Remembering Joe Ely

Somewhere between the cosmic country explosion out of Austin kicked off by Willie, Jerry Jeff, Rusty Wier and the boys and the 80's breakthrough of Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett stood Joe Ely. A flatland rock star. Bonafide.

Joe Ely didn’t just sing, he emoted every single syllable. He wrote the miles between towns. The cracked sidewalks of west Texas. The restless pull of the open road. The power of Marshall amp cranked up to 11. The ache that lives in small bars and big dreams. His songs felt lived in and put on no airs. He made his bones as a live performer and was one of the most electric this state has ever produced.

Punk rock energy wrapped in a country songwriter’s soul. Playing with The Clash one night, in a round with Guy and Townes the next. It happened. When Joe Ely sang, you believed him. The guy at the end of the bar who’s seen enough to know better, but still leans in when the jukebox starts. Except this dude had the swagger of '68 Elvis and the soul of Billy Joe Shaver.

Joe made Texas feel vast and personal at the same time. What was his was yours if you were willing to listen. His influence runs deep through everything we now call Texas Music, Red Dirt and Americana. There is a natural through line to bands like Reckless Kelly, Jack Ingram and Jason Boland and the Stragglers among others, but his sonic fingerprints and burnt stage legacy is really everywhere.

Joe proved that music from Texas could be genuinely cool outside the prism of Willie and Jerry Jeff. He opened for the Stones. He toured with The Clash. He wrote classics. He signed a major label deal when that truly meant something.

He was a full blown rock star. Not in the trashing hotels and showing up to the gig drunk way, but in the pure adrenaline rush of live performance way. Music was his drug. Live performance was his delivery method. And he created a blueprint that kids with guitars on highways are still emulating.

Thanks for cutting the trail in such a cool way Joe. We’re all still following your lead. And always will be.