World on the Strings

At his shows, Lindley will use that Greek/Irish bouzouki to play old Appalachian tunes. The subjects of those Appalachian tunes, Lindley says, are compatible with Greek roots music: A big crop fails and a family is forced to kill the goat or cow. The kids cry in the chorus, "The goat or cow was a friend of mine."

How many times and in how many tongues has this song been sung?

It's a tough question, but that's all right with Lindley. He's not one to avoid a challenge, no matter how daunting it may seem. In fact, that's his philosophy in a nutshell. "I have to say that I keep things at the challenge level so that I really stretch my brain," he says. "As long as you stretch your brain, you'll be fine. If you don't, it'll curl up and get hard."