The year 2025 seems to be ending with a lot of bad news. With more mass shootings, we have also very recently lost artists like Todd Snider, Raol Malo, Rob Reiner and his wife. And now comes news that Joe Ely has passed away due at home in New Mexico due to “complications of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia.”
Born in Texas on February 9, 1947, Ely became a legend of Texas country and rock music starting with his work with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock in the Flatlanders. The band broke up in 1972 soon after recording their first album, though the three would reunite several times through the year. Ely went on to his own solo work as well as performances with artists such as The Clash, Uncle Tupelo, The Chieftains, Bruce Springsteen, and Guy Clark. That’s Ely singing backup on The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”
In the late 1990’s, Ely joined the supergroup Los Super Seven along with other artists including Freddy Fender, David Fender, David Hildago (Los Lobos), and Ruben Ramos. Their 1998 self-titled album won a Grammy for best Mexican-American music performance.
One of my favorite albums that has been in my collection for decades is Joe Ely’s Live Shots, recorded and released in 1980 while he was touring with The Clash. One of my favorite tracks on the album is “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me,” written by his former Flatlanders bandmate Butch Hancock. Below Ely sings the song at the International Country Festival at Ahoy Hall in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on May, 18 1978.
Those who knew the music of Ely and The Flatlanders know he was a legend. Check out more of his music, including this more recent performance of Billy Joe Shaver’s “I’m Going to Live Forever.” Here, Ely sings the song at the Music Fog showcase during SXSW 2010 at Threadgill’s in Austin, TX on March 18, 2010.
RIP Joe Ely. Leave your two cents in the comments.