Joe Ely is Texas Honky tonk music
The first time I listened to Joe Ely, the song was “Musta Notta Gotta”….sleep last night. He rocks out that song and just by watching him perform, you know he has spent a few nights researching his song. And, because of a misspent youth, I can certainly relate to the song, but there’s more to Joe Ely than just that one song.
There must be something in the water in Lubbock. Joe Ely grew up there and attended Monterrey High School. With his friends, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed the band the Flatlanders. A pretty appropriate name for a band from Lubbock.
You might have run across Joe Ely before and just not realized it. He has performed with Bruce Springsteen, James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.
Sometimes I like to hear how a different band does different versions of songs. Here is Joe Ely and his band with The Road Goes On Forever. I still like REK best.
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David and Ramona,
Joe Ely played at the Second Annual Mesquite Jamboree held near Big Lake in 1977. The event was planned by Bob and Bill Ferguson, Jay Weatherby, and Bob Stout. Joe was very good back then. I saw Joe in the early 90’s, and he said that he remembered playing there.