Kellie Pickler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kellie Pickler
Pickler performing in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Kellie Dawn Pickler
Born	(1986-06-28) June 28, 1986 (age 38) Albemarle, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Country country pop
Occupation(s)	Singer actress television personality
Years active	2005–2019, 2022-present
Labels	BNA 19 Recordings Columbia Nashville Black River Entertainment

Kellie Dawn Pickler (born June 28, 1986) is an American country music singer, actress, and TV star. She became famous after competing on the fifth season of American Idol, where she finished in sixth place.

In 2006, Kellie signed with record labels 19 Recordings and BNA Records. Her first album, Small Town Girl, came out that same year. It sold over 900,000 copies and was certified gold. This album featured popular songs like "Red High Heels", "I Wonder", and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind".

Kellie released her second album, Kellie Pickler, in 2008. It included hits such as "Best Days of Your Life", which she co-wrote with Taylor Swift. Later, she joined Black River Entertainment.

In 2013, Kellie and her dance partner, Derek Hough, won the 16th season of Dancing with the Stars. In 2016, she was honored by being added to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. From 2017 to 2019, she co-hosted a TV talk show called Pickler & Ben with comedian Ben Aaron.

Early Life and Beginnings

A banner proclaims Albemarle as "Home of Kellie Pickler"

Kellie Pickler was born on June 28, 1986, in Albemarle, North Carolina. She was mostly raised by her grandparents, who were very important to her. Her grandfather, Clyde Raymond Pickler Sr., was an electrician, and her grandmother was Faye Pickler.

Kellie graduated from North Stanly High School in 2004. While in high school, she was a cheerleader and won beauty pageants. She also sang "On the Side of Angels" by LeAnn Rimes at her graduation.

Before American Idol, Kellie worked at a Sonic Drive-In. In 2005, she competed in a TV singing contest called Gimme the Mike! Charlotte, where she came in second. She also won the "Miss Stanly County" pageant when she was 17 and later competed for Miss North Carolina.

Her Journey on American Idol

In the fall of 2005, 19-year-old Kellie auditioned for American Idol in Greensboro, North Carolina. She sang songs by Kelly Clarkson and Martina McBride, and the judges sent her to Hollywood. She made it through the semi-final rounds and reached the Top 12 on March 9.

Judge Simon Cowell was a big fan of Kellie. He even thought she might make it to the final three! Kellie was known for her fun and unique personality and her Southern charm. She often mentioned that she hadn't performed much for real audiences before the show. People sometimes compared her to Jessica Simpson because of her "sweet Southern style."

Performances and Results on American Idol

After American Idol

Pickler and members of her band Ryan Ochsner, left, and Joshua Henson perform for U.S. service members during the first stop of the 2008 USO Holiday Tour on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, December 16, 2008

After leaving American Idol, Kellie appeared on many TV shows. She often sang "Walkin' After Midnight".

On May 6, 2006, she returned to her hometown, Albemarle, North Carolina, for a special parade. The mayor gave her a key to the city and declared it "Kellie Pickler Day". She also received many awards from local and state officials for her achievements on American Idol.

Soon after, Kellie moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to start her music career. On July 17, 2006, she signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/BNA Records. She announced this exciting news on The View. She also joined the American Idols Live! Tour 2006, performing in different cities for three months. During the tour, she worked on her first album.

Her First Album: Small Town Girl (2006–2007)

Kellie's first song, "Red High Heels", came out on September 13, 2006. Its music video was nominated for a CMT Video Award.

Her first album, Small Town Girl, was released on October 31, 2006. It quickly became number one on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and number nine on the Billboard 200. It sold over 79,000 copies in its first week, making it the best-selling debut album for a new artist in 2006. Kellie co-wrote five songs on the album.

In January 2007, Kellie co-hosted The View. She was given a gold record, meaning her album had sold over 500,000 copies! She also sang her second song, "I Wonder", which is a very personal song about her relationship with her mother. This was the first time she sang it on national TV.

Kellie was nominated for "Top New Female Vocalist" at the 42nd Academy of Country Music Awards. She also toured with country star Brad Paisley from April to October 2007. She even appeared in his music video for "Online".

In September 2007, Kellie released her version of "Santa Baby" for a Christmas country album. A month later, she won a songwriter award for co-writing "Red High Heels". She performed "I Wonder" at the 2007 CMA Awards. She became very emotional during the performance and received a standing ovation. This performance later helped her win three CMT awards.

