The music world is mourning the loss of legendary musician Joe Ely, who has died at the age of 78.
His death was confirmed in a statement posted to his Facebook page. He passed away on December 15 due to complications from Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia.
At the time, Ely was home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, by his side.
Remembering The Legendary Joe Ely
Ely was born on February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, and later spent his teenage years in Lubbock.
He eventually moved to Austin, where he played a key role in shaping the city’s progressive country rock scene and helped turn it into a well-known hub for live music.
In 1971, he helped form the country-rock band The Flatlanders alongside Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. While the group found early success, they broke up shortly after recording their first album, and each pursued a solo career.
Ely released his self-titled debut album in 1977 after signing with MCA.
Following that, he went on to share the stage with some of the biggest rock bands in history. He opened for The Clash for the first time in 1979 in his home state of Texas, then again in 1980 in the UK during the band’s London Calling tour. He was also a regular opening act for The Rolling Stones in 1981.
“Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls,” Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.
“His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through fifty years of critically acclaimed recordings. But his true measure came through in the dynamic intensity of his powerhouse live performances, where he could stand his ground aside fellow zealots Bruce Springsteen who recorded duets with Ely, and the Stones and the Clash, who took Ely on tour as an opening act.”
Over his long career, he released 20 albums and landed himself on multiple charts. This includes his 1981 project Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, which climbed to No. 12 on the Top Country Albums chart.
In 1999, Ely won a Grammy Award for his work on the Los Super Seven album for Best Mexican/Mexican American Album.
One of Ely’s final honors before his passing was being inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2022. He had appeared on the ACL stage 11 times before.
