Kellie Pickler Hits the Big Apple

Kellie Pickler photo by Kristin Barlowe, courtesy of Sony BMG.

December 20, 2007 — Kellie Pickler, fresh from her first trip overseas to perform for the troops in Iraq, traveled to New York to appear on NBC's Today show Tuesday.

"It was the most amazing experience of my life," she said of the USO trip. "It was an incredible experience for all of us. We grabbed lunch and dinner and always sat down with the guys to talk. It was nice to be able to go and bring a little home to them. It was a good learning experience. I feel like I have a better understanding of everything that's going on and there's no greater learning experience than hands on."

Kellie sang "Santa Baby" from the Hear Something Country Christmas album and dedicated it to the troops; she later sang "Things That Cross a Man's Mind." Following her performance, she chatted with host Hoda Kotb while wearing a gray wrap around her waist because a puppy that was up for adoption on the show had gone to the bathroom on her dress.

Kotb, who had never met Kellie before, commented on how open and honest the she seems. "I've always been this way," Kellie responded. "I've said this before: it's easier to be yourself than to try to be somebody you're not."

Kellie also talked about crying at the end of her performance at the CMA awards recently. "It was the first award show that I'd performed at," she said, "and I think reality started to set in. It's not every day you get to share the same stage with all these amazing artists like Kenny Chesney, Martina and George Strait. It's emotional when you're standing up there on the stage looking down at these artists that you've admired."

Kellie ended the segment by commenting on the kisses the puppy was giving her. "I'm getting the most action I've had in a while."