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Texas Panhandle

Texas  is the second largest US-State, in terms of size as well as population. In other words, it is twice the size of Germany. So it should not come as a surprise, that is also has a music scene of its own, which very often remains fairly unknown outside of its statelines. Even a Texas Music Chart gets published on a weekly basis.

Texas Panhandle is not only the name of the states' northeastern part (on a map it resembles the handle of a pan), but it is also the title of the latest album by Texas Music Legend Joe Ely: "Panhandle Rambler".



Born 68 years ago in Amarillo, Texas, Joe Ely is considered one of the original Texas Singer-Songwriters. His first album, simply titles "Joe Ely" was already released in 1977. It presented his take of Texas Honky Tonk Roadhouse Rock & Roll, or whatever genre you might associate it with. Stories about lost and lonessome characters, never giving up and rising out of the endless Texas plains. Musical roots that grew from Country, Folk and Rock.


He followed it up with over 20 albums, consisting out of Live- and Solo-Albums, as well a group efforts with The Flatlanders, of which Jimmy Dales Gilmore and Butch Hancock were members. The Flatlanders were founded already in 1972, but dissolved subsequently, because its members started focusing on solo projects and individual careers.

In 1998  Joe Ely was asked to contribute songs for the soundrack of Robert Redfords "The Horse Whisperer", which eventually lead to the reformation of The Flatlanders.

In 1995 Joe Ely released the epic "Letter To Laredo" album, on which Joe Nick Patoski stated:
"He sings of distance, about rivers and ranches, of smoldering passions and sad laments, of faraway longing and unrequited love. He sings of journeys that take him from the High Plains of West Texas to dark and mysterious flamenco bars in Spanish Andalusia, where Arab, African, and European influences commingle. And more than once he can be seen and heard chasing hearts and souls south across the Rio Grande."


The unique element in "Letter To Laredo", the aforementioned Spanish Andalusia mystique, is created by the Dutch Flamenco gituarist Teye. Hence the already epic ballad about the fighting cock 'Gallo Del Cielo', masterfully written by Tom Russel, gets transferred into a fascinating sonic masterpiece.

Joe Ely got to know Teye in Austin and he invited him to become part of the album. The cooperation got extended to the follow-up album "Twistin' in the Wind", however Teye was regrettfully not featured as prominently anymore as on Laredo. Today Teye manufactures handmade guitars and is no longer active as a professional musician.

The Flamenco Guitar of Teye is missing on "Panhandle Rambler", although one seems to almost feel it on the first number 'Wounded Creek'. That song sounds almost like an outtake from "Letter To Laredo". In that respect, Rambler feels like the first album since then, that takes one back to the endless High Plains of West Texas and its stories.

Stories, coming from the childhood memories of Ely, such as 'Wonderin' Where', with its picture of the Radio towers, swaying in the wind and scratching the low clouds. And the music coming out of the kitchen radio, mysteriously.

Pictures that are not only created by memories, but also the the landscape, such as the huge hammer-shaped oil pumps in 'Cold Black Hammer'. Of course Mexiko never is too far away, letting faint accordion sounds drift across the border with the wind in 'Burden Of Your Load'. The longing for something better is the center piece of 'Magdalene', written by Texas-Legend Guy Clark:

"Move with me Magdalena,
I am tired of the same old scene,
There's a Greyhound leaving at midnight,
if you came with me, that'd be like a dream.
Come with me Magdalena".

If you are looking for the reflective and quiet trip onto the endless Plains of West Texas bordering Mexico, you need to hear "Panhandle Rambler", the latest album of Joe Ely. It's been way too long anyways, to finally hear a worthy successor to "Letter To Laredo".

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