"Although his music career technically began with the Flatlanders, the country band he formed with fellow Texans Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock in 1972, Ely really found his audience with his self-titled solo debut in 1977; with each passing year, Ely's natural lyricism and ear for rock hooks helped push a new type of progressive country to the forefront of the Texas community."
"Born in Amarillo, Texas, on February 9, 1947, Ely and his family relocated to Lubbock where he spent his teenage years attending high school and playing guitar. In his 20s, Ely crossed paths with Gilmore and Hancock and they decided to form a band that would utilize their interests in country, folk, and storytelling. The Flatlanders only released one album, 1973's All American Music, before disbanding that same year."
Joe Ely was a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and a key figure in Texas progressive country beginning in the 1970s. He formed the Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock in 1972 and launched a solo career with a 1977 self-titled debut. Ely combined lyricism and rock sensibilities to broaden country music’s appeal and collaborated with artists including the Clash, Bruce Springsteen, Uncle Tupelo, and the Chieftains. He was born in Amarillo in 1947, grew up in Lubbock, and played guitar from his teenage years. Ely died at 78 from Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s, and pneumonia.
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