American singer and songwriter Kellie Pickler has always been open about her estrangement from her parents, Cynthia and Clyde Pickler, since the early stages of her music career.
On several occasions, Kellie Pickler has openly talked about how her parents alienated her as a child after their separation when she was just 2 years old.
Since then, Kellie grew up with her paternal grandparents as her dad, Clyde, often used to get into prison, and her mom, Cynthia, abandoned her.
It left her traumatized and embarrassed about her family history, which she often expressed during her journey in American Idol.
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Kellie Pickler says her mother was abusive, and she is too hurt to forgive her!
The singer Kellie Pickler once revealed that her mother, Cynthia, mistreated her and scarred her emotionally, handing her a knife and ordering her to take her own life.
In an interview, Kellie revealed she remembered one time telling her mother how she wished to God that Kellie did not want to live if she had to live with her anymore.
Unfortunately, to make matters worse, her mother handed her a knife and asked Kellie to do it. She recalls she was just fourth grade at the time. “Of course, I would never have acted upon it, but it’s done a lot of emotional scarring,” she added.
After that, her mother was absent from her life for almost 20 years, and she suddenly confronted the media, stating that she expected reconciliation with her estranged daughter, Kellie.
But, it was hard for Kellie as her mother’s behavior hurt her significantly. In an interview, she said, “I don’t know why you [mother] want anything to do with me now. You never wanted anything to do with me my whole life.”
Sobbing and crying, she continued, “I’m not mad, I’m not upset. I’m just hurt because she continues to make herself look like the victim.”
Despite her father’s absence, Kellie Pickler considers herself a daddy’s girl!
According to country genre artist Kellie, her father, Clyde Pickler Jr., fought against his demons all his life.
Though her father spent most of his life in prison, he was there to teach his kids ways to survive.
Once, in an interview with Rolling Stone, she considered her father her inspiration and herself a daddy’s girl.
She said, “People have a perception and opinion of him and his past [he served in a Florida prison for stabbing], but my dad inspired me in so many ways. I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. He was never not a part of my life.”
As per Kellie, her father struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. Despite that, the singer says her father never stopped loving her and always took good care of her.
She says he later took control, turned his life around, and transformed into an entirely different person. But in the year 2019, Kellie lost her father, 54, as per the Pop Culture magazine.
Although the singer has not posted or said anything about it, the close ones of the Pickler family have sent their condolences on his obituary page.
Additional Information
- Kellie Pickler was married to her husband Kyle Jacobs for a decade but the couple didn’t share any children.
- Kellie Pickler lost her husband Jacob on February 17, 2023.
- Before Jacob, Kellie had a brief relationship with Hockey player Jordin Tootoo.
