— By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Country star Kellie Pickler is known for her award-winning, tear-jerking ballad “I Wonder,” written about her mother who deserted her at a young age. Now Pickler, who’s opening for Taylor Swift at The Palace on Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27, on her “Fearless Tour 2010,” is at a crossroads.
“I’m at a point with my third record where I’m trying to decide how much I want to let people in and how much I want to be open about,” said Pickler, calling from her tour bus in between gigs. “I don’t know how much I’m ready to talk about and really how much I’m willing to let people in. That’s where I am right now.”
Pickler, a onetime “American Idol” contestant, has never been one to shy away from emotion. At several dates opening for Brad Paisley a few summers back, she had to take a musical timeout in order to shed a few tears during “I Wonder.” It was a move that garnered applause from the audience.
“That was a very hard song for me to release,” Pickler said. “I think that’s probably the most personal song we’ve released to country radio. That was a big step for me to open up that part of my life.”
Now Pickler is opening up in front of thousands at Swift’s shows. She explained the gigs are a little different than her own headlining performances.
“I would say when we have our own personal shows, it’s a lot different than when I’m opening for the ‘Fearless’ tour because it’s a completely different demographic,” Pickler said. “There’s so many young kids and teenagers that come to the ‘Fearless’ show. You kind of have to keep in mind that you have to keep your set pretty appealing.
“When we do our own shows, I have, I guess you’d say, a little bit older demographic. They like to listen to more traditional country music: Patsy [Cline], Loretta [Lynn], Tammy Wynette and Dolly [Parton]. I get really nervous whenever I’m opening for Taylor because I’m like, ‘These little kids are not going to like me.’”
But Swift fans genuinely do like her. When she opened for Swift in Arizona in support of her No. 1-debuting self-titled sophomore effort, she received a standing ovation for every tune.
“I’ve been blessed,” Pickler said. “I like to open as well. It gives others a chance, who wouldn’t necessarily buy tickets to my show on my own. It gives me a chance to maybe broaden my demo. It’s very, very different from our own shows. Very, very different.
“I would love to be able to get up there and sing a Tammy song or a Merle Haggard song, but the chances of them really knowing who they are not very good. That could be the only downfall. Maybe I’ll break out one of the old classics. They need to know it anyway.”
• What: Kellie Pickler opens for Taylor Swift and Gloriana • When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27 • Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills, 6 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills • Tickets: Sold out • Info: (248) 377-0100 |
One place her classics have gone over well is during military gigs. She has participated in three USO Tours and has entertained the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and England.
“It’s so amazing,” Pickler said. “I would say by far my favorite tours that I’ve ever been a part of are when I’ve been able to go on USO tours. It’s always so greatly appreciated. Regardless of who you are — if you’re a singer, or an actress, or a comedian, or a wrestler, or a cheerleader. They’re just glad to have something from home. It’s always a lot of fun and a great way to help them escape the surroundings that they’re in and the environment — even if it is for only an hour or two. Any opportunity that comes along for me to work with the military and the USO tours, I always jump right on it. I’m very passionate about it. I have a great deal of respect for anyone in service.”
In the meantime, Pickler is writing her new album and touring with Swift on the second leg of her “Fearless Tour 2010,” which runs through June. The “Fearless Tour 2009” visited 52 cities in 38 states and provinces in the United States and Canada over the span of six months.
“I’ve been writing a lot,” Pickler said. “I write because I love to. It’s so healing for me; even writing ‘I Wonder’ was very therapeutic for me. There’s so many songs I’ve written that will never, ever be recorded because they are too personal. For my new album, I’m writing a lot for it and getting ready to jump in the studio.
“I may write a lot of songs that will never be recorded, but it’s just therapeutic for me and healing. It just helps me to get it off my mind.”