County singer Joe Ely, was best known for his work with The Clash and Bruce Springsteen, died on Tuesday at the age of 78. The Texan toured both the U.S. and the U.K. with genre-melding shows spanning punk to honky-tonk. “Legendary songwriter, singer, and raconteur Joe Ely died today from complications of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia,” a statement posted on the “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me” singer’s Facebook page said. “His beloved wife Sharon and daughter Marie were at his side at their home in Taos, New Mexico. Ely was born February 9, 1947 in Amarillo, Texas... signed with MCA Records in the 1970s and spent more than five decades recording and performing around the world.” The Boss also paid tribute to a man he had shared the stage with numerous times across three decades, saying, “We’re deeply saddened by the loss of Joe Ely, a singular American singer, great musician and great artist. I was lucky enough to count Joe as a true friend and I will miss that voice and his companionship. Our hearts go out to his wonderful wife Sharon and the family. We’ve lost an American classic.”
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