It's official, Ely becomes State Musician
"I'm humbled to be recognized in this manner by the state of my birth," said Ely, a native Texan born in Amarillo, raised in Lubbock and currently living on his ranch just outside of Austin. "As a songwriter, I've always felt extremely fortunate to have grown up in such an inspirational place with its rich, compelling history and is filled with some of the most fascinating characters in the world."
"Since I first saw Joe Ely perform on Austin City Limits on my local PBS station in Pasadena Texas, I felt like he embodied the Texas spirit of independent musical integrity. He's managed to keep it all these years, and that ain't easy," said Dale Watson, a 2007 honoree. "I'm constantly amazed and appreciative of Joe Ely's talent. He's a perfect ambassador to represent our state."
"I couldn't be happier for Joe," said Billy Joe Shaver, a 2006 recipient. "He's always been one of my heroes and one of the great ones... plus, he plays his ass off."
More news for Joe Ely
- 09/18/15: Alabama, Ely, Alvins release new sounds
- 08/19/15: Ely song receives premiere Thursday
- 12/12/14: Ely-Ronstadt single sees light of day, 27 years later
- 10/03/11: Ely plays A Prairie Home Companion
- 11/02/10: Joe Ely gets "Satisfied at Last"
- 12/11/08: The Flatlanders plan on yet another CD
- 05/27/08: Joe Ely appears on A Prairie Home Companion
- 12/19/07: Joe Ely delays CD release
CD reviews for Joe Ely
Over the past 14 years, Joe Ely has earned a reputation as one of the forebears of that unique branch of Americana borne from the Great State of Texas. Both individually, and as part of the super band, The Flatlanders, he's carved out a career as an essential insurgent, one who once kept company with The Clash while establishing some decidedly cool credentials of his own.
While the title might suggest otherwise, the hastily released "Love in the Midst of Mayhem" finds ...
When you hear some artists' early demos, a phrase that might come to mind is, 'Well, they had great potential.' You won't say that, though, when you hear Joe Ely's demos for his first album, and some songs that later appeared on his third album. No, with "The Lubbock Tapes: Full Circle," you hear an artist that arrived fully formed and in his prime.
You can hear Ely's struggle to graduate from talented Texan, to Nashville (star hopeful) with the downhearted ...
Joe Ely shows no signs of slowing down on his ninth release. Writing all but two of the dozen songs over the past three or four years, Ely is at his best here, painting pictures with words of the Texas that he calls home.
The title belies the scope of this album, with its contents illustrating a panorama of Texas landscape and citizenry (legal and otherwise), including those from just south of the border as well. Standouts abound: "Four Ol' Brokes," a tale of poker, train yards, ...
©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
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