Tag: Kellie Pickler (1-10 of 11)

Dec 19 2012 09:51 AM ET

Best and Worst 2012: The year in country music

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
LITTLE-BIG-TOWN

Image Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Ah, what a year in music it’s been! Here at EW, we’ve been in retrospective overdrive, looking back at the best and worst albums, singles, lyrics, and soundtracks that 2012 had to offer.

But since I’m already primed to hop onto a plane and head home down South for the holidays, I thought it might be fun to take let my music tastes do the same and take a deep-dive into the country music world. Here’s my take on the year that was — country music style:

BEST: Little Big Town The hard-working quartet has always had the respect of Nashville for their on-point harmonies and sumptuous live performances, so it was nice to see them find true mainstream success in 2012. “Pontoon” was a fresh, tongue-in-cheek summer smash that motorboated all the way to No. 1.

BEST: Eric Church With a sand-papery voice, a trademark baseball cap (which have now officially replaced cowboy hats), a drink in his hand, and some genuinely great melodies, Eric Church joined country’s A-list this year. “Springsteen” was a wide-open crossover hit that gave his confidently country disc Chief the mainstream appeal it deserved. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Chief won the CMA Award for Album of the Year, either. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 2 2012 12:06 PM ET

CMA Awards: Best and worst of the broadcast

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Willie-Nelson-CMA.jpg

Image Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images

The real winners were announced last night at the 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards. But here are a few more honors from the telecast you should feel free to weigh in on:

Best Hosts: There really aren’t enough superlatives to describe the effervescent duo of Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood — they’re simply the best. If you were to look through the last five years of Oscar/Grammy/Tony/Emmy telecasts, you’d be hard pressed to find one joke that could compete with Paisleywood’s opening monologue. Their goofy (and increasingly saucy) hosting style always brings the laughs, and they keep the show moving briskly. On top of that, they both performed their own singles, delivered heartfelt tributes to Andy Griffith and Connie Smith, and demonstrated impressive “Gangnam Style” technique. Do better than that, Seth MacFarlane.

Best performance: I’m a sucker for the CMA Awards’ tribute performances (I still get a little teary thinking about last year’s Glen Campbell effort), and this year’s Willie Nelson-centered medley was no exception. Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott (of Lady Antebellum) sounded terrific on “Always on My Mind,” as did Blake Shelton and Keith Urban on “Whiskey River” and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw on “Good Hearted Woman.” The whole thing felt so warm that when Nelson himself took the stage and sang ”The life I love is making music with my friends,” (from “On the Road Again”), you really believed it was happening in that moment. Watch below. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 1 2012 12:42 PM ET

Who should win at the CMA Awards? -- POLLS

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
jason-aldean.jpg

Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage

Tonight is country music’s biggest night. The 46th annual Country Music Association Awards will air at 8:00 p.m. on ABC, and it’s already shaping up to be a great show.

Why? Well, because the CMA Awards are always a great show. In an overcrowded field of country awards (ACAs, I still haven’t warmed up to you), the CMA Awards remain the most prestigious — and most entertaining — of the bunch.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, who have become quite the formidable comic duo, are returning for a fifth year as hosts (check out their interview about the show here), and performances from stars like Kelly Clarkson and The Band Perry, both of whom will perform new singles, as well as Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean will keep the night rocking.

But at the center of the awards are still, believe it or not, the actual awards! We’ve already given you our thoughts on all the nominations (as well as all the snubs and surprises), but now let’s handicap who might win in the major categories. READ FULL STORY »

Sep 6 2012 12:11 PM ET

CMA Awards 2012: Snubs and surprises

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
KC_Flag

Image Credit: Harper Smith

The 46th Annual CMA award nominations were announced yesterday. Here are a few thoughts on who made the cut — and who was sorely left out:

SURPRISE! Kelly Clarkson: I don’t know that anyone in the country community dislikes Kelly Clarkson. Heck, I don’t know if anyone in any community dislikes Kelly Clarkson. But it rings rather false that she scored a Female Vocalist of the Year nomination. Though the original American Idol did have a country remix of her single “Mr. Know It All” out to radio last year, and though she did appear on Jason Aldean’s “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” two songs does not a country singer make — even if she is dating Reba McEntire’s stepson. Should Lady Gaga have gotten a nomination after putting out a country remix of “Born This Way”? READ FULL STORY »

