Everything is bigger in texas, and Joe Ely's voice is no exception. He's been shouting his way down the halls of honky-tonks since the early seventies, singing songs about the contemporary wild west; the outlaws, bar-room brawls, and the unique characters you'll meet there. Joe Ely takes you to a place where "The road goes on forever / and the party never ends."

Ely has performed with artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Alejandro Escovedo, and The Clash. Ely can even be heard singing backing vocals on The Clash's classic, "Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now." In the mid nineties he collaborated with Dutch Flemenco guitarist Teye on the albums "Letter to Laredo," and "Twistin In The Wind". Ely's unique perspective and story telling stand out strongly in each of his projects. He has a way with words and an appreciation of detail that's certain to strike a chord with any audience.

NEWS: Robert Earl Keen Inducts Joe Ely Into Lone Star Music Hall of Fame

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Legendary Roadhouse Rocker Joe Ely was inducted into The Lone Star Music Hall of Fame during The Sixth Annual Lone Star Music Awards held Sunday (April 27) at the Marc in San Marcos, Texas.

Following induction remarks from fellow Texas legend (and 2013 LSM Hall of Fame inductee) Robert Earl Keen, Ely fronted Reckless Kelly (The Joe Ely / Reckless Kelly Band, or The JERK Band) to bring down the house with his signature tunes “Dallas,” “Streets of Sin” and a stunning extended version of “Cool Rockin’ Loretta.”

"As proud as we are to induct Joe Ely into our Lone Star Music Hall of Fame, most of all we were honored by his acceptance of our invitation and by the gift of his unforgettable performance,” said Richard Skanse, editor of LoneStarMusic Magazine. “Because the fact is, Joe Ely really doesn’t need recognition by any hall of fame or awards show to prove his standing as one of the true giants in all Texas and Americana music; all he needs to get the job done is a stage, a mic and his own guitar. Last night, though, he just happened to have a little help from his friends in Reckless Kelly — not to mention some gal called ‘Loretta’ who always seals the deal."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSonwprti10&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

Joe Ely has spent the last three-decades-and-change touring the world and sharing the stage with Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, the Clash and Tom Petty. But his music today is still informed by the arid, wide-open sensibilities of his West Texas origins. In all of Ely’s songs, like a riptide rolling- beneath the melody, lies a sense of turbulence—wind, thunderstorms and tornadoes figure prominently—a beckoning, distant horizon and an aching sense of restlessness.