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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2006 > December > 12 > Entry
12/12: Kellie at Arbor Place
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kellie Pickler drew what looked like more than 500 people (that’s an eyeball estimate) to the entrance of Arbor Place Mall in Douglasville this evening. Tons of little girls on parent’s shoulders. I arrived in the middle of “Small Town Girl,” her first song, at 6:05 p.m. (Traffic on I-20 did me in.). There was no way for me to get closer than 25 feet. The front area was packed. She wore a green jacket, black fitted T-shirt and tight jeans. I couldn’t tell what her shoes were in the beginning. She then did her homage to her grandmother “My Angel,” followed by the amusing “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.”
She had a guitarist and bassist behind her, not taped tracks, which is a sign Sony BMG isn’t skimping on the promotion. Sound was good outside, the weather perfect with nary a wisp of wind. She acknowledged her favorite classic female country artists including Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette, jumping into a surprisingly robust “Stand By Your Man.” She then finished with “Red High Heels,” and the crowd sang along. (The song is now a top 25 hit.) Wylie Rose, the Kicks 101.5 DJ, then got her to take off one of her shoes, which was naturally a red high heel. “I wear a 6 and a half if anybody wants to know,” Pickler teased.
Her publicist Buffy Cooper said she has been wearing herself pretty thin lately vocally, thus they limited her to five songs. But she sounded good, that slight hint of raspiness adding texture to her voice. She looked a little tired but when she smiled, that fatigue disappeared.
She then spent several minutes signing as she walked from the stage to the “Tanner Health Source,” a mall spot which had a back room. There, she took some photos with Toys for Toys reps, had a few minutes to unwind, then took a limo at 7 p.m. to Hartsfield. From there, she’s off to Los Angeles to be on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (taping tomorrow, airing Friday at 5 p.m. on WGCL-TV) and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on Thursday (to air that night.). They had also taped Pickler a few days ago in New York City shopping a gift for Leno, a spoof that is also supposed to air Thursday.
Here’s are a couple of shots of her I took from my cruddy digital camera stage left. This was as close as I could get:
Here is Kellie with Santa:
Also left off a couple of questions from my interview. Robert Butler supplied them. I asked them.
Me: You had a boyfriend in Albemarle. What happened?
Kellie: We broke up. I think that it’s hard for me to be in a relationship right now. I think it will be hard to find someone who could put up with me.
Me: You don’t read music and can’t play an instrument. Would you like to learn?
Kellie: I do want to learn to play the piano. I can play a little piano by ear but I’m not like Beethoven.
Me: Have you gotten vocal coaching?
Kellie: No, I haven’t. I don’t want to be programmed. I just want to be Kellie.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By American Mother
December 13, 2006 6:43 AM | Link to this
She is cute as a button AND very pretty, with her country charm and the rest of her package, she will do very well, very well.
Hey everybody!!!!!
By Mike
December 13, 2006 7:22 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the review and the pics.
Kellie’s so cute, and I just love her new CD.
I wish I could have driven down there that day.
By Carla
December 13, 2006 8:22 AM | Link to this
Morning all! Kellie looks so different from her print pics and from when she was on AI. But she does look very cute. Seems as though she’s proving a lot of us wrong.
By greg
December 13, 2006 8:30 AM | Link to this
SHE’S ULTRA HOT!IT’S ALL ABOUT LOOKS!
By Shay
December 13, 2006 8:37 AM | Link to this
We don’t have no country santas where I’m from. The only Santas we have are the ho, ho, ho ones. LOL!!!
Anyway, she looks extremely cute and I guess you are right Carla, she is proving alot of us wrong.
By greg
December 13, 2006 8:42 AM | Link to this
i cant wait to hear people out there say,she paid her dues!
By jex
December 13, 2006 8:57 AM | Link to this
She is a cutie. And I always thought she was pretty good as a singer, she just needed to work on her stage presence. I guess she did.
By mystique
December 13, 2006 9:27 AM | Link to this
Mornin’ all. Pickles is cute, I’ll give you that. But cute doesn’t mean you can sing! I have never enjoyed her attempts at singing. And that “charm” is called being a ditz. Its not charming, its annoying, and she is going to milk it for the rest of her life. But she has fooled pretty much everyone so I guess it is working for her. Thats just my opinion and I am sure I will get attacked for it. Go ahead, I am ready for it…
By Shay
December 13, 2006 10:10 AM | Link to this
LOL at Mystique!! Tell us how you really feel about Kellie. But I have to be honest, I think she has zero talent too. I still thinks she’s cute though. I mean, it’s obvious she can carry a note, but that ain’t enough for me and I think you can find Picklers anywhere in the world, starting with the mall she sang at last night.