Jul 12 2012 06:41 PM ET

Kellie Pickler talks making '100 Proof', splitting with her label

by
Tags: , , , ,
kellie-pickler

Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

On Tuesday, we sat down with country star Kellie Pickler to discuss her new work with the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America, a charitable organization dedicated to fighting hunger in America. “There’s no reason why we can’t beat this,” says the singer, who reveals that she knew various peers growing up that had to worry about having food on the table. Pickler’s main goal right now is to get people over to ConAgra’s Facebook page to learn about how to help with their Hunger Free Summer campaign.

Still, since we had a hold of her, we had to ask about her recent split with label Sony Music Nashville (she was on BNA, with whom she was contracted for three albums), and Pickler was quite open about the whole shebang.

For those who don’t know, Pickler’s third album 100 Proof has struggled more than her previous efforts and sold 74,000 copies (versus Small Town Girl, which sold over 800,000, and her self-titled sophomore disc, which passed 400,000). She looked back on making the record and looked ahead to her next step.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: It’s interesting that this split comes after 100 Proof, which was easily your best work so far — at least in my opinion. Before we talk about the record deal, I’d like to hear about making the record.
KELLIE PICKLER: Luke Wooten and Frank Lidell — they helped me discover the artist in myself. Since American Idol, it’s been like a blur. I’ve been pulled in a hundred different directions by a hundred different people. You know, signing contracts that I couldn’t read, but I was 19 and green and it was, “Sign this contract or go back to working in fast food,” and I didn’t want to do that. Luke and Frank sat me down and I got to just sit with an acoustic guitar and I got to sing songs to them that I grew up on. You know Tammy, Merle, Waylon, Al Dexter, Kitty Wells. I could just go on and on and on. I just love traditional country music. They saw that in me, and that’s real. That’s me. When this album came out, the people that know me, my friends, went, “There’s Kellie. There you are.” READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2011 11:18 AM ET

Little Big Town and Keith Urban make Christmas super sexy

by
Tags: , , ,
CMA-Country-Christmas_510.jpg

Image Credit: Katherine Bomboy-Thornton/ABC

If you missed ABC’s CMA Country Christmas last night (watch it here), you missed some good TV, including Miss Piggy forcing Vince Gill to suggestively “du… et” with her on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (at 26:45), host Jennifer Nettles kicking off the show with a stellar rendition of “All I Want For Christmas is You” (with festively/scantily clad female backup dancers*), and Little Big Town rocking their smooth harmonies on “Santa Claus is Back in Town” (at 30:40).

I’ve always thought that was the sexiest holiday song (thank you, Elvis), but now, after seeing Keith Urban step out to play the guitar solo, I know it is. Little Big Town returned later in the show to dedicate “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to the troops (1:12:25), and if you haven’t already bought that on iTunes, you will now.

* Also found in Kellie Pickler’s rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1:09:20)

Read more:
Little Big Town sings ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’: Listen to it here! — EXCLUSIVE
Little Big Town covers ‘Moves Like Jagger’: Watch!

Sep 28 2011 05:11 PM ET

Kellie Pickler deals with daddy issues, gets 'Tough' in new music video: Watch it here!

by
Tags: , , , ,

Kellie Pickler may have collaborated with Taylor Swift on the poppy “Best Days of Your Life,” but on her new single, “Tough,” she sounds like she’s headed in a more Miranda Lambert-ish direction. (Of course, it helps having Lambert’s producer, Frank Liddell on board!)

The just-released music video for “Tough” tells the story of a girl trying to connect with her incarcerated father, which reflects Pickler’s upbringing. Throughout her childhood, Kellie’s father was in and out of jail, and her mother, after abandoning her daughter when she was 2, eventually lost custody of Kellie, who was raised by her grandparents.

