Joe Ely

Born Earle R. Ely on February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Joe Ely moved to Lubbock as a teenager. His early life involved travel and self-discovery before he returned to Lubbock in 1971. There, he co-founded The Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. Their first album was recorded in 1972, though it received limited release at the time. After this initial project, Ely pursued a solo career, releasing his self-titled debut album in 1977. This marked the beginning of a prolific output of albums, primarily on the MCA label, establishing his distinctive sound which merged country, folk, and rock influences.

Ely’s career has been characterized by diverse collaborations and a dynamic performance style. In the late 1970s, he toured with punk rock band The Clash, which led to mutual admiration and expanded his audience. The Clash referenced Ely in their song “If Music Could Talk” (1980), and Ely provided backing vocals for “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”. He also collaborated with Dutch flamenco guitarist Teye on albums like “Letter to Laredo” (1995) and “Twistin’ in the Wind” (1998). Ely produced albums for his Flatlanders bandmates, Gilmore and Hancock, and the trio eventually reformed for new albums in 2002 and 2004, following their contribution to the soundtrack for Robert Redford’s film “The Horse Whisperer” (1998).

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Ely continued to release new music on his own label, Rack ‘Em Records, including “Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch” (2007) and the critically acclaimed “Satisfied at Last” (2011). His album “Panhandle Rambler” (2015) reflected his West Texas roots. In 2016, he held the designation of “Texas State Musician.” He was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in October 2022. Recent projects include “Love in the Midst of Mayhem” (2020) and “Driven to Drive” (2024), an album featuring a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen.