Most country-music lovers who attended the 2012 Ram Jam all-star concert event in Nashville Saturday were just there for a rockin' good time. However, when American Idol
alum Pickler took the stage, the evening took a remarkably
emotional turn, showcasing a touching and personal moment between the
star and her fans.
Right after performing her rollicking 2008 hit "Best Days Of Your Life," Pickler was approached by a woman in the audience who came up to the edge of the stage. Pickler knelt down and spoke quietly to her for a few minutes, then held the teary-eyed fan in a long embrace.
As the audience burst into applause, she added, "I'm gonna cry up here, thank you for sharing your story with me."
A male fan then called "Can I show you a picture, Kellie?" The singer walked over to the side of the stage and examined a shot on his cellphone. She then explained to the audience: "The gentleman was showing me a picture of his mother that had passed away with lung cancer. My grandmother that raised me and that I called mom--she died with lung cancer. She was diagnosed and died the very next morning."
"It's hard stuff," Pickler noted, addressing the fan in a faltering voice. "But your mother and my grandmother are upstairs partying--they're having a good time, they're not hurting."
Pickler then related to the crowd that a big reason why she loves country music so much is how it calls up strong emotions such as the ones witnessed that night. "I think the thing that makes country music so special is that behind every country song, there's a story," she said. "A story about someone's life, and what they've been through--good or bad. Maybe what they're going through now."
The 2012 Ram Jam concert was the culmination of the yearlong Ram Jam project, which spotlighted exclusive content from five country artists and earmarked funds for a variety of charities. The Zac Brown Band, Billy Currington, Brantley Gilbert, and Easton Corbin also participated in the event.
-- By Wendy Geller | Our Country
“Yesterday
morning, The Oak Ridge Boys received the daily report from President
Bush (41’s) staff. The report of his health was that he was improving
each day. Then, we received another message, Barbara Bush requested
that we call the President and sing to him! All of the Oak Ridge Boys
are on vacation, but we all headed to our office upon hearing of this
request. We called the President and sang for him. He asked to hear Elvira, so we sang that for him, and then we sang one verse of Amazing Grace.” – Duane Allen, The Oak Ridge Boys 
After
we finished we asked if he could hear us and he answered “Oh quite
clearly.” His typical humor brought laughter all around. We than sang
some Amazing Grace for him after which Barbara Bush came on the
phone and thanked us. She said, “As usual the hospital room was filled
with family and right now they were ALL loving The Oak Ridge Boys.
