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Joe Ely

Biography

Country-rock singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe Ely was created Earle R. Ely on Feb 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Tx. His family got proved helpful for the Rock and roll Island Range railroad dating back again to the beginning of the hundred years. When he was 12, the family members shifted to Lubbock, Tx, where his dad ran a utilized clothing store. Motivated by viewing Jerry Lee Lewis perform when he was a kid, Ely aspired to some musical profession, and he briefly required violin and metal acoustic guitar lessons before embracing your guitar. His dad passed away when he was 14, and his mom was institutionalized for any 12 months because of the stress, therefore he and his sibling had been forced to remain with family members in other towns. When the family members came back collectively in Lubbock, he required a job cleaning dishes to generate some cash. He also decreased out of college and started playing music expertly in local night clubs, forming a music group known as the Twilights that became effective plenty of for him to give up being truly a dishwasher. Immediately after, nevertheless, he became sufficiently restless to begin with traveling, initially to other metropolitan areas in Tx, after that California, and afterwards NY, with a good trip to European countries doing work for a theatrical business. This peripatetic period in his lifestyle lasted a complete seven years, from 1963 to 1970. In the summertime of 1971, back Lubbock, he teamed up with several vocalist/songwriter close friends with whom he was living, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, alongside some other music artists, to create the Flatlanders, a country-folk group. They drawn interest from the tiny Nashville record label Plantation Information and in March 1972 visited Nashville and slice an recording that Plantation hardly released, acknowledged to Jimmie Dale & the Flatlanders. (The recording is respected to have already been released just as an eight-track tape.) Ely came back to rambling around the united states, but he was back Lubbock by 1974, when he started piecing together a long term backup music group to try out there and around Tx. The Joe Ely Music group highlighted Ely on classical guitar and vocals, Jesse Taylor on guitar, Lloyd Maines on metal electric guitar, Gregg Wright on bass, and Steve Keeton on drums. A demonstration tape created by the group was handed down to users of Jerry Jeff Walker’s back-up music group, who offered it to Walker, who offered it for an A&R representative of Walker’s label, MCA Information, and in nov 1975 Ely was authorized to MCA. During 1976, he documented his debut recording, Joe Ely, that was released on January 10, 1977, plus a one, “All My Like,” that reached the Billboard nation charts. That melody was among five primary Ely compositions over the LP; another five have been compiled by Hancock or Gilmore. More than a yr later, on Feb 13, 1978, Ely adopted along with his second recording, Honky Tonk Masquerade. (By this aspect, accordionist Ponty Bone got joined the back-up music group.) Once again, the collection was a combined mix of Ely originals, like the name music, “Fingernails” (a Jerry Lee Lewis-styled rocker with piano by Shane Keister), and “Cornbread Moon” (which had been released as singles), and tracks compiled by Hancock and Gilmore (the latter’s “Tonight I BELIEVE I’m Gonna Proceed Downtown,” co-written with John X. Reed, got appeared over the Flatlanders’ record). There is also a cover of Hank Williams’ “Honky Tonkin’.” Honky Tonk Masquerade was well received critically upon discharge (along with a 1990 content in Rolling Rock magazine called it among the important albums from the 1970s), nonetheless it didn’t sell. Ely was back record shops a calendar year afterwards with Down on the Move, released in Feb 1979. Another four Hancock compositions had been introduced, alongside five Ely originals. The recording reached the money Box nation graph. Ely and his music group toured thoroughly in the past due ’70s, headlining little shows and starting for bigger works. Among these, remarkably plenty of, was the English punk rock-band the Clash. The group befriended Ely, nevertheless, and asked him to open up shows to them back the U.K. This extended his following abroad and shown him to rock and roll audiences. The United kingdom department of MCA had taken advantage of the eye to record an Ely live record through the tour, and Live Photos, credited towards the Joe Ely Music group, was released just within the U.K. within the springtime of 1980. (By this aspect, Robert Marquam got changed Steve Keeton as Ely’s drummer.) In the meantime, the United kingdom reissue label Charly Information certified the Flatlanders’ recordings and gave them their initial widely distributed