Customer Reviews

Bonfire of Roadmaps (Brad and Michele Moore Roots Music)

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Joe Ely is a first class musician. Once you start listening to him, you can't stop, and now he gives us a poetic glimpse at life on the road. Bonfire of Roadmaps delves into the hard life, triumphs, and trials of life as a modern day troubadour, and it is a great read. The chapters flow rhythmically along, bursting with memorable characters, stories, lyrics, and a first hand account of what its like to crisscoss the map playing in dingy bars, auditoriums, hotel rooms, and foreign countries. Joe just keeps going. Do yourself a favor: buy this book, listen to the spoken word cd that comes with it, and then start collecting Joe Ely's albums. He's the best. It's as simple as that.

I am very pleased with "Bonfire Of Roadmaps" by Joe Ely. It is a book to savor over the years ahead and to take on long road trips when I travel. And, if I stay home, then it is a book that can take me on Joe Ely's road trips.
I feel blessed that I was able to sit in the front row at Joe Ely's multimedia presentation of Bonfire Of Roadmaps at the Texas Book Festival held in Austin on November 3rd and 4th, 2007. The audience was packed and enthusiastic. A line formed at the book signing following Joe's readings and songs and video. I was very pleased to have Joe sign my book for me. Later, Joe Ely and Joel Guzman and Joe's band filled the space around the Texas Capitol steps with their magical music and lyrics. Joe was deep into his songs and making every effort to fill each listener with the unique blend of country, roots, wisdom, adventure, personal challenge, disappointments and triumphs of which his music is composed. Much of the time he sang with eyes closed as he drew from deep down the well of his own life experience. I will always remember this concert and I have the book to bring back the feelings of the road, feelings that Joe Ely was kind enough to share with us all.

This excellent road journal by Texas Rock and Roll icon Joe Ely is an enjoyable, refreshing read. It would make a great gift for anyone interested in music. This year Ely was selected for a lifetime acheivement award by Americana. You can go to NPR.com and key word Joe Ely to hear an interview with the author about this book. There are also songs, of course. I absolutely promise you that you will love this book!

Johnny Hughes, author of the Lubbock novel Texas Poker Wisdom.
Texas Poker Wisdom

Was Delightfully surprised with the audio CD included with purchase.
I always enjoyed authors reading their works.
The words, the scenes, events, situations are more than just print on paper.
I hear Mr. Joe Ely, whether in song or from the pages.

Little Joey Ely used to stand at the edge of the stage and watch the pickers pick when he was in high school and I was a picker's fiancee in Lubbock, Texas. Over the years I've watched Joe Ely's career with amusement and admiration.
I heard Joey on Prairie Home Companion recently, and when Garrison said, "Pick up his new book, 'Bonfire of Roadmaps,' I thought, "Excellent Title!" and went to Amazon and ordered it.
Bonus CD contains Joe Ely reading bits from the book, which is written in free-flow verse. I've lived away from West Texas long enough that the accent takes a little getting used to, but it's worth it!
My favorite piece is 'Iron Rhinos' when he calls off the names of the towns between Lubbock and Amarillo and goes on to introduce his granddaddy and the railroads. It's like a little visit home.
And I bet Joey knows the words to Sunday Morning Coming Down by heart.

The Kid Has Learnt his Licks!

Beth Kozan, Phoenix, AZ

Joe Ely has written an epic poem of life on the road, full of wisdom and insanity, that careens from Austin to Denmark, youth to age, and the bright noise of backstage to the profound silence of the stars. Ely has seen it all, done it all, and lived to sing the story in this fine feast of a book. Nibble it or gulp it down, but read it and let it feed your soul. "When a man knows not his next destination, any road he takes will get him there on time," Ely says. With this book, the veteran singer/songwriter arrives in fine style.