Born and raised in south Mississippi, Nan Kelley got her gift of gab from her hair dresser mom and the many clients who always had the stories of life in small town Hattiesburg.
As the longtime host of the Top 20 Country Countdown on the former Scripps/Discovery-owned Great American Country Network, Nan was seen in over 60 million homes every week for over a decade. During her tenure, she interviewed many celebrities and notables- from legendary NASCAR king Richard Petty and Hollywood star Dennis Quaid, to Good Morning America's Robin Roberts and the one and only Dolly Parton, even co-hosting
The former Miss Mississippi was also the host of the iconic Grand Ole Opry's television show Opry Live for its entire run on GAC, sharing memorable moments like Charlie Daniels performing "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" or Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" with the television audience. She's also hosted shows for the Fine Living Network, HGTV, and the Armed Forces Network.
with the country legend on her TV special Smoky Mountains Rise.
Nan and her husband Charlie, a Grammy-nominated producer/musician, produced the GAC specials From the Deck and Hit Exchange, as well as the motorcyle travel series Authentic America for Circle network. Pulling from her southern roots and its rich tradition of story telling, Thomas Nelson and Harper Collins publishing companies chose Nan to voice multiple audiobooks and her voice can also be heard on hundreds of television spots for Olay, Walmart, Chevrolet, Quaker State,The Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops, etc.
When Nan is not behind a mic or in front of a camera telling stories, she's in the kitchen working on her other favorite southern tradition-cooking and eating. Encouraged by Charlie, Nan gathered time-tested recipes from family and friends and put them all together in her first book, One Pan Nan: One Pan Cooking for One Pan Cleanup. The book also includes personal stories and family memories of growing up in Hattiesburg, her time as Miss Mississippi, and into married life.
Whether she's in the kitchen, on the stage, or in the studio, Nan always tries to make authentic connections through food, stories, and the human experience.