Joe Ely

McGonigel’s Mucky Duck presents Joe Ely. TWO SHOWS!

One of the true pioneers of the alt-country. His boundary-blurring blend of rock, country, blues and folk has sometimes been termed “road-house” music, but might most accurately be described as “Texas music.”

Joe Ely is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, country and rock and roll. He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours. Ely spent his formative years from age 12 in Lubbock, Texas.

With 24 albums to his name, this Texas singer/songwriter has played with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, James McMurtry and John Hiatt. His latest album, Satisfied at Last, is being touted as a milestone in his past decade of work. Joe’s vocals are stronger than ever after more than 3 decades of touring.

He’s never had a Top 10 single, none of his albums have gone platinum, and yet Joe Ely has carved a unique–and influential — niche for himself during nearly 25 years as a solo performer, most of them spent on MCA.

His incomparable stories overflow with humanity and humor, not to mention an idiosyncratic West Texas perspective. He was “alt country” before the genre existed and can be justly credited as a fountainhead of that movement.