By jex
December 13, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this
But mystique, how do you feel about Kellie Pickler?
By mystique
December 13, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this
Come on now, y’all know how I like to hold back my true feelings when it comes to her ;-) You are sooooooo right shay. I am willing to bet there were at least 20 women walking through that mall last night that have more vocal talent than Pickler.
I know that there are some people reading that will try to chalk my rant up to jealousy. No, I am not jealous of Kellie’s looks. I am just saying that a person in the VOCAL arena should have VOCAL talent. If you are pretty with a crappy singing voice, then be a model! Ahem, Hint, Hint Kat McPhee!
By greg
December 13, 2006 10:34 AM | Link to this
LOL!!!!!!!!…YALL ARE ALMOST GETTING IT!
By jex
December 13, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this
mystique, honey, sweetie, darling, what planet are you from? Since when does talent have anything to do with having a successful music career? Maybe back in the day, but now it’s all about looks - ie, Bouncy. Beautiful girl + marginal talent = top of the charts.
That’s why Jennifer Hudson blew her out of the water in Dream Girls.
I am telling you…I’m not going…
By Shay
December 13, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this
Beautiful girl + marginal talent = top of the charts
Jexica, Jexica, Jexica. How can you compare Pickler to Beyonce???
By jex
December 13, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this
Shay, IMO neither girl is a great singer (IMHO), but both are cute and will do well for themselves based on their looks. (IMHO)
By mystique
December 13, 2006 11:58 AM | Link to this
Sorry, jex. Just blame it on the silliness. I should have known! Looks are the same thing as talent in this world. Of course! In fact, sometimes looks mean more than talent! I had a momentary lapse..it won’t happen again. Let me throw one more thing into that equation. Beauty, marginal (scratch that, make that NO) talent and famous parents. I.E: Paris Hilton, Brooke Hogan, etc. But thats a whole ‘nother basket of apples ;-)
Speaking of dreamgirls, I saw Jen Hudson in the recent issue of people and she has dropped about 20 pounds since the movie, looks healthy and happy. Exudes a kind of confidence in her pictures that she just didn’t have on AI. Not that looks matter or anything! LOL!!!
By jex
December 13, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this
I am so happy for Jennifer Hudson. This is literally a dream come true for her. And if she should actually win an Oscar for Dream Girls, I would not be surprised to see her pass slap out!
And you, and you, and you, you’re gonna love meeeee…
I think a lot of people will love her after that movie comes out.
By mystique
December 13, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this
Oh yeah, she would hit the floor if she won an oscar. And she wouldn’t be the only one who is shocked! A lot of people would be falling out of their chairs. Although I was never a Jen Hudson fan I agree that it would be amazing for a girl to go from like 4th or 5th place on AI to winning an oscar. I haven’t even heard any songs from dreamgirls yet so I can’t comment on her performance. But good luck to her!
By greg
December 13, 2006 1:54 PM | Link to this
LOL!!!!!!!
By Eve
December 13, 2006 3:29 PM | Link to this
Congrats to Kellie I think she’s making the talent she has “Do what it do” and in her case so far it’s doing a lot.
As for the Beyonce/Jennifer comparison’s, Jennifer is not yet on Beyonce’s level. I have heard Beyonce sing a’cappela(?)several times and she’s always on point and can blow the roof off a place when she doesn’t hold back. Jennifer on the other hand has a soulful voice but when Oprah replayed her idol performances she hit a lot of sharp off-key notes and that made me remember why she wasn’t one of my favorites that season. She may suprise us with her acting ability though and if she’s as good as people are saying I wish her lots of luck with the Academy Award nod.
By Hamlet
December 13, 2006 3:37 PM | Link to this
She can’t sing. She isn’t right bright. She isn’t educated. But, she’s blonde, covered in make-up. So, she draw a “crowd,” who paid not a red cent to see her. Her only “talent,” is natural talent. I suggest a nunnery, as I so directed Ophelia. has she been asked to start a NASCAR race? If so, I suggest they write her line down for her.
