Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely, whose genre-defying career saw him perform with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to The Clash, revealed on social media this week that he has been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
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“Together with his wife Sharon, Joe is sharing their journey—not to dwell in hardship, but to bring understanding, awareness, and hope through the healing power of music,” reads a Sept. 9 announcement on Ely’s official Facebook account.
Reared in Lubbock, Texas, Ely, now 78, formed the Flatlanders in 1971 with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. The band recorded only one album before their initial breakup, but all three musicians have gone on to appear on each other’s albums.
Ely toured with The Clash after meeting them in London in 1978. He is the inspiration behind the line “Well there ain’t no better blend than Joe Ely and his Texas Men” in the punk rock legends 1980 song “If Music Could Talk.” Ely also sang backing vocals on their seminal song “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
The native Texan’s career is difficult to pin down, releasing 16 albums since 1977. He joined John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam, Joe Ely, James McMurtry, and John Prine for the Buzzin’ Cousins, Mellencamp’s light-hearted answer to the Travelin’ Wilburys. The group earned a nod for Vocal Event of the Year at the 1992 CMAs.
Later, Ely would also link up with fellow Texans Freddy Fender and Flaco Jiménez to form the supergroup Los Super Seven. Together, they took home the Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album in 1999.
[RELATED: Joe Ely Has ‘Love’ in Shadow of the Corona Pan-Damn-It]
Joe Ely Discovers, Restores Old Tapes
In the Facebook post announcing Joe Ely’s diagnosis, his wife, Sharon, also revealed that she recently found some old recordings featuring her husband’s vocals, guitar and harmonica.
Those tapes have found new life thanks to the Radar Initiative, founded by Grammy-winning producer Lee Miles Buchanan. Using AI technology, the original tapes have been restored and enhanced with orchestral arrangements.
One of those songs is Ely’s rendition of the Buddy Holly classic “Raining in My Heart,” which the late rock-and-roll pioneer had begun recording with an orchestra prior to his death in a 1959 plane crash. Ely is now releasing that song, among others, on Sept. 19.
Though daily life has changed, Joe remains what he has always been: a brilliant musician, a storyteller, and a light in the world,” the post read. “With Sharon by his side, and the support of those who love him, Joe continues to share his music and his heart.
Featured image by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage
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