1947-2025
Very few musical collaborations have been as successful and long-lasting as the beloved Texas troubadour band The Flatlanders—Joe Ely, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock.
Many Texans were saddened in December by the death of Joe Ely.
“The world has lost one of its most beautiful voices,” said famous Texas singer-songwriter Patty Griffin.
Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock have deep connections to the Big Bend area, having lived and worked here for decades.
The Flatlanders, all originally from the Texas Panhandle, are loved throughout the world, but never more than in Texas, where they played thousands of concerts.
Joe Ely had a long individual career with the Joe Ely Band, which opened for other great bands such as Linda Ronstadt, The Kinks, The Clash, Tom Petty, and The Rolling Stones.
In 2007 Joe was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the American Music Association.
One time, not so long ago, aimlessly strolling the River Walk in old San Antonio, there at the Arneson Amphitheater a free show starring Joe Ely and the legendary accordionist Joel Guzman was about to begin. Despite thousands of concerts over many decades, the music was so beautiful it stands out even today.
We have lost a beautiful voice.
—Don Gardner
Gardner, a board member at Sentinel News Project, was a founder of the Pacifica radio station in Houston.