About From Nags Head to Nashville – The Story of Steel & Grace
A classic country band with gospel roots born on the windswept shores of Nags Head sets its sights on the bright lights of Nashville. Steel & Grace is more than a group of musicians, it’s a family forged through struggle, faith, and the unrelenting pursuit of a dream.
This novel follows their journey from small‑town stages to the heart of country music, weaving together themes of redemption, resilience, and the power of song to heal and inspire. Along the way, readers meet unforgettable characters whose stories echo with authenticity: a drummer fighting his way back from addiction, a singer learning to trust her own voice, and a band discovering that the road to success is paved with sacrifice as well as triumph.
Blending fiction with original music, From Nags Head to Nashville offers a rare, immersive experience. The songs of Steel & Grace—captured in the companion album The Last Broadcast—bring the story to life beyond the page, inviting readers to not only read about the band but to hear their sound.
For fans of heartfelt storytelling, music‑driven fiction, and tales of hope rising from hardship, this is a novel that sings.
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Author Bio:
Joe C. Ellis, a big fan of the North Carolina’s Outer Banks, grew up in the Ohio Valley. A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, he attended West Liberty State College in West Virginia and went on to earn his Master’s Degree in education from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. After a thirty-six year career as an art teacher, he retired from the Martins Ferry City School District.
Currently, he is the pastor for the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church and the Colerain Presbyterian Church.
His writing career began in 2001 with the publication of his first novel, The Healing Place. In 2007 he began the Outer Banks Murder Series with the publication of Murder at Whalehead (2010), Murder at Hatteras (2011), Murder on the Outer Banks (2012), and the latest installment, Murder at Ocracoke (2017).
Joe credits family vacations on the Outer Banks with the inspiration for these stories. Joe and his wife, Judy, have three children and five grandsons. Although the kids have flown the nest, they get together often and always make it a priority to vacation on the Outer Banks whenever possible. He comments, “It’s a place on the edge of the world, a place of great beauty and sometimes danger—the ideal setting for murder mysteries.”