Lubbock music icon Joe Ely, voice of the Texas road, dies at 78

Joe Ely, a famous singer-songwriter from Texas whose roots were in Lubbock and the High Plains, died on Monday at the age of 78, according to his family.

Ely was indeed born in Amarillo, but he quickly became one of Lubbock's most important musicians. He was a key part of the so-called "Lubbock Mafia," a group of musicians that also included Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, and Terry Allen.

On Tuesday, Ely's death was the main topic of talk on radio stations across the state. The Texas Standard called him the "poet laureate of the open road," which mirrored both his restless touring life and the way he wrote about highways, border towns, and working-class Texas.

Ely became famous in the 1970s by blending honky-tonk, rock, blues, conjunto, and folk into a sound that was hard to categorize. Even though he did not have much success on the mainstream charts, albums like Honky Tonk Masquerade helped him become known as one of Texas's most electrifying live acts.

That he could make songs on his own became part of his appeal. An artist from outside of Texas, Bruce Springsteen, often played with Ely on stage, and the British punk band The Clash admired him. Later, Ely admitted that he sang background vocals in Spanish on The Clash's 1982 hit "Should I Stay or Should I Go," but got no credit for it.

Many people in Lubbock knew him. In the late 1970s, Ely famously hosted members of The Clash while they were in West Texas and took them to see Buddy Holly's grave. The tour was a pilgrimage that showed how much Ely respected the city's musical history and Holly's lasting impact.

Besides being a musician, Ely was also a recognized poet. His poetry collection, Bonfire of Roadmaps, which came out in 2007, shared the same themes of travel, loneliness, and Texas scenery that shaped his songwriting.

Ely kept performing and recording well into old age. He reunited with Gilmore and Hancock occasionally as The Flatlanders, releasing critically praised albums like Now Again and Treasure of Love. These projects proved again that Lubbock will always be an essential part of Texas music history.

Even though Ely never tried to become a big star, he had a significant effect on many artists and fans. The world has lost a unique voice for West Texas.

Ely is survived by his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie Elena Ely.

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