Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the FOX reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place.Kellie Pickler was born June 28, 1986, Luckily, Kellie’s grandparents gave her the love and support she couldn’t find elsewhere, and she grew up under their watchful eyes in the tiny community of Albemarle, North Carolina. Although she was only an average student, Kellie’s beauty set her apart from her classmates and she went on to win the Miss Stanly County pageant at the age of 17 before competing for Miss North Carolina. She later enrolled at nearby Stanly Community College to study cosmetology.
“Kelsie,” as she’s known to friends, put her studies on hold in 2005 to audition for season five of American Idol. It proved to be a fortuitous decision, as her country twang and Southern charm allowed her to advance to the final six before she was eliminated on April 26, 2006.
Kellie Pickler In 2006, she signed to BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing her debut album Small Town Girl late that year. The album, which was certified gold by the RIAA, produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: "Red High Heels" at #15, "I Wonder" at #14, and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" at #16. The first single from her self-titled second album is "Don't You Know You're Beautiful". It was released in mid-2008, and reached the Top 25.
As with a number of American Idol rejects, Kellie Pickler used her exposure to launch a moderately successful career in music. In 2006, Kellie Pickler released her debut album, from which she garnered three industry awards: a CMT award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, an Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Vocalist of the Year, and a Country Music Association Award for the Horizon Award. In 2007 and 2008, she spent time in the studio recording her second album.