Her Second Album: Kellie Pickler (2008–2010)

While her song "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" was climbing the charts, Kellie went back to the studio to record her second album. She sang her new song, "Don't You Know You're Beautiful", at the ACM Awards in May 2008, and the audience loved it.

"Don't You Know You're Beautiful" was released in June 2008 and became a Top 25 hit. Her second album, Kellie Pickler, came out on September 30, 2008. It debuted at the top of the country chart and number nine on the Billboard 200, just like her first album.

In November 2008, Kellie performed "Best Days of Your Life" at the CMA Awards. This song became her first Top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. A music video was made for the song, featuring Taylor Swift, who also helped write the song and sang background vocals.

Kellie toured with Taylor Swift on the first part of her Fearless Tour in 2009. She also started her own headline concert tour to promote her album.

"Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" was released as the third song from her album. It became her fifth Top 20 hit. In October 2009, Kellie was voted the most beautiful woman in country music by Country Weekly magazine for the second year in a row.

New Music and Record Labels (2011–Present)

Kellie's third album, 100 Proof, was released in January 2012. It reached number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Country Albums chart. The first song from the album was "Tough".

In June 2012, Kellie decided to leave Sony Nashville. In July, she sang "God Bless America" at the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In October, she signed with a new record label, Black River Entertainment.

Her first song with Black River Entertainment, "Someone Somewhere Tonight", came out in May 2013. This was the first song from her fourth album, The Woman I Am, which was released in November 2013. Kellie co-wrote the album's title song with her husband, Kyle Jacobs.

Kellie later left Black River Entertainment in June 2016. In February 2022, she started working as a DJ on SiriusXM's country music station, The Highway.

Dancing with the Stars

On May 21, 2013, Kellie Pickler and her dance partner, Derek Hough, were announced as the winners of the 16th season of Dancing with the Stars. Their freestyle dance received a perfect score and lots of praise from the judges. She also performed "Little Bit Gypsy" on the show in November 2013.

Dancing with the Stars Performances

Personal Life

In 2007, Kellie was in a relationship with Nashville Predators hockey player Jordin Tootoo, but they later broke up.

After dating for two and a half years, Kellie got engaged to songwriter Kyle Jacobs on June 15, 2010. They had planned a big wedding, but decided it wasn't for them. So, on January 1, 2011, Kellie and Kyle eloped and got married in a small, private ceremony on an island in the Caribbean.

In 2015, Kellie and Kyle starred in a 13-episode reality show for CMT called I Love Kellie Pickler. The show premiered on November 5, 2015.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

Pickler in Jacksonville, Florida, November 6, 2008

Kellie Pickler is very active in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She helps raise money and visits the children there. She also takes part in many charity events to help different organizations. For example, she performed to raise money for "N.C. Children's PROMISE" and helped rebuild a Boys & Girls Club damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Kellie believes that giving back to communities and organizations like St. Jude is a wonderful thing.

In June 2007, Kellie participated in an online auction for charity called "Kiss for a Cause Foundation Celebrity Auction." This event raised money for orphaned and abandoned children.

In November 2007, Kellie appeared on a celebrity episode of the game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?. She played for the American Red Cross and the AARP's Grandparenting Program. During the show, she famously said, "I thought Europe was a country."

Kellie has also been on three tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), visiting U.S. service members overseas. Her tours included stops in Iraq, Germany, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and England. She often performed for troops in remote bases.

In August 2009, Kellie helped rebuild a family home on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. She performed a free concert and helped with the construction.

On June 26, 2016, Kellie and her team won $25,000 for her charity, the USO, on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.

Discography

• Small Town Girl (2006)
• Kellie Pickler (2008)
• 100 Proof (2012)
• The Woman I Am (2013)

Tours

• Still Feels Good Tour (2007) with Rascal Flatts
• Bonfires & Amplifiers Tour (2007–08) with Brad Paisley
• Love on the Inside Tour (2008) with Sugarland
• Fearless Tour (2009–10) with Taylor Swift
• American Living Unstoppable Tour (2010) with Rascal Flatts
• Nothing Like This Tour (2010) with Rascal Flatts

Television Work

See also

In Spanish: Kellie Pickler para niños