By jex
December 13, 2006 3:43 PM | Link to this
Bouncy has been in the business for what, 10 years now? Since the first installation of Destiny’s Chillun, she has had lots of training and voice lessons. That’s why she’s not as horrible as she once was.
She’s better now, but still not great. She does not have a natural talent for singing, though she has acquired the skills. A decade of training for anything can make anyone seem respectable in the industry.
Jennifer, on the other hand IMO, has a natural talent for singing, although she does need some polishing.
Bouncy’s rise to the top was fueled by her looks. Jennifer will have to try that much harder because she’s not as what the industry deems as attractive as Bouncy.
IMO.
By jex
December 13, 2006 3:51 PM | Link to this
LOL @ Hamlet!
Gentlemen…um…start…wait a minute…um…is this thing on? …okay. Um…which song am I supposed to be singing? Why are all these cars here?
Alas poor Kellie. I knew her Horatio.
By TRUTHFULLY
December 13, 2006 3:55 PM | Link to this
BOUNCY.. LOL
By mystique
December 13, 2006 4:03 PM | Link to this
LOL Hamlet! You hit the nail right on Pickles air filled little head :-)
By Tater
December 13, 2006 5:15 PM | Link to this
I just don’t get some of you stupid people! ! !
First of all, did any of you hear Beyonce sing “LIVE” all those songs at the Oscars maybe 2 years ago I think!
Perhaps if you rid yourselves of the bluegrass and country music addiction, you can begin to appreciate a fine soulful voice FOR A CHANGE!
Beyonce’s voice is very nice, to me. Of course not the best voice in the world. I don’t know why I’m even addressing this. Who has the da.m.n No. 1 song in the country right now?
Sheeeesh people!
2nd of all, Pickler: NOBODY, but NOBODY with better than average looks can do a d.a.m.n THANG in this country without probably UGLY, never-did-anything homecoming queen REJECTS gawking about how that person has no talent.
Pickler sounds GOOD ENOUGH! Nobody ever said she was Ella D.a.m.n Fitzgerald.
The girl is being limo-driven, jet-plane ridden, and you hater beyotches don’t do nothing but complain about it.
STFU already! D.a.m.n!
respectfully,
tater
By Deirdre
December 13, 2006 7:03 PM | Link to this
Wow, tater…calm yourself, honey. Holiday spirit and all that stuff! People have different tastes. some people like Beyonce and some people like little Kellie Pickler. Doesn’t make either one of you stupid. I kinda like them both but that’s just me. I like Katharine McPhee too. And Taylor Hicks! And Chris Daughtry! And Paris Bennett. I’m not a fan of Paris Hilton’s…..just what does she do exactly? Anyway…point is, we like to complain about things here…human nature….but we’re not too fond of name-calling so try to tone it down a bit and join in the discussion.
By midniteryder
December 13, 2006 7:25 PM | Link to this
You can attain fame in a number of ways…by singing, or by being beautiful, or by having loads of money to pay your way into the tabloids, or by homemade sex tape…or some combination of the above. But Kellie is a good enough singer, with enough looks and charm to carry a career for a while! She’s as good if not better than most of the seemingly endless parade of young female country hopefuls that Nashville keeps sending out. I remember some of ya’ll dissing Carrie Underwood, too. Not me…I was on her bandwagon from the first tryout. I had mcPheever early on too. She’s probably destined for a Broadway career, but hey, thats a career, right? Somebody said there were probable more talented singers walking around in the mall…thats always true. I’m a guitarist, and a fan. Some of the best I ever heard never made it, because of circumstances or drugs or whatever. Lesser talents have sold millions, just by being in the right place at the right time. OK i gotta get back to work.
By Mika
December 13, 2006 7:51 PM | Link to this
thank god i did not go to the mall
By elle
December 13, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
What Kellie has besides good looks and a competent voice is personality-plus and that will get you a lot further than a person with a beautiful voice who is stuck on herself or just generally blah. As for beingjust one of many country singer, have you listened to all the sound-alike girl pop singers. Christina in my opinion is the only one of the female pop singer worth listening to. And of coursethere is the unforgettable girl group “Pussycat Dolls who are making a decent living “shakin’ their booties”.
By Billy
December 13, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this
Making it in the music business is all about the way you deliver it and what you deliver it in.