Joel Ellis stands as one of rock music’s most dynamic vocalists, versatile songwriters, and notoriously endearing stage personas. With a career forged in the heyday of the vibrant 1970s Cleveland rock scene and ignited on the stages of the Sunset Strip, Ellis possesses a wide-ranging vocal prowess that caught the eye of Atlantic Records legend Ahmet Ertegun, leading to a string of major label deals unsurpassed by most.
Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, Joel’s music scorched the MTV Top 10 and Headbanger’s Ball, while dominating global FM airwaves. As the frontman for powerhouse bands such as Cats in Boots (EMI/Virgin/Capitol), Heavy Bones (Warner Bros/Reprise), Merry Hoaxx (Atlantic), and the soon-to-be-released mesmerizing LP Ellis Island (A&M Records), he achieved massive international success and remains a highly regarded cult favorite.
In 1988, the self-produced EP Demonstration by Cats in Boots shot to #1. This was followed by the band’s 1989 EMI/Capitol debut, Kicked & Klawed, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Japan charts—clocking in as the #3 Record of the Year behind only The Rolling Stones’ Steel Wheels and Prince’s Batman soundtrack. Produced by the legendary Mark Opitz (AC/DC, INXS) and engineered by the renowned Garth Richardson, Kicked & Klawed remains a blistering 80s rock masterpiece.
Beyond the charts, Joel’s voice has reached a global audience through iconic sporting events. He composed and performed on two Olympic singles, including a Coca-Cola 1991 Summer Olympics campaign that sold over 93 million copies. He also provided the finale song for the U.S. Dance Team at the Beijing Olympics, featuring his vocals alongside guitar work by his son, Joey Angel.
Today, Joel is reinventing his creative footprint in the world of cinema. He currently serves as a Music Supervisor, Creative Producer, and Composer for PATH Films, collaborating with writer/producer Zoë Wassman on the upcoming production KEPT (2026). His music has graced award-winning soundtracks, including the festival favorite BAMPIRE. He is also launching a groundbreaking theatrical collaboration with renowned surrealist and Vogue photographer Uldus Bakhtiozina for the “Collaboration For Peace” museum exhibit. Additionally, his music is featured in Bakhtiozina’s second feature film, Trauma, currently in production for a 2026 release.
Joel hopes to find the time and bandwidth in the very near future for his unique creatively envisioned first PodCast effort titled “The Mind Melt Show with host Joel Ellis”
From his gritty Rust Belt roots to his upcoming biographical “Rockumentaries”—including “The Making of Her Monkey: 24 Hours in the Life of an 80s MTV Rock Star” and the series “Cats in Boots: East Meets West”—Joel Ellis continues to push the boundaries of imagination and sound.
Some of Joel’s more peripheral music productions over the years have included the “Ellis & Angel” ep which started as an easy classic rock style full scale studio recording project and learning experience for his coming of age musician and son Joey Angel, but finished out as a surprisingly mature studio collection of songs worthy of any classic rock fan’s playlist and featuring impressive contributions by members of Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie Raitt, The Eagles, grammy Blue Fiddle Lisa Haley, and Don Peak of Motown and Ray Charles fame backing Joel & Joey and engineered by Dave Jenkins in Topanga Canyon California.
More recent releases included self produced singles with Italy’s premier guitarist Gianlucca Gali.
A very ambitious philanthropic benefit for aging rocker medical and addiction relief titled All Star Studio Singles for Rockers (or asss4rockers.org) featuring rare collaborations of legendary musicians collaborating fresh remakes of classic songs for the charity.
And most recently the impressive self produced 180ml double vinyl lp “The Real Heavy Bones”, an impressive sonic recording spanning collaborative productions from LA to Cleveland to Nashville, with his mix engineer partner Mike Jaworske, a vinyl record album deeply reminiscent of classic 1970s innovative studio creations.
With a newly signed marketing and promotions deal with Curtain Call/Sony Music, Joel’s entire catalog is catching a second wind. With plans for his own international performance dates and a potential Cats in Boots reunion, a new generation of fans is discovering one of rock’s hardest-working, innovative and entertaining heartfelt artists.
Follow Joel’s ongoing journey at JoelEllisMusic.com
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