PHOTO: ERICA GOLDRING | Joe Ely, the iconic American singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas country, Tex-Mex, and rock ‘n’ roll returns to Chickie Wah Wah for his first show in almost two years. He will appear with accordionist Joel Guzman. George McConnell and Tomi Lunsford are the supporting acts.
Joe Ely was born in 1947 and spent his formative years in Lubbock, Texas. In 1970, he formed the Flatlanders with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. According to Ely, “Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it. And Butch was from the folk world. I was kinda the rock ‘n’ roll guy, and we almost had a triad. We hit it off and started playing a lot together. That opened up a whole new world I had never known existed.”
Guitarist George McConnell is best known for his work with jam band icons Widespread Panic. He was a founding member of southern rockers, the Kudzu Kings and was a member of Beanland. He will be playing a solo acoustic set.
Asheville, North Carolina native Tomi Lunsford is a critically acclaimed vocalist and songwriter. Now based in Nashville, renowned music writer Greil Marcus has described her voice as, “stunning.” She will be performing with a three-piece combo.
Joe Ely’s most recent recording is the critically acclaimed Panhandle Rambler. Largely recorded in Austin, it features some of the most respected Texas musicians around. There were also Nashville sessions, with Music City’s usual superb playing, led by guitarist Gary Nicholson. Joe wrote all but two of the songs: “Magdalene” by Guy Clark and Ray Stephenson and “When the Nights are Cold” by his original Flatlanders sidekick Butch Hancock.
Show time is 8 PM.
