Two threads run through "Live from Austin: Joe Ely": first, a powerful, at times shattering musical sound piece and concert featuring Texas Singer/Songwriter Joe Ely. Perfect for AAA, NPR News and eclectic music formatted stations.

The second thread is a low key, fawn-free journalistic quest for an understanding of the commercial fame that has stayed half an arm's length away from this Texas music troubadour.

David Brown hosts both the quest and the concert. The answer or perhaps key to Ely's unfulfilled fame, according to Brown, lies in the live concert setting where Ely is in his true element both as a singer / performer and as a softspoken storyteller who engages his audience with no wasted words.

For music intensive stations, there are no music-to-talk ratio issues of concern. This is a concert first and foremost, and a damn good concert at that. Besides Ely, you'll also be stung by accordion artist, Joel Guzman.

With this musical evidence (remember DB has a law degree in the wings), the show makes the case that the key to more fame, if Ely wants it, may just be with more concerts and concert recordings.

The mix and assembly between Brown (at times post-voiced in the Studio) and Ely on stage could be a bit more seamless, but this is a minor point in the larger context and realities of creating a live concert and chat within a 59 minute format with 2 internal breaks.

Great hosting and presence from David Brown -- and the music, especially Randy Banks' "Where is My Love" -- makes this Special worth serious promotion and multiple airings.