Kellie Pickler is one of my favorite "Idol" people to interview. She's honest, open, talkative and sweet all at the same time. She's a rare bird that way.
I've talked to her several times since she hit the jackpot on "Idol" in 2006, but it's been more than three years since we last crossed paths. She called me at 5 p.m. EST Wednesday right on time from Las Vegas to talk about her free concert Saturday at the new Avalon mixed-use development in Alpharetta. Her concert is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. at 2200 Avalon Blvd. (You can get free tickets here.)
Eight years removed from finishing sixth during "American Idol's" most popular season (season five with Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Kat McPhee and Mandisa), she has not had a big country hit in awhile but remains very much in demand for private and corporate events. She's family friendly, easy to work with and draws people who might not even watch "Idol" anymore but have warm and fuzzy feelings from that magical year.
Here are some topics we covered:
"The Kellie Pickler Show"? Given how vibrant a guest or guest host she is on various day-time talk shows, I wondered if she would ever consider a talk show herself. "I have had a few opportunities that have come along to do things like that. But right now my home is Nashville. To commit to a show like that would mean moving to L.A. or New York for 10 months of the year. I'd have to sacrifice being on the road and touring. I love co-hosting and filling in for people. Down the road, I'm sure a window of opportunity will come up and I can take a break from music for a little bit, something to keep things fresh. I can always come back and sing."
Sweet potato Kellie: She recently voiced a new Mirabelle Sweet Potato character for a VeggieTales film. "It's safe. It's fun. It's family friendly. I did eight songs for the movie. Hopefully they can make Mirabelle a recurring role. I love sweet potatoes! I wanted to be a sweet potato or fried okra though I'm not sure how that would look like!" Not surprisingly, her character is sweet, "a little nicer than I am. I'm a nicer person but even I have my limits! My patience only goes so far."
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
It can only get "hair"ier: Two years ago, she shaved her head to support a friend with breast cancer. She isn't planning to do that again any time soon. Her hair is only now grown so she can have what she calls a "baby ponytail. I'm looking forward to having long hair again. I'm a baseball cap, ponytail type of girl. I know my dad loves it that way."
Technophobia: I recalled a past conversation I had with her in which she had a habit of losing or breaking her cell phones. She said recently she's had the same one for awhile: "That's definitely an accomplishment in and of itself!" Still, "going into a Mac store gives me anxiety. I will pay someone to wait in line to buy me a phone. I will not wait! I've never been a gadget girl. I'm the last to catch on to anything. I'm more of an outdoors girl, gardening and planting flowers.
Social media (Kellie has 1.9 million Facebook fans, 1.1 million Twitter followers, 90K Instagram followers): "It took me a long time to jump on that wagon. I didn't grow up with a computer and having access to all that. I grew up playing outside. I was a tomboy. I like to spent time away from it all. It's such a distraction!" For her, "social media is part of my job. It feels more like work." (She refuses to take pictures of her food and posting it on Instagram. Good for her!)
Kellie wants to look you in the eye, not the eye of your smartphone: "If people want to take a picture that's fine. But when I'm looking in the crowd, I want to see your eyes. I'm trying to have a connection with you. If you're going to spend the entire time videotaping me, why don't you just go home and watch me on YouTube? You're not here. You're not fully in the moment. And for me, if everyone is videotaping me, I may not be as spontaneous. I may be worried that someone will take a five-second snippet of a long story and take it out of context." (I doubt she's ever really had that type of problem but others certainly have.) Ultimately, she said people buy tickets and can do what they want. But to her, it's like someone texting and checking emails while talking to you: "It's disrespectful."
No Such Thing? Last week, she attended her 10-year reunion in Albermarle, N.C. "It was amazing to see several of my girlfriends I was close to from elementary school up. It was great! It made me appreciate what I have. I am so blessed. It opened my eyes. I was 19 when I left for 'Idol.' I was green. I had never flown before. I had never been anywhere. [And as we recall, she knew nothing of calamari!] I have to remind myself anytime I get caught up in the hustle and bustle of business that I need to step back and remember these moments." She partied at Badin Country Club, but she said "it's not like a 'Housewives' country club, not the rubies and diamonds." The area, she said, has been decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs over the years. "It's sad to go home,' she said, given the unemployment and the problems that causes. At the same time, she liked just being herself, not "public" Kellie. "Someone asked me why I didn't have a bodyguard. I don't need a bodyguard! This is my family! It was fun. I felt like 19 again. I felt like I was in school again! People there just call me Pickler!"
Positive perspective: "I get tired on the road. I miss my husband. But I have to put on my big girl pants and count my blessings and look forward to the day regardless of what day it is. Getting older is a blessing not everyone gets."
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Past stories I've written about Pickler:
An interview I did with Pickler from Sept 8, 2008 before a CMA Festival
My last talk with her at Children's Healthcare at Emory in May of 2011.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters has been beating up on "American Idol" for years, going back to the Bo Bice days when he told MTV he'd never let Bice open for him because he hates the show THAT much.
When Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes" recently asked Grohl about the music competition shows yet again, Grohl slammed Idol and other singing shows yet again for squashing aspiring vocalists, asserting that singers who are now rock legends would never pass the first audition.
"Who's to say they're not good or not?" Grohl said. "Imagine Bob Dylan standing there singing 'Blowin' in the Wind' in front of those judges? 'Sorry, it's a little nasally and a little flat. Next.' "
Hoary questions give you hoary answers, eh?
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It's Hollywood Week for "American Idol." Monday was the initial solos. Tuesday was group round. Wednesday was more solos.
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Variety said Carrie Underwood, despite her very assiduous desire to avoid saying anything controversial, was considered for "The View." I can't imagine that would have been a good fit.
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How much do performers get paid? Syracuse.com got the numbers for the New York State Fair in August. Carrie Underwood charged $500,000. Phillip Phillips pocketed $150,000. Kellie Pickler? $35,000, same as Night Ranger and more than Smash Mouth ($32,500), Sean Kingston ($32,500), Herman's Hermits ($20,000) and the Bacon Brothers ($30,000) but less than Barenaked Ladies ($100,000), Ashanti ($55,000), Joan Jett & The Blackhearts ($65,000). It's a fascinating list.
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"America's Got Talent' runner up Emily West gets a record deal with Sony MasterWorks. Good for her!
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