Kellie Dawn Pickler (born June 28, 1986) is an American singer best known for her sixth-place finish on the fifth season of American Idol. She was eliminated from the show on April 26, 2006. Kellie Pickler had a difficult upbringing. The Tough Songfacts explains that Kellie was raised by her grandparents, after her mother abandoned her and her alcoholic father spent time in and out of jail. The 21-year-old Pickler auditioned for American Idol in the fall of 2005 in Greensboro, North Carolina.