LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas music legend Joe Ely has passed away at 78, his family confirmed on social media Monday.
A West Texas native, Ely was born in Amarillo but moved to Lubbock in his youth and graduated from Monterey High School. He is best known for his revolutionary flavor of music that blended rock and country, which helped usher in a new era of music from the Lone Star State. Throughout his career, he collaborated with icons from both genres, such as Willie Nelson and The Clash.
The cause of Ely’s death was complications from several illnesses, including Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia. His family said that he was surrounded by his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, when he passed away at his home in Taos, N.M…