The holidays are a time for “gimmes” and for giving. One gal who always remembers to give back is Kellie Pickler. In fact, it was right around this time last year that she (along with Kid Rock and Zac Brown) was over in Iraq, entertaining our troops for the holidays.

Additionally, the American Idol alum teamed up with Ladies’ Home Journal earlier this year to support “soles4souls,” a charity that distributes new and gently worn footwear to those in need. There were drop-off boxes set up at the entrance to Madison Square Garden in NYC, prior to Kellie’s concert with Taylor Swift there. About 800 pairs were collected.

This Tuesday (12/8), Kellie will be at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center for a concert by Nashville Metro Public School students. Many of these children have benefited from the CMA's Keep the Music Playing charitable fund, which raises funds for music education in public schools in the Nashville area. Kellie will be presenting a donation as well as introducing some of the performers.

Kellie is getting more attention these days for her new hair color than for her charitable work. Why go red? “We’ve got enough blondes in country,” she recently joked to PEOPLE. She added that her new look is hard for her to get used to, stating: “I wake up in the morning and walk by the mirror and I’m like, ‘Who’s that?!?’ I thought someone broke into my house!”

Check out Kellie’s new ‘do in her video for the Christmas classic, “Santa Baby.”

www.kelliepickler.com

www.myspace.com/kelliepickler

www.twitter.com/kelliepickler

www.kelliefans.com

Take it Easy,

Cricket

Listen to The Morning Splash on Froggy 97, with me and James Pond, Monday – Friday from 5:30-9AM. We also stream online at www.froggy97.com.

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