview with the band between the songs that really captures how influenced Lindley had been by all the music of the world.
This, to me, is what, above all else, has kept Lindley from ever becoming a novelty act or resting on his laurels. Like he says in the interview: “I try to keep my ears open when I hear things, and everybody else in the band does the same thing.”
True words to live by. Open ears open eyes open mind.
Thank you David for what you brought to so many music lovers' ears, eyes and minds for more than 50 years. We will miss you.
It’s fairly last minute, but I learned that Monday evening, March 6 at 8pm CST there will be a tribute to David Lindsey streaming live at:
https://knonnow.org
Hopefully it will be on replay as well for those not able to listen at that time. If I learn more I’ll update in the comments.
To learn more about David Lindley and his extensive career and musical collaborations and influence, check out these articles:
https://news.yahoo.com/were-sidemen-then-david-lindley-214003873.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lindley_(musician)
Did you follow David Lindley’s music? Have any of his albums or one’s he’s played on?
Have you seen him live?
Is there a sideman (sideperson) that has always stood out to you as the consummate musician but has never really gotten the accolades? Leave your picks in the comments!
One more death I have to acknowledge:
There have been far too many deaths in the music world these past couple of weeks. One that hit me especially hard was producer Glen “Spot” Lockett who helmed dozens of my favorite punk rock albums for label SST in the 1980s. Seminal albums from: Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Black Flag, and many more.
R.I.P. Spot.