discharge on the compilation known as One Road Even more. Back the U.S., the American department of MCA primarily declined release a Live Pictures, preferring to hold back for Ely’s following studio room recording and continue steadily to make an effort to break him like a nation designer. That recording, Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, made an appearance in March 1981 on SouthCoast Information, an imprint founded by Ely’s supervisor, still produced and written by MCA. (Right now, Michael Robberson experienced changed Gregg Wright on bass; Smokey Joe Miller [saxophone] and Reese Wynans [keyboards] experienced joined the music group; and Lloyd Maines got dropped away from touring, although he continuing to take part in Ely studio room recordings.) Once again, it blended Ely originals just like the name song with tracks by Hancock and Gilmore (the latter’s contribution getting “Dallas,” another tune attracted from the Flatlanders’ record). The industrial reaction to Musta Notta Gotta Lotta shown Ely’s raising profile in both nation and rock marketplaces. It reached the money Box nation chart and also the Billboard and Money Box pop graphs, with the name song earning plenty of airplay to attain Billboard’s mainstream rock and roll chart. In Oct 1981, SouthCoast/MCA finally bowed to well-known pressure and released Live Photos within the U.S., product packaging it using a reward four-song EP, Tx Particular. It reached the Billboard pop graph. By the finish of 1982, Ely was probably in the cusp of breaking through commercially being a country-rock crossover musician. He had opened up shows for famous brands Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and also the Rolling Rocks. But he previously been touring continuously for years, as well as the speed used on him and his music group. His guitarist, Jesse Taylor, stop. His drummer, Robert Marquam, passed away. He split up what was remaining from the music group and retreated to his house in Austin, Tx along with his wife, Sharon Glaudt, and, immediately after, an infant girl, Marie Elena. There he started writing tracks designed for a film and toying with computer systems and synthesizers. The funding for the film went out, but at that time he previously a batch of music that he had taken to LA and documented in synth rock and roll arrangements, contacting the causing disc Hi-Res. It made an appearance in-may 1984, his 1st songs in a lot more than three years, getting mixed reviews rather than selling. Ely posted another record to MCA, that your label declined release a, bringing his agreement to a finish. In a way, he began over, assembling a fresh music group and hitting the street. The brand new group presented lead guitarist David Grissom, bassist Jimmy Pettit, and drummer Davis McLarty, plus keyboardist Mitch Watkins, a holdover from Hi-Res. Ely authorized to the 3rd party HighTone Information label and in July 1987 released his 6th studio room recording, Lord from the Highway. Evaluations had been favorable, for any disk that once again contained several Butch Hancock tunes, although Ely’s personal “Me and Billy a child” garnered probably the most interest, with covers documented by Ramblin’ Jack port Elliott and Marty Stuart, amongst others. Dig FOREVER followed in Oct 1988. All of the tunes had been compiled by Ely, using the name monitor co-written by Watkins, who didn’t perform for the record. (Some have been written ahead of Lord from the Highway for the turned down MCA record.) Included in this had been “Accept Love,” that was included in Kelly Willis, and “AND ALSO THE Like,” which Chris LeDoux took in to the nation graph in 1993. From the past due ’80s, Ely’s audio, having very long since dropped its even more overt nation elements, experienced relocated toward the mainstream rock and roll design of John Mellencamp and Tom Petty. At exactly the same time, nevertheless, a far more rocking design experienced become more suitable in Nashville, where, for instance, Dwight Yoakam, Hank Williams, Jr., and Steve Earle experienced all topped the united states recording chart lately. For the reason that atmosphere, MCA once again became thinking about Ely, re-signing him and issuing his second concert documenting, Live at Liberty Lunchtime, in November 1990. Ely’s initial live record in ten years, it discovered him performing the very best from the music he had documented since Live Pictures. It spent five weeks within the Billboard nation graph. Also in 1990, Rounder Information released the Flatlanders’ Even more a Legend when compared to a Music group, a revised edition from the group’s hardly released 1972 record. In early 1992, Ely became a member of as well as John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam, John Prine, and Wayne McMurtry within an impromptu country-rock vocalist/songwriter supergroup known as Buzzin’ Cousins to record a