Thia could run and run. I like most of the bands mentioned, but still rate that Joe Ely Band with Lloyd Maines, Ponty Bone and Jesse Taylor as one of the best (and the album "Live Shots" shows why I am sad I never witnessed this paricular line-up).   I have kept in touch with Ely's later (and fine) work and am a Flatlanders fan. But I would not class them as country-rock --    the acoustic sound is wonderful, but not rock. File under "Americana".
No-one has mentioned the wonderful Gary Stewart, who sadly killed himeself some years ago. Although basically an updated honk-tonk singer (with occasional brushes with bluegrass), he could really rock.
Check out his version of Rodney Crowell's "Ain't Living Long Like This" on his "Your Place Or Mine" album (with Mac Gayden on slide-guitar).   Not anywhere near as good an album, "Cactus And A Rose" came out in 1980 (but was possibly recorded in 1979). But it did include Gregg Alman, Dickey Betts and similar as backing musicians.
Stewart could sing 50s rock'n'roll (as could Ely) and that is always
a bonus for me in the country-rock stakes. Which reminds me, doesn't
The Band also qualify ?