Born in 1986 in Albemarle, North Carolina, Kellie Pickler started singing as a child. She was raised by her grandparents after her mother abandoned her. In 2004, Pickler won a local beauty contest. She scored a spot on American Idol the following year. Appearing on the show's fifth season, Pickler came in sixth in this singing competition. She landed a record deal shortly after her time on American Idol ended in 2006, and released her first album, Small Town Girl, that same year. She has since released several popular country albums, including 2011's 100 Proof. In 2013, Pickler starred as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, winning the competition with partner Derek Hough.
Early Life
Born on June 28, 1986, in Albemarle, North Carolina, country music star Kellie Pickler had a childhood filled with challenges and heartbreak. The daughter of Cynthia Malone and Clyde "Bo" Pickler, she was abandoned by her mother when she was a toddler. Her mother reportedly split with her father over his abusive behavior. Pickler was then left in the care of her paternal grandparents, Clyde Sr. and Faye Pickler, as her father went through a series of scrapes with the law.
In 1995, Pickler's mother came back into her life. She was awarded custody of Kellie, but the situation didn't work out well. Cynthia returned Kellie to her grandparents two years later. At the age of 15, Pickler suffered a tremendous loss: the death of her grandmother, with whom Pickler had first begun singing. "We would always sit together on the front-porch swing," she later told People magazine. "She had all these hymnals—with 'Amazing Grace' and 'Jesus Loves Me'—and I would sing to her on the swing."
During her high school years, Pickler was a member of her school's cheerleading squad. She also tried her hand at being a beauty contest contestant. In 2004, Pickler was named Miss Stanly County. She was working as a waitress before she landed her first big break.
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