Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Joe Ely, a key figure in Texas’s progressive country movement of the 1970s, has died.
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His representative confirmed to Rolling Stone that Ely passed away at his home in Taos, New Mexico, due to complications from Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s, and pneumonia. He was 78.
Monte Warden of the Wagoneers tweeted, “My hero… my template… my friend… Joe Ely passed today. He means as much to me as Buddy, Elvis, or Don Everly. Such an artist. Texan. I’m just…heartbroken.”
Ely, a native of Amarillo, Texas, grew up in Lubbock before moving to Austin, where he became part of a key movement of progressive country rock artists that helped establish Austin as a live music hub. His genre-blending music played a pivotal role in shaping what became known as Americana.
Ely first opened for The Clash in Texas in 1979, then joined them again in the United Kingdom during their London Calling tour in 1980. In 1981, he also opened for the Rolling Stones on multiple dates.
1992 Saw the Release of One of Joe Ely’s Signature Tracks
Ely released several charting albums throughout his career. His 1981 album Musta Notta Gotta Lotta reached No. 135 on the Billboard 200 and No. 12 on the Top Country Albums chart. His later albums also found success, with Twistin’ in the Wind peaking at No. 55 in 1998, Streets of Sin at No. 51 in 2003, and Satisfied at Last reaching No. 46 in 2011 on the Top Country Albums chart.
Meanwhile, Ely’s 1992 release, Love and Danger, featured one of his signature tracks, a cover of Robert Earl Keen’s “The Road Goes on Forever.”
In 1999, the band’s self-titled LP won the Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album.
Ely rose to prominence in the early 1970s as a founding member of The Flatlanders, alongside Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. As a solo artist, he helped bring country music to international audiences with his approachable sound, including a lively performance on the Old Grey Whistle Test in London in 1981.
Ely was honored at the American Music Awards on April 26. The event was hosted at the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in New Jersey.