Joe Ely

Artist's Website

Texas Troubadour Joe Ely was raised in Lubbock, the major city of the flatlands of Texas from which such luminaries as Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings had previously emerged. In the early 70s, Ely teamed up with fellow singer-songwriters and Lubbock residents Jimmie Dale Gilmore and “Butch” Hancock in an informal combo known as the Flatlanders. The group eventually split up after they recorded an album in Nashville in 1972 that was not released (it was eventually released on Rounder in 1990 as More a Legend Than a Band). In 1976 Ely formed his own band and signed to MCA in 1977, only to be dropped by the label in 1983, after the release of several albums. Ely assembled a new group by 1987, eventually signing to the indie Hightone label and releasing two albums including Dig All Night, which for the first time featured a repertoire totally composed of Ely’s own songs. In 1990, the group recorded a powerhouse live album in Austin, Live At Liberty Lunch, which was sufficiently impressive for Ely’s old label, MCA, to re-sign him. Multiple releases followed including MCA-Nashville’s Best Of collection, emphasizing Ely as one of the most realized artists in contemporary country music, especially in the live situation where he excels. Ely continues to tour, as a solo act and with the recently reunited super-group Flatlanders (he was also part of the 1999 Grammy winning Los Super Seven Project, which also featured members of Los Lobos). Ely’s latest and 15th album, Streets Of Sin, is due out on Rounder Records in July 2003.

Join us for a rockin’ performance from etown veteran Joe Ely, “…as fine a songwriter as Texas has ever produced.” CMJ New Music Report