Nan Kelley
Encyclopedia
Nan Kelley is a former Miss Mississippi
(1985) who later became a host and correspondent for the Great American Country
(GAC) cable television
network.
, Kelley initially finished first runner-up in the 1985 Miss Mississippi pageant to Susan Akin
, but became Miss Mississippi when Akin was named Miss America
that year. Following her service, she received her degree from college in Communication
s, and then worked as an entertainer for the United States Department of Defense
. While at the Defense Department, Kelley entertained troops in the Middle East
, Europe
, Alaska
, and the Caribbean
.
where she performed at Opryland
. Later, she worked for record producer Blake Mevis, the first producer for 2006 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee George Strait
. After spending time in the recording studio and on stage, Kelley moved to broadcasting
working for Dick Clark Productions as a producer for Prime Time Country on The Nashville Network
(Spike TV
since August 2003.) Later Kelley worked as a host for the Shop At Home Network
before joining GAC as host of Grand Ole Opry
Live on October 4, 2003.
which deals with the top twenty videos in country music
on the network for a particular week that is voted on by GAC viewers (A similar program like this is on VH1
titled the VSpot Top 20 Countdown
.). She also hosts a show called My Music Mix where they interview an artist's favorite music video, both of their own and others. When Hurricane Katrina
hit Alabama
, Louisiana
, and Mississippi
on August 29, 2005, Kelley hosted a benefit concert that was simulcast on two other E.W. Scripps' television networks (DIY Network
and Fine Living
) titled Country Reaches Out: An Opry and GAC Benefit for the American Red Cross
.
"Now before we leave you today, I wanted to take a personal moment and share something with you that's happening in my life, because you are part of it here each week on GAC. Over the next few months I'll be receiving treatments for Hodgkins Lymphoma. My prognosis is very good and I should be just fine on the other side. But I may not be here some days and if I am here I may not be my super perky self and definitely my hair style will change. If you happen to be going through this at this time in your life, or maybe you have a friend or family member going through it right now, I wanted to share this with you in hopes that we can help each other. Thanks for listening and as always, we thank you for watching. We can’t do this without you and I mean it. I'll see you real soon."
From May 2008 to August 2008, Nan was absent from the GAC Top 20 Country Countdown for most of the episodes, making a complete return to the show in September 2008. Nan has been wearing a wig on the show. On November 21, 2008, Nan announced on GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown that she has made a complete recovery from her cancer. In January 2009, she premiered her new hairstyle without the wig.
Miss Mississippi
:For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Mississippi USAMiss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America...
(1985) who later became a host and correspondent for the Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
(GAC) cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network.
Early life and career
A native of Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
, Kelley initially finished first runner-up in the 1985 Miss Mississippi pageant to Susan Akin
Susan Akin
Susan Akin, is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Meridian, Mississippi who won Miss America 1986. Born in 1965, she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women at the University of Mississippi....
, but became Miss Mississippi when Akin was named Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
that year. Following her service, she received her degree from college in Communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s, and then worked as an entertainer for the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. While at the Defense Department, Kelley entertained troops in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Move to Nashville
Kelley moved to Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
where she performed at Opryland
Opryland
Opryland may refer to:* Opryland USA - defunct theme park located in Nashville, Tennessee* Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center - formerly known as "Opryland Hotel", located in Nashville, Tennessee...
. Later, she worked for record producer Blake Mevis, the first producer for 2006 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
. After spending time in the recording studio and on stage, Kelley moved to broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
working for Dick Clark Productions as a producer for Prime Time Country on The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
(Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
since August 2003.) Later Kelley worked as a host for the Shop At Home Network
Shop at Home Network
The Shop at Home Network was a television network in the United States Before its acquisition by Jewelry Television in 2006, The E. W. Scripps Company owned and operated the network from 2002 until 2006, when the network temporarily ceased operations on June 21...
before joining GAC as host of Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
Live on October 4, 2003.
Work at GAC
In addition to hosting Grand Ole Opry Live, Kelley also hosts GAC's Top 20 Country CountdownTop 20 Country Countdown
Top 20 Country Countdown is a television program that airs on Great American Country, a United States Country Music television station. Fans vote for their favorite videos at and the results are counted down every Friday...
which deals with the top twenty videos in country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
on the network for a particular week that is voted on by GAC viewers (A similar program like this is on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
titled the VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown is a weekly television show on the VH1 cable television network in the United States. The long-running series began in 1994 as the VH1 Top 10 Countdown, as part of VH1's "Music First" rebranding effort...
.). She also hosts a show called My Music Mix where they interview an artist's favorite music video, both of their own and others. When Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
hit Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on August 29, 2005, Kelley hosted a benefit concert that was simulcast on two other E.W. Scripps' television networks (DIY Network
DIY Network
DIY Network is a channel owned by Scripps Networks Interactive that focuses on do it yourself projects at home.Television stations air local versions with local hosts with segments produced by the network. Branded DIY Network programming is also broadcast in Japan and the Philippines...
and Fine Living
Fine Living
Fine Living Network was an American specialty television network owned by Scripps Networks Interactive...
) titled Country Reaches Out: An Opry and GAC Benefit for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
Personal life
Kelley is married to Grammy-nominated record producer Charlie Kelley and lives in Nashville. The couple owns two dogs.Cancer Diagnosis
Nan Kelley revealed in May 2008 on GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown that she has cancer. At the end of the show she made the following announcement:"Now before we leave you today, I wanted to take a personal moment and share something with you that's happening in my life, because you are part of it here each week on GAC. Over the next few months I'll be receiving treatments for Hodgkins Lymphoma. My prognosis is very good and I should be just fine on the other side. But I may not be here some days and if I am here I may not be my super perky self and definitely my hair style will change. If you happen to be going through this at this time in your life, or maybe you have a friend or family member going through it right now, I wanted to share this with you in hopes that we can help each other. Thanks for listening and as always, we thank you for watching. We can’t do this without you and I mean it. I'll see you real soon."
From May 2008 to August 2008, Nan was absent from the GAC Top 20 Country Countdown for most of the episodes, making a complete return to the show in September 2008. Nan has been wearing a wig on the show. On November 21, 2008, Nan announced on GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown that she has made a complete recovery from her cancer. In January 2009, she premiered her new hairstyle without the wig.
External links
- Miss Mississippi 1985 photograph - Accessed March 9, 2007.