Mellencamp structure, “Nice Suzanne,” for the soundtrack from the film Falling from Elegance, where Mellencamp starred. The monitor reached the united states singles graph. In Sept 1992, MCA released Ely’s 8th studio room recording, Love and Risk. Ely considered performing in July 1994, showing up within the musical Chippy: Diaries of the West Tx Hooker at Lincoln Middle in NEW YORK. He also added music towards the rating and appeared in the ensemble record, released by Hollywood Information. MCA released his ninth studio room record, Notice to Laredo, in August 1995, where period Ely’s bassist was Glenn Fukunaga. If nearly “unplugged,” it had been even more of an acoustic work than previous produces and prominently presented flamenco guitarist Teye, with periodic harmony and history vocals by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Raul Malo from the Mavericks, and Bruce Springsteen. It reached the Billboard nation graph. Although Ely experienced created albums by Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, the three resisted demands these to reunite because the Flatlanders until 1998, if they resurrected the music group name to record the music “South Blowing wind of Summer season” for the soundtrack towards the film The Equine Whisperer, released in Apr. IN-MAY, Ely followed along with his tenth studio room record, Twistin’ within the Blowing wind. It spent a month within the Billboard nation graph, but after launching four albums without credit scoring a big strike, MCA once again fell Ely. In Sept, he participated within the self-titled debut from the Tex-Mex supergroup Los Super Seven, alongside Freddy Fender, Joel Jose Guzman, Flaco Jiménez, Rubén Ramos, Doug Sahm, Rick Trevino, and David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, and he distributed the album’s Grammy Honor for Greatest Mexican-American/Tejano Music Efficiency. In 2000, Ely got two live recordings in launch. His 1990 single acoustic appearance in the Cambridge Folk Event within the U.K. led to the six-song EP Live in the Cambridge Folk Event on BBC/Unusual Fruit Information in the uk. And he agreed upon to Rounder, which released his third full-length concert collection, Live @ Antone’s, in June. His music group for the displays, taped in January 1999, contains returning associates Jesse Taylor and Lloyd Maines, alongside Teye, bassist Gary Herman, drummer Rafael O’Malley Gayol, and accordion participant Joel Guzman. The record reached the Billboard nation graph. The Flatlanders, on the other hand, acquired taken another stage toward reconstitution by introducing a nationwide tour in the past due wintertime of 2000. IN-MAY 2002, Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock finally re-formed the Flatlanders for a fresh full-length record, Now Once again, released by New Western world Information. Ely co-wrote 12 from the 14 tracks and created the established, which reached the very best 20 from the Billboard nation graph. Ely’s 11th studio room record, Roads of Sin, premiered in July 2003. It reached the Billboard nation graph. Having waited 30 years between their 1st and second albums, the Flatlanders had been ready making use of their third, Tires of Lot of money, within 2 yrs. Again made by Ely, it had been released in January 2004 and spent 11 weeks within the Billboard nation chart. One of the four Ely compositions around the disk was “Indian Cowboy,” a track he had not really previously documented, but which have been recorded over time by Man Clark, Tom Russell, Townes Truck Zandt, and Katy Moffatt. Half a year later, there is another Flatlanders record, the archival Live ’72. Ely got sat out the next Los Super Seven record, Canto, in 2001, but he came back for 2005’s Noticed It in the X. Departing Rounder, he founded his very own record label, Rack ‘Em Information, and in Feb 2007 released his 12th studio room record, Happy Music from Rattlesnake Gulch. Exactly the same month, the University or college of Tx Press released his publication of memoirs of existence on the highway, Bonfire of Roadmaps. That springtime, he embarked on a tour with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Man Clark. At exactly the same time, in Apr, Rack ‘Em experienced its second launch, Silver Town, an acoustic assortment of early Ely compositions in recently recorded performances offering just Ely and accordionist Joel Guzman. Ely and Guzman had been co-credited on Rack ‘Em’s third launch, Live Cactus!, which made an appearance in March 2008. Ely came back towards the studio room this year 2010, using the sessions leading to the record Satisfied finally, his initial record of brand-new materials in four years. It had been released by Rack ‘Em in 2011. The deeply personal Panhandle Rambler LP found its way to 2015 combined with the announcement that Ely will be officially appointed Tx Condition Musician for the entire year 2016.

