Born in 1947 in Amarillo, Texas, Joe Ely is known in the music community as a country singer-songwriter and guitarist, specializing in elements of honky-tonk and rock ‘n roll.  Inspired by a live Jerry Lee Lewis performance as a child, Ely briefly took steel guitar and violin lessons before turning full attention to the guitar.  He dropped out of school to focus on his potentional career in professional music, playing local clubs with his newly formed band, the Twilights.

In 1970, Ely joined forces with local musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock to form the country-folk outfit the Flatlanders.  They released their first album in 1972 and have continued to make appearences on each other’s albums since the dissolution of the band.  Ely’s solo, self-titled debut was released in 1977, the single “All My Love” reaching the Billboard country charts.  This album, as well as most subsequent Ely releases, features Ely originals alongside songs penned by Hancock and Gilmore.  In addition to opening for the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and Linda Ronstadt, Ely has performed with Bruce Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, and the Clash, contributing backing vocals for “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” for the latter.

“Bonfire of Roadmaps,” a book consisting of Ely’s memoirs of life on the road, was published by the University of Texas Press in 2007.  Later that same year, he founded his own label, Rack ‘Em Records, using it to release his 12th studio album.