He was a highly-regarded session guitarist known for his work with Jackson Browne. He also worked with Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Rod Stewart, Ry Cooder, John Prine, and Iggy Pop.
As a child, he learned to play banjo and fiddle, and was a five-time winner of the annual Topanga Canyon Banjo Contest. In high school, he formed a folk group called the Mad Mountain Ramblers, who started playing in Los Angeles folk clubs.