Lindley was raised in Los Angeles, where his dad had a sizable collection of 78 rpm recordings, some of which featured Korean folk music and sitar music from India.
He began playing the violin when he was three years old, but in his early teens, he switched to the baritone ukulele. Later, Lindley picked up the banjo and violin, and by the time he was in his late teens, he had won the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest five times.
Lindley was a regular on the folk music scene in the 1960s, frequenting establishments like the Troubador and the Ash Grove and hearing a wide range of music, including flamenco, Russian folk music, and Indian sitar music. He discovered that the music on the radio was really varied.
Lindley spent a few years playing in Terry Reid’s band in the UK after Kaleidoscope split up. He joined Jackson Browne’s band in 1972 and remained a member of them through 1980. He also performed on tour with the bands of James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Crosby-Nash in the 1970s.
Jackson Browne produced the debut album for Lindley’s own band, El Rayo-X, which he started in 1981. After their final performance on December 31, 1989, Lindley went on to tour either solo or in a duo, first with Hani Naser and subsequently with Wally Ingram.
He participated in a lot of studio sessions as well. Throughout his career, Lindley was recognized for picking up various instruments.
David Lindley Siblings: Did David Lindley have any siblings?
Yes, David Lindley has an older sister named Anne M., as well as three older brothers named John Jr., Patrick Howard, and Peter Dalton.