Although some Plant City residents may not have been too happy about last month’s nippy weather, country music darling Kellie Pickler knows it could be much worse.
“Don’t complain about how cold it is in Florida,” Pickler says. “I’m in Ohio, and it’s freezing!”
Hopefully, it will be much warmer in Plant City when she takes the Wish Farms Soundstage March 4, at the Florida Strawberry Festival, for one last U.S. tour date before a trip Down Under. The concert will be her second in Plant City in five years and the last U.S. tour date before she heads to Australia, and it’s not just the balmy weather that’s bringing her back.
“I love Florida and the people there,” Pickler says. “I love the energy. It’s beautiful and hard not to have a good time.”
A lot has happened since she last performed at the festival. In the past five years, Pickler has released two new albums, gotten married and won “Dancing with the Stars” in its 2013 run with partner Derek Hough. Also, Pickler made waves in 2012 by allowing Ellen DeGeneres to shave her head on national television. The gesture was done in support of both breast cancer awareness and her best friend, Summer Miller. With a newer look and an updated setlist, Pickler is excited to give her fans a new experience.
“I’m excited to come back to Plant City and have new songs to perform,” Pickler says. “There will be lots of radio songs and new material. It’s always nice to freshen things up.”
Her latest album, “The Woman I Am,” was released in November 2013 to critical acclaim and reached No. 19 in the Billboard 200. It spawned the singles, “Someone Somewhere Tonight,” “Little Bit Gypsy” and “Closer to Nowhere.” She released the other album, “100 Proof” in January 2012.
She’s touring the globe in support of her latest album, with a few Australia dates scheduled for mid-March and some Switzerland stops planned. Despite the robust travel schedule, Pickler rarely gets to play the role of the tourist.
“I was so consumed with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and living in L.A. last year, in a studio, so I’m excited to travel now,” she says. “I may extend the (Australia) trip for a few days — for play time.”
Although she won’t be in Plant City long enough to be a tourist, Pickler knows she’ll have fun at the festival.
“I’m looking forward to more strawberries,” Pickler says. “Last time, they stocked my tour bus full of strawberries. My best friend, Summer, hopped on the bus, and we took lots of funny pictures with them. Those were the biggest strawberries I’ve ever seen — like, strawberries on steroids!”
KELLIE PICKLER
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4
TICKETS: $15 and $20
WEBSITE: kelliepickler.com