“Mr. Dave” is coming to Johnny D’s this coming Friday night. – Photo by Neil Zlozower

By Jim Clark

David Lindley is legendary not only as a first-rate musician and entertainer, but also for his unceasing ability to charm and amaze audiences with his musical virtuosity, his well-honed sense of humor, and a seemingly limitless grasp of a myriad of musical styles from around the world. He will be bringing all this to Johnny D’s this coming Friday for an evening that promises to entertain, amuse, and amaze.

Lindley is a veteran of more than 40 years as a professional musician, serving as both front man in his own bands or as a highly sought after sideman with some of the biggest names in popular music.

He was a key member of the 60’s psychedelic era band Kaleidoscope, where his proficiency with a variety of stringed instruments secured his position as one of the most talented and knowledgeable artists on the scene.

Throughout the 70’s and beyond he collaborated and played along with an A-list roster of rock and roll and folk luminaries including Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Dolly Parton, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Curtis Mayfield, Terry Reid, Ry Cooder, Ben Harper, and many more.

Lindley’s association and work with Jackson Browne has brought special attention to his abilities and talents as session man extraordinaire and live performer. Beginning with Browne’s 1973 release For Everyman, and on classics such as Late For The Sky and The Pretender (the latter two both on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), Lindley has made significant contributions and proven himself as a peer and audience pleaser. Although known primarily as an instrumentalist, Lindley’s voice rings out in the iconic chorus of the Stay segment from Browne’s song The Load Out (“Oh won’t you stay, just a little bit longer…”), a refrain that has been heard and is instantly recognizable by millions.

In 1981 Lindley formed the critically acclaimed group El Rayo-X, whose first album was produced by Browne.

Browne and Lindley released a Grammy nominated live album, Love Is Strange – En Vivo Con Tino, in 2010, which chronicled their 2006 tour of Spain.

Throughout his career David “Mr. Dave” Lindley has explored the heights and depths of world music, becoming fluent in playing a bewildering number of stringed instruments from many lands including banjo, lap steel guitar, mandolin, hardingfele, bouzouki, cittern, bağlama, gumbus, charango, cümbüş, oud, weissenborn, and zither. Of course, he is also a master of the traditional acoustic and electric guitar, upright and electric bass guitar, as well.

His electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources.

Local music lovers would be remiss in passing up the opportunity for the up close and personal David Lindley experience being offered at Johnny D’s this week. If you haven’t experienced Lindley before now there can be no greater opportunity to enjoy this one-of-a-kind master musician/entertainer. For the already in-the-know, it is just as important an opportunity to be blown away by one of the masters of musical amazement.

David Lindley – Friday, May 18, 7:30 p.m., at Johnny D’s, 17 Holland St., Davis Sq., Somerville. For tickets go online: http://www.johnnyds.com/advance-tickets/