Joe Ely, the influential Texas singer-songwriter closely tied to Lubbock’s music legacy, has died at age 78. Ely, an Amarillo native and longtime Lubbock resident, helped define the city’s role in Texas music through decades of genre-blending albums, legendary live shows, and collaborations with artists ranging from Buddy Holly’s heirs to Bruce Springsteen.
Lubbock music icon Joe Ely, voice of the Texas road, dies at 78