Joe Ely

Influenced by fellow Lubbock native Buddy Holly, Joe Ely brought a rock-and-roll sensibility to the Texas country trio the Flatlanders, which formed in the early ’70s. And bandmates Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock educated Ely in the sounds of country and folk. By the time Ely also began releasing solo albums, he had developed his own sound by merging the three genres. His sizzling performances had him on the verge of stardom — he spent a summer opening for the Clash — but today he’s mostly a figure of critical adulation, notable for his broad mix of styles and his well-sketched, windblown characters. He has released several fine albums over the years, and his latest, Satisfied at Last, out on Tuesday, is one of them.