Quick Facts


Full Name Joe Ely
Date Of Birth February 9, 1947
Profession Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist, Film Score Composer
Nationality American
Music Songs Me and Billy The Kid, Gallo Del Cielo, She Never Spoke Spanish to Me, All Just to Get to You, The Road Goes on Forever, If You Were a Bluebird, Cool Rockin' Loretta, Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, Letter to Laredo, Fingernails, When The Nights Are Cold, I Had My Hopes Up High, Treat Me Like a Saturday Night, Coyotes Are Howlin', West Texas Waltz, Honky Tonk Masquerade, Wounded Creek, Because of the Wind, Fightin' for My Life, Settle for Love, Four Ol' Brokes, Behind the Bamboo Shade, Boxcars, Cornbread Moon, Suckin' a Big Bottle of Gin, Here's To The Weary, Down on the Drag, Johnny's Blues, All That You Need, Lord of the Highway, Burden Of Your Load, Row of Dominoes
Albums Panhandle Rambler, Honky Tonk Masquerade, Live at Liberty Lunch, Lord of the Highway, Love and Danger, B4 84, Joe Ely, Chippy, Letter to Laredo, Live at Antones, Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch, Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, Satisfied at Last, Down on the Drag, Streets of Sin, Twistin' in the Wind, Lord of the Highway & Dig All Night, Silver City, Live In Austin, Texas. 3rd Dec '93 (Remastered) [Live FM Radio Broadcast Concert], Live Shots, The Best of Joe Ely, Live Chicago 1987, Dig All Night, From Lubbock to Laredo: The Best Of, The Definitive Collection, 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Joe Ely, Settle for Love, Touchstones
Nominations Country Music Association Award for Vocal Event of the Year
Movies South of Heaven, West of Hell


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Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Leaves of Grass 2009 writer: "My Wildest Dreams Go Wilder Every Day"
Cement 2000 performer: "Gimme a Pigfoot" / writer: "July Blues"
A Place to Grow 1998 writer: "For Your Love"
Hope Floats 1998 performer: "Dam of My Heart" / writer: "Dam of My Heart"
Tin Cup 1996 performer: "Character Flaw" / producer: "Character Flaw" / writer: "Character Flaw"
Switch 1991 performer: "Are You Listenin' Lucky!" / producer: "Are You Listenin' Lucky!" / writer: "Are You Listenin' Lucky!"
Powwow Highway 1989 performer: "LORD OF THE HIGHWAY"
The State of Things 1982 "Standin' at the Big Hotel", "Fools Fall in Love"
Hard Country 1981 performer: "WEST TEXAS WALTZ"
Roadie 1980 "Hopes Up High" / performer: "Brainlock", "Hopes Up High" / writer: "Brainlock"

Actor

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
A Prairie Home Companion Live in HD! Again! 2010 TV Movie Singer
Outlaw Trail: Where Outlaw Legends and Outlaw Music Meet 2008 TV Movie
Z: A Zombie Musical 2007 Zombie Guitarist #1
Blood Trail 2005 Video Dave Robertson
Grand Champion 2002 Don
South of Heaven, West of Hell 2000 Petrified Paul

Music Department

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Blood Trail 2005 Video music mixer

Thanks

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Cement 2000 special thanks

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Every Night's a Saturday Night 2016 Documentary post-production Himself
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years 2014 Himself
The Winding Stream 2014 Documentary Himself
Road to Austin 2014 Documentary Himself
The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca 2011 TV Series Himself - Guest
Behind the Confessions: The Life, the Music and the Revival of Radney Foster 2009 Documentary
Austin City Limits 1996-2008 TV Series documentary Himself
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten 2007 Documentary Himself
The Passing Show: The Life and Music of Ronnie Lane 2006 Documentary Himself
Willie Nelson: Songs for Tsunami Relief - From Austin to South Asia 2005 Video Performer
Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt 2004 Documentary Himself - Musician
Antone's: Home of the Blues 2004 Documentary Himself
Texas Monthly Talks 2003 TV Series Himself - Interviewee
Lubbock Lights 2003 Documentary Himself
Late Show with David Letterman 1996 TV Series Himself
Late Night with Conan O'Brien 1995 TV Series Himself
The Full Moon Show 1992 TV Series documentary Himself
Bring on the Summer 1986 TV Special Himself

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