Texas country-rock pioneer and legend collaborated with Clash, Springsteen

The Flatlanders founder brought an expansive vision that transcended genre.

- By August Brown

Joe Ely, a singer-songwriter and foundational figure in Texas’ progressive country-rock scene, has died. He was 78.

According to a statement from his representatives, Ely died Monday at home in New Mexico, from complications of Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease and pneumonia.

Ely had an expansive vision for country and rock, heard on singles like “All My Love,” “Honky Tonk Masquerade,” “Hard Livin’,” “Dallas” and “Fingernails.”

Born in 1947 in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock before moving to Austin and kicking off a new era of country music in the region, one that reflected both punk and the heartland rock of the era back into the roughhousing country scenes they came from.