Kellie Pickler Biography

Name: Kellie Pickler, singer

Birthdate: June 28, 1986

Birthplace: Albermarle, North Carolina

Sign: Cancer

The energetic and likeable Kellie Pickler burst onto the music scene during the fifth season of the Fox reality show "American Idol." Pickler quickly became a fan favorite, even doing bits with host Ryan Seacrest where she talked about eating foods she had never heard of and being in the "big city."

Although Pickler came in sixth place on "American Idol," her fame and popularity continued. In 2006 she signed to BNA Records and released her debut album "Small Town Girl." The album was certified gold and produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: "Red High Heels" at No. 15, "I Wonder" at No. 14, and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" at No 16. The first single from her self-titled second album "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" was released in mid-2008, and reached the Top 25.

Born as Kellie Dawn Pickler in Albemarle, North Carolina, Pickler is the daughter of Cynthia Morton and Clyde "Bo" Pickler, Jr. Her mother was 18-years-old when she gave birth to Pickler, and relinquished custodial rights to her when Pickler was two years old.

Pickler was raised predominately by her grandparents, Clyde and Faye Pickler, in Palestine, North Carolina, where she was a cheerleader and beauty queen. Before leaving to audition for "American Idol," Pickler worked as a waitress at a Sonic Drive In, wearing roller skates to deliver food to the customers.

Pickler has talked about her tough childhood and the fact that her father, who she describes as an alcoholic and drug addict, served almost four years in a Florida State Prison for aggravated assault and battery stemming from at 2003 stabbing incident. He was released from prison a week after Pickler was eliminated from "American Idol." Pickler is good friends with country singer Taylor Swift and Katherine McPhee, who was also on "American Idol."

Pickler was only 19 when she auditioned for "American Idol," and her quirky personality and Southern charm took her far. She was even compared to Jessica Simpson in a US Weekly magazine article called "Kellie: The Next Jessica Simpson."

Her ditzy style is similar to Simpson's and Pickler raised quite a few eyebrows when she appeared on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" and bumbled her way through the questions even causing an instant YouTube sensation with her "I though Europe was a country?" remark.

Pickler's fame continues to grow as has her musical ability. She performed on a USO tour in Iraq and her second album was released in September of 2008.

In June 2008, Pickler joined her friend "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood in becoming a vegetarian.