All that familial drama helped make Pickler “Tough,” and now she wants you to know it. “The way I see it, the hand of fate did me a favor with the hand he dealt my way,” she sasses while slinking through a hallway in a tight white tank top (She must be a Dierks Bentley fan!) Watch the clip below: READ FULL STORY »

Aug 12 2011 04:33 PM ET

Where are all the solo female country stars?

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Let's Argue!
Kellie-Pickler

Image Credit: Michael Hickey/WireImage.com

Want to hear a staggering statistic?

In the last four weeks, there has been only one song by a female solo artist in the Top 30 of Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart: “Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift, which currently sits at number 23.

Meanwhile, on the pop charts, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele, Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj continue to dominate.

Country music in 2011 is apparently a man’s world. But it shouldn’t have to be!

Where is the love for Kellie Pickler’s rough-and-tumble new single, “Tough?” Why did Sunny Sweeney’s latest track, the heartfelt “Staying’s Worse Than Leaving,” stall at number 41? Why won’t Sara Evans’ “My Heart Can’t Tell You No” take off at radio? Does Nashville have a problem with female singers right now?

Before you all jump down my throat—Listen, I know that Lady Antebellum includes singer Hillary Scott. I know that Kimberly Perry provides the vocals for The Band Perry. I know Carrie Underwood is a guest on Brad Paisley’s “Remind Me.” I know Thompson Square is one-half female. I know that Kelly Clarkson sings on Jason Aldean’s “Don’t You Wanna Stay” and that Grace Potter is featured on Kenny Chesney’s “You and Tequila” But all these ladies are successful alongside men—where are the solo country females?! READ FULL STORY »

Nov 1 2010 02:22 PM ET

CMA Awards: You really should watch this year

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , News

cma-awards-walk-upImage Credit: Scott Garfield; Simon Webber; Mike RuizThis year’s CMA Awards are shaping up to be a must-watch. The Country Music Association has just confirmed the rumor that Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson will perform their duet “Don’t You Want to Stay” off of his new album, My Kinda Party, in stores tomorrow, during the live broadcast Nov. 10 on ABC. (Listen to the track below.) One thing this awards show does right is pack the three-hour ceremony with performances. Aldean and Clarkson are the latest additions to the all-star line-up that includes: both returning cohosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, and Reba McEntire, as well as Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, Sheryl Crow (with Lambert, in a tribute to Loretta Lynn’s 50 years in the business), and Gwyneth Paltrow, who’ll make her “live country music singing debut” performing the title song from her upcoming movie Country Song with Vince Gill.

You get all this, plus the usual thrills: Finding out which stars on the network are country music fans (Better With You‘s JoAnna Garcia and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition‘s Ty Pennington have been added to the list of presenters), hearing what comes out of presenter Kellie Pickler’s mouth, and (fingers crossed!), seeing a shot of presenter Tim McGraw’s butt.  READ FULL STORY »

Aug 4 2010 04:42 PM ET

Miranda Lambert's new video for 'Only Prettier' features some major country girl-power

by
Tags: , , , , , ,

Miranda-LambertNow that Miranda Lambert is finally getting some much-deserved commercial recognition, it looks like her label is a bit more willing to put some money into her music videos. She’s come a long way since “Me and Charlie Talking.” Yesterday, Lambert dropped a 1950s-inspired video for her latest single, “Only Prettier,” which features some of the sharp-mouthed singer’s best girl friends. In the clip are fellow country stars Kellie Pickler, Laura Bell Bundy, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and the four gals cheekily portray two different cliques of friends at a school dance.

You’ve got the chain-smoking, gum-smacking bad girls, and the poodle-skirted, giggly squares. Though the groups shoot daggers across the dance floor all night, as the lyrics suggest, they actually “have got a lot a common.” They just need a little spiked punch to realize it. Watching the singers dress up and poke fun at themselves is pure fun (Kellie Pickler is especially funny), and I’m glad to see these women treat each other as comrades, rather than competition. Part of what makes country music is great is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and this video is no exception. Watch it after the jump: READ FULL STORY »

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Which will you see this weekend?