Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler

When Kellie Pickler was younger, she would sit with her grandmother on their porch swing and sing songs from her grandmother's songbook. Pickler would also bring out a boom box and sing along to some of her favorite artists � LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Tammy Wynette, and especially Dolly Parton. After her grandmother passed away, her grandfather convinced her to audition for American Idol, Season 5, and her journey towards becoming beloved by America began. To her humble surprise, Pickler made it into the Top 12 and soon found herself touring the country with American Idol, moving from North Carolina to Music City, Nashville, and releasing her debut album, Small Town Girl, on 19 Recordings/BNA Records. For the first time Pickler co-penned five of the 11 songs on her album, including the title track. "I had tried to do it before, but I couldn't figure it out," she said. "I was making it much more complicated than it needed to be. Then they put me with songwriter Aimee Mayo, and it all came together. She and I are on the same path when it comes to songwriting, and she was such a gift to me. She helped me write what I wanted to say."