57° Fort Worth
All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

TCU 360

All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

‘Idol’ alum releases debut country CD

“American Idol” has done it again. Kellie Pickler’s debut album, “Small Town Girl,” released on Oct. 31, is sure to be a hit with “Idol” fans.

While Pickler was voted off the fifth season of the top-rated Fox reality show, her cuteness and Southern belle appeal won her a lot of fans, especially here in the South.

The album is full of pop-country tunes, several of which were co-written by Pickler. The disc has done well after its first week of release. It is in the top 10 on the iTunes album chart and has risen up to No. 39 on the Amazon.com sales chart. “Girl” was produced by Blake Chancey, who is best known for his work with the Dixie Chicks.

The record showcases two distinct sides of Pickler’s personality.

The first single, “Red High Heels,” which already has reached video-hit status on Country Music Television, shows a cheery, playful side of Pickler. She sings, “Well you thought I’d wait around forever/ But baby get real/ I just kicked you to the curb/ In my red high heels.”

Pickler keeps her Southern charm that made fans love her on “Idol” as she sings every song on “Girl” with a Southern “good-ol’-girl” twang. “Girl” is a mix of twangy pop-country tunes and over-the-top ballads that show Pickler has some depth.

In “I Wonder,” Pickler sings a broken-hearted song about her mother who abandoned her when she was a little girl.

“I Wonder” is definitely a standout track on the CD and has lyrics that will apply to many girls across the nation. She sings, “Did you think I didn’t need you here/ To hold my hand/ To dry my tears/ Did you even miss me through the years at all?” While the lyrics might not be the most profound, they will appeal to her target audience, which is young women.

The song that young women will most relate to is the up-tempo title track in which Pickler sings, “I’d rather be fishin’ with grandpa on the lake/ Then getting all glammed up/ Fake eyelashes on my face.”

The record is fun, poppy and catchy. Pickler’s voice is pleasant, and you can’t help but smile after you hear it.

More to Discover