The Flatlanders

The fact that Texas music titans Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock – on their first go-around as The Flatlanders in 1972 – were completely rejected by the country music establishment is surprising in retrospect but, ultimately, poetic. That each went on to have formidable solo careers is a testament to their talent and determination. Add to this their diverse yet complimentary styles – Ely the street-wise rocker, Gilmore the mystic with the classic country voice, and Hancock the cerebral folk singer – and you’ve got a story of one of the most extraordinary kinships in American musical history.