Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler, a country music artist, first rose to prominence by securing the sixth place on the fifth season of "American Idol." She collected a record deal with BNA Records, which led to her debut album, "Small Town Girl," released in 2006. This album, selling over 900,000 copies, debuted at the top of Billboard's Top Country Albums and sold more than 79,000 copies in the first week alone, eventually receiving a gold record for 500,000 sales.

In 2008, her eponymous album, "Kellie Pickler" was released. This album produced four singles, one of which was "Best Days of Your Life," a co-creation with Taylor Swift, and became Pickler's first Top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. Following the closure of BNA Records, Pickler transitioned to Black River Entertainment. Her third album, the Frank Liddell-produced "100 Proof," released in 2011, debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Country Albums chart. A subsequent album, "The Woman I Am," was released in 2013, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

Pickler's career highlights also include performing on the 2008 USO Holiday Tour for U.S. service members. She won the 16th season of "Dancing with the Stars" with her partner Derek Hough in 2013 and was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2013, she also voiced Mirabelle in the VeggieTales video "Beauty and the Beet."

From 2017 to 2019, Pickler co-hosted the nationally syndicated daytime talk show "Pickler & Ben" with comedian Ben Aaron. She has also appeared in multiple shows, including "American Idol," "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and captured lead roles in Hallmark movies such as "Christmas at Graceland" and "The Mistletoe Secret."

Pickler has been an active philanthropist. She actively supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, participating in fundraising and special visits. She has also engaged in extensive philanthropic efforts like fundraising for the "N.C. Children's PROMISE" and assisting in rebuilding facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina. On June 26, 2016, Pickler and her team won $25,000 for the United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) on "Celebrity Family Feud." As of February 2022, Pickler is a DJ on SiriusXM's country music station, The Highway.