Music
16 Dec 25

Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely has died, aged 78

The Flatlanders with Jason Eady and Jamie Wilson opening, Granada Theater, Dallas in 2012. Credit: Dave Hensley

"An immeasurable loss to music but what a legacy of songs and stories he has left us," said Malcolm Noonan.

Joe Ely of the Flatlanders has died at the age of 78.

His family announced that the Texas-born singer, songwriter and guitarist died on Monday in his home in New Mexico from complications of Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia.

The artist was a pioneer of the the '70s progressive country movement in the United States, which came to be known as Americana.

Ely opened for the Clash on several occasions and sang the Spanish backup vocals on their hit 1982 song 'Should I Stay or Should I Go'.

"I am saddened today to hear of [Ely's] passing," said Irish Green Party senator Malcolm Noonan in an Instagram post. "He played two gigs in my hometown of Kilkenny in 1989 and 90. My band The Lonesome Rashers was the opening act for his first show," he continued.

"We played pool and passed around a guitar playing Buddy Holly and Terry Allen songs in the back of the hotel that night. One of my happiest music memories ever."

In 1972, Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, known as Jimmie Dale and the Flatlanders at the time, recorded their album All American Music in Nashville. The project was released as an eight-track tape cassette and the group split up soon after.

10 years later, the record was released on vinyl and cassette, now titled One Road More, earning the band wider recognition, before its rereleased in the United States in 1990, titled More a Legend Than a Band.

The Flatlanders reformed in 1990 to record a track for the 1998 Robert Redford film The Horse Whisperer. The band went on to release five more records over the next 20 years.

Known for his blend of rock, country, Tex-Mex, blues and other sub-genres, Ely released most of his solo work through his own label Rack’em Records.

"Joe should have been huge; up there with Springsteen," added Noonan. "He brought Texas honky tonk to fans of the Clash in stadiums across the US and tore up the country music rule book bringing it to new audiences in the UK and worldwide."

"I'm sure that he and Joe Strummer will be jamming in the cosmos. An immeasurable loss to music but what a legacy of songs and stories he has left us. Rest in peace Joe."