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photo by Brie Cohen
Kellie Pickler gets the audience to wave their arms back and forth while performing on stage at the grandstand during the Freeborn County Fair on Thursday.
It was Pickler-mania
‘American Idol’ star wows grandstand
Published Friday, August 7, 2009
Kellie Pickler chose the first song of the night just right as “Best Days of Your Life,” which described what Katie Falk, 15, and her cousin Stephanie Falk, 14, were going through during the concert as their favorite country artist belted out tune after tune pitch perfect before the fairgrounds-bursting crowd of more than 10,000.
“I got to touch her hand” the energized Stephanie said right after Pickler walked across the cement barricades from the stage area to join her fans in her laid-back, bare-footed, down-to-earth, crowd-pleasing way.
Pickler, the former “American Idol” star who has taken the next steps toward being a Nashville star, sang many of the hits from her first two albums, “Small Town Girl” and the self-titled “Kellie Pickler.”
Photo Gallery
Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler performed at the grandstands of the Freeborn County Fair on Aug. 6, 2009.
“Rocks Instead of Rice,” “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” and “Don’t You Know How Much I Love You” came pumping out of the songstress in rapid fire, exciting the crowd of 8 to 80.
As Pickler talked to the crowd in between songs, it was almost as if this real-life small-town girl from Albemarle, N.C., had lived in Albert Lea her whole life as she effortlessly went from telling you about each song to walking unguarded into an area where you can tell she feels the most comfortable and confident — with her fans, who exploded with delight.
At one point a young group of teen girls got up near the stage and danced alongside of Pickler, who did not even bat a beautiful eye to the fun this group was having.
Photo by Scott Schmeltzer
Cousins Katie, left, and Stephanie Falk flash smiles Thursday at the Freeborn County Fair.
Pickler’s fun did not stop with just the crowd either as it was a joy to watch Pickler having a good time with her bandmates as well, dancing and streaming water at them during the song “One Of The Guys,” which was appropriate as Pickler seems just as comfortable either dressed in jeans and a baseball cap or going with the girls to Saks for a day of shopping. It is this characteristic that I think explains the reason that her star will continue to rise as both men and women are drawn to her confidence, charm and inner strength.
As Peggy Forester of Elkhart, Ind., who traveled many hours with her husband, Jerry, who is stricken with Parkinson’s disease, to see Pickler, stated, “It is her personality; you just want to adopt her.”
Jerry then added, “It’s her everything.”
I think everyone would agree with Jerry: It is her everything!
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Comments
Posted by dataylorsmn1 (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
no pictures of the girls she invited on stage?
Posted by bns2107 (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
She put on an amazing show! Dispite the rain we still got to go back to her bus and have her sign things! It was very nice to see such a laid back musician and let girls get up on stage with her and have fun! Great Show Kelly!!
Posted by Pierre (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please, please please bring in something other than country. ANYTHING. Just one night. If i didnt have to pay at the gate i wouldnt mind.
I wont deny country musics popularity(especially here in small town/farm country midwest) But if a fairgoer doesnt care for that form of music, the Freeborn County Fair doesnt care about you. So I will stay home again this year and hope next year I can feel good about paying money at the gate for more than one kind of headline entertainment.
Posted by knockerknock (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To all of the people who setup the entertainment at the Freeborn County Fair; don't change a thing! You do a fabulous job year in and year out in obtaining outstanding entertainment. Please don't change a thing!
Posted by SRO (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great pictures Brie!
Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm with Pierre.
Freeborn County show us how you can get down to the tunes of someone like MC Hammer or my personal favorite Sir Mix-A-Lot.
You need some music that lets you shake what your mama gave you!
But Kellie Pickler is a cute girl and I am sure she did a great job. Liked her on Idol even though country isn't my thing.
Posted by farmgirl06 (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to thank the Freeborn Co Fair for bring quality entertainment every year. I was very disappointed by the behavior of certain young ladies. Where are your manners? My daughter was handed a t-shirt and a cowboy hat by Kelly Pickler and some selfish teenage girl with absolutely no manners decided that they should belong to her. Needless to say my 11 year old was overpowered by someone grabbing and ripping them out of her hands. Now don't you think that if it was meant for someone else Kelly Pickler would not have handed it directly to her? Some rude girl really hurt the feelings of a young child!!!!
Posted by controlledhyperness (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to point out to Pierre (and some others) that over the years there have been numerous artists that have come through Albert Lea and were NOT Country! For instance, Guess Who (aka The Who) were here last year..and while their name was and is not that familiar, their music is. I think it is neat who all Albert Lea and the Freeborn County Fair gets to pull in year after year!
Posted by Pierre (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
controlledhyperness....Its not neat to me to see who they "pull in" every year when its someone I wouldnt cross the street to see. The last several years have had very, very few non country artists. I know, I've been(had been) going to the fair since the 60s . . But this is not the first time there has been nothing BUT country acts. Im not saying change the whole format...Im just asking for ONE NIGHT. Thats all. One night thats not country. Then I will feel my admission is worthwhile and I will go to our fair again. Until then, I'll get my county fair fix somewhere where i dont have to pay for performers I dont want to see.
Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 8, 2009 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How about Freeborn County goes back to school? Old school that is. Old School R&B/Hip-Hop/Rap! Here is the line-up, in no particular order:
MC Hammer, Run DMC, NWA, 2 Live Crew, Sir Mix-A-Lot (my favorite), Biz Markie and Oran Juice Jones.
I can only dream....
Posted by okiedokie (anonymous) on August 10, 2009 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok well compare to the other fairs around this fair is by far the best around I would pay 20.00 to get into this one. I live in austin and do not even go to that fair there and as far as country acts go they are affordable to get. You really think that some rock band is really going to come to a small town fair for 50,000 NO WAY! so if you can get them to come for that and sell out the crowd then go and try it.
Posted by Pierre (anonymous) on August 13, 2009 at 7:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its not about the number of people that go to a show its what the performers get paid. Thats why FCF brings in big "country" names because everyone pays to get into the fair whether they want to see the show or not.
Obviously the fair couldnt bring in band like Coldplay or the like, but they certainly could bring in old school groups..Blues, christian, rock, , folk, popular groups from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s , 90s or even a band at the cusp of stardom now.
Country fans, think of it this way. If the freeborn county fair had nothing but RAP every night for entertainment, would you feel good about shelling out money to enter the fair every night? Knowing your admission would be free if they didnt bring rappers in that you have no intention or interest in seeing? Youd be upset and appalled!
Just one night without country. PLEASE....
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