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For all his critical hosannas, Joe Ely is something of an acquired taste, since his rebellious neo-traditionalist country fluctuates between heartfelt honky tonk evocations, self-conscious modern-day mocking, and material that falls somewhere in between. He did cut a series of albums that were acclaimed and influential, including the rollicking Live Shots, one the great country live albums of its time, but MCA Nashville's 2000 The Best of Joe Ely is the best introduction to his sound and aesthetic. Spanning his career from his 1977 debut to 1995's Letter to Laredo, this touches on every defining moment Ely had, including songs that he initially cut with the Flatlanders. In this setting, his blend of honky tonk, folk, and rock & roll is remarkably effective and consistent, with "She Never Spoke Spanish to Me," "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown," "Musta Notta Gotta Lotta," and "Letter to Laredo" all standing out as progressive/alternative country classics. Given his cult status -- the kind of cult where all his recordings are acclaimed equally -- this is the best way for outsiders to fall in love with Ely.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Chip Young, Producer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Joe Ely, MainArtist
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Chip Young, Producer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Joe Ely, MainArtist
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Chip Young, Producer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Joe Ely, MainArtist
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chip Young, Producer - Shane Keister, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Ely, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 MCA Records
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chip Young, Producer - Shane Keister, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmie Dale Gilmore, ComposerLyricist - Joe Ely, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John X. Reed, ComposerLyricist - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chip Young, Producer - Shane Keister, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Ely, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Earle Ely, ComposerLyricist - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chip Young, Producer - Shane Keister, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Ely, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 MCA Records
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Johnston, Producer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Ely, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1979 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lloyd Maines, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Johnston, Producer - BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - Jesse Taylor, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ponty Bone, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Ely, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gregg Wright, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Keeton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1979 UMG Recordings, Inc.
MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 MCA Nashville
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1981 MCA Nashville
MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, MainArtist
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Beethoven, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1984 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tony Brown, Producer - JUstin Niebank, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Johnston, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 MCA Nashville
David Grissom, Producer - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist - Earle Ely, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 UMG Recordings, Inc.
BUTCH HANCOCK, ComposerLyricist - James Tuttle, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MICHAEL BROVSKY, Producer - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist - Bill Johnson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Little Johnny Fader, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gary Turner, Producer, Executive Producer - Bobby Lemmons, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
David Leonard, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Wilson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - DENNY PURCELL, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - James Tuttle, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Little Johnny Fader, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jim Wilson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
David Leonard, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Wilson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - DENNY PURCELL, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bruce Springsteen, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Tuttle, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Ely, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Will Sexton, ComposerLyricist - Little Johnny Fader, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1995 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
For all his critical hosannas, Joe Ely is something of an acquired taste, since his rebellious neo-traditionalist country fluctuates between heartfelt honky tonk evocations, self-conscious modern-day mocking, and material that falls somewhere in between. He did cut a series of albums that were acclaimed and influential, including the rollicking Live Shots, one the great country live albums of its time, but MCA Nashville's 2000 The Best of Joe Ely is the best introduction to his sound and aesthetic. Spanning his career from his 1977 debut to 1995's Letter to Laredo, this touches on every defining moment Ely had, including songs that he initially cut with the Flatlanders. In this setting, his blend of honky tonk, folk, and rock & roll is remarkably effective and consistent, with "She Never Spoke Spanish to Me," "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown," "Musta Notta Gotta Lotta," and "Letter to Laredo" all standing out as progressive/alternative country classics. Given his cult status -- the kind of cult where all his recordings are acclaimed equally -- this is the best way for outsiders to fall in love with Ely.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 20 track(s)
- Total length: 01:16:22
- Main artists: Joe Ely
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: MCA Nashville
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2000 MCA Records Nashville a division of MCA Records Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2000 MCA Nashville
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