Kellie Pickler to perform at Legion World Series

Country music star and North Carolina native Kellie Pickler will be the main attraction at the third Annual 7th Inning Stretch Festival Aug. 8, in Shelby, N.C. The festival coincides with The American Legion World Series (ALWS) played in nearby Keeter Stadium.

Pickler, an established singer, songwriter and gold-record recording artist, will perform a free evening concert as the festival's main attraction at 8:30 p.m. on a stage at Warren and Lafayette Streets. Walker County, a family band from Indiana that writes its own music, will take the stage at 7 p.m

The festival was established in 2013 by Cleveland County ALWS Baseball Inc. as a “thank you” to the community for its overwhelming support of the ALWS, held annually in August in Shelby-Cleveland County.

Pickler is a natural tie-in with The American Legion Baseball national tournament. She is a strong supporter of U.S. troops and has participated in eight USO tours.

Born in Albemarle, N.C., Pickler gained national attention as a 19-year-old contestant in the fifth season (2006) of the television show "American Idol." She finished in sixth place and released her debut album, “Small Town Girl,” in 2006. The album has been certified gold with more than 900,000 copies purchased.

Pickler’s first single, “Red High Heels,” debuted in September 2006; its music video was nominated for the CMT Video Awards “Breakthrough Video of the Year.” She won an ASCAP Award for co-writing the song.

Considered a traditionalist as a county music performer, Pickler cites Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton among her inspirations. Pickler’s best known songs include “I Wonder,” “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind,” “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You,” and “Best Days of Your Life,” which became her first top-10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Pickler’s third album, “100 Proof,” released in 2011, was named the No.1 Country Album of the Year by “Rolling Stone.” In November 2013, Pickler released her fourth album, “The Woman I Am,” which included three songs she co-wrote. The title song is a collaboration with her husband, songwriter/producer Kyle Jacobs.

The couple will star in a new reality series on CMT in September titled “I Love Kellie Pickler.” In addition to “American Idol,” she competed with Derek Hough in the 16th season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Pickler and Hough won the 2013 competition.

The 7th Inning Stretch Festival has grown in its offerings every year since its inception in 2013. New this year is the Little Miss American Legion World Series Pageant, which will feature girls from infant-age to 16 years old. Also on the schedule this year will be a mechanical bull, an obstacle course and a human gyroscope.

The annual 5K will begin at 8 a.m.; the Little Miss American Legion World Series Pageant is scheduled for 1 p.m.; the food and games, etc., will begin at 3 p.m., and the festival will close at approximately 9:30 p.m., following the Kellie Pickler concert.

KD Marketing, the firm coordinating the Festival, is still accepting sponsors, vendors and volunteers. Interested parties should call (704) 600-6599 or visit www.7thInningStretch.cc. Anyone with questions about the concerts should call the ALWS office at (704) 466-3103.