Progressive country pioneer Joe Ely, whose influence stretched deep into rock music, has died at the age of 78.
Rolling Stone reported that Ely passed at home in New Mexico as a result of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia.
In 1972 Ely formed the Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, although they received little attention until they’d broken up and gone on to individual success. They reunited periodically, releasing more music until 2009’s Hills And Valleys, after which their unreleased 1972 material was delivered in 2012 as The Odessa Tapes.
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By 1977, Ely had established himself as a solo artist, starting with his self-titled debut album and continuing with Honky Tonk Masquerade the next year. After befriending Joe Strummer while touring with The Clash, Ely was present during recording sessions for their groundbreaking 1979 album London Calling, and performed backing vocals on the 1982 Combat Rock hit “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”
Ely opened for the Rolling Stones on their 1981 Tattoo You tour. He later appeared alongside Bruce Springsteen onstage, and the Boss inducted him into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2016. He also guested on Ely’s 2024 album Driven To Drive.
Under the name the Buzzin’ Cousins, Ely recorded the song “Sweet Suzanne” with John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam and John Prine. It was nominated for a Country Music Association Award in 1992. He won a Grammy in 1999 for Los Super Seven’s self-titled record.
Ely’s most recent release was 2025’s Love And Freedom.
Joe Ely Hoped to Unite People in Difficult Times
“Between the three of us Flatlanders, we probably had a thimble full of ambition,” Ely told Acoustic Guitar in 2017. “The whole thing was about seeing what could be done – seeing different ways to write a song. We just kind of followed that throughout our lives.”
Discussing his 2020 album Love in the Midst of Mayhem with Americana Highways, Ely said: “I would just like everyone to feel like these songs can provide a kind of a backdrop to their lives right now and maybe make them feel a little safer, because there is so much uncertainty with everything right now.”
Adding that he hoped to help “everybody to look at everybody else like we are all part of the same human family,” he continued: “[E]veryone [can] realize that we all have love for our fellow beings, because we all share the same planet; and that’s never been more apparent than right now.”
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
