Showing off her fantastic figure, Kellie Pickler was nothing short of gorgeous as she arrived at the 2008 CMA Awards at the Sommet Center in Nashville on Wednesday night (November 12).

From there, Kellie took the stage for one of the coveted performance slots on the night’s telecast, getting the chance to promote her new single, “Best Days Of Your Life”.

“It’s always kind of scary performing on award shows,” Kellie revealed to press prior to taking the stage.

“You’re up there with your peers, everybody else that you hear on the radio. Kenny, Martina, Carrie — all of ‘em — we’re all up there on the stage, and it’s almost like a talent show, and you want to be just as good as the person was in front of you or right after you, so it is a little scary.”

Source:www.celebrity-gossip.net

Valentine’s Day isn’t for another three months, but Jewel is helping kick off the second annual Kiss for Country charitable campaign, aimed at wiping out domestic violence - with Reba McEntire, Laila Ali, LeAnn Rimes, Kellie Pickler, Wynonna, Naomi Judd, Sarah Evans and Jennifer Hanson also among those lending their lips for the cause.

The country artists are providing their kiss prints and autographs so they can be auctioned off to benefit domestic violence prevention starting next Tuesday, Nov. 11, when Jewel will unveil the love signs.

The auction, on uBid.com, runs through Dec. 12, with all proceeds benefiting the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation and domestic violence prevention.

Mary Kay is the official beauty sponsor of the 42nd Annual CMA Awards, in partnership with the Country Music Association. As part of a $3 million commitment, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation will provide a grant in the name of each participating artist to domestic violence prevention shelters around the country in 2009.

The 42nd Annual CMA Awards airs live from Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
- Stephen M. Silverman

Source:www.People.com

She may have been booted from American Idol, but Kellie Pickler has no hard feelings.

The country star will team up with the show’s host, Ryan Seacrest, to emcee one of the hottest New Year’s parties around.

A thrilled Pickler, 22, broke the news Thursday on her MySpace celebrity blog, telling fans she’s been tapped to co-host this year’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

The North Carolinian says she is looking forward to being in Manhattan’s Times Square for the 37th annual event. “I can’t think of a better way to bring in 2009,” she says.

In the post, the 2006 Idol alumna also expressed glee about the upcoming release of her second CD. “My brand new album is going to be in stores on September 30,” she writes. “That’s less than 2 weeks away. WAHOOOOO! I cannot wait for you all to hear it.”

The self-titled effort is the follow-up to her October 2006 debut, Small Town Girl, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. Its success helped her earn a Best New Artist nomination at this year’s Country Music Association Awards, airing live from Nashville on CBS Nov. 12.

Paris Bennett is out, while Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliot Yamin are still standing on American Idol.

On Wednesday night’s show, Ryan Seacrest told Bennett, 17, of Fayetteville, Ga., that she’d drawn the least number of votes among the nearly 46 million cast.

I love you,” Bennett told her family in the audience, including her grandmother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Ann Nesby.

The other member of the bottom two was Yamin.

On Tuesday night, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul had praised Bennett’s funky rendition of Prince’s 1988 hit “Kiss,” though Simon Cowell considered it “screechy” and “annoying.” Bennett fared better with her second performance, a cover of Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You.” “I think she did rather well with that,” Cowell admitted.

Of Yamin’s delivery of “On Broadway” on Tuesday’s show, Cowell found it “disjointed.” Cowell also said he was “just a little bit concerned” following Yamin’s cover of Michael Buble’s “Home.” “I’m not sure I would have chosen the lyrics, ‘I want to go home,’ ” Cowell pointedly advised the 27-year-old.

In other Idol news, American Idol Season 5 Encores, a compilation CD of songs by this season’s top 12, will be released May 23.

Songs on the disc will include Chris Daughtry’s take on Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive,” Kellie Pickler’s version of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Taylor Hicks’s cover of the Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It to the Streets,” Paris Bennett’s update of Gladys Knight %26 the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia” and Kevin Covais’s cover of Nat King Cole’s “When I Fall in Love.”

More on this story

• All About American Idol
• All the latest Idol news

Kellie Pickler’s gone green - at Nashville’s 21st Annual Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament %26 Tupperware Party.

Taking time from recording her second album, the former Idol star, 21, went “clubbing” at Monday’s outdoor fund-raiser on behalf of United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee.

“I am the queen of putt-putt,” said Pickler, who quickly got into the swing of things - and proved herself no novice with a golf club and dimpled ball.

Still, she wasn’t counting on sheer luck to pull her through. “I got a new HD-TV installed Sunday, and the guys just happened to turn on the U.S. Open,” she said. “My new TV is so incredible I could see every blade of grass. I watched the whole thing ’cause it was just too pretty to change the channel.”

While captivated by the sharp picture, she also learned to sharpen her golf skills, noting, “I picked up some tips on my swing from Tiger %26#91;Woods%26#93; and Rocco %26#91;Mediate%26#93;.”

Her Song with Taylor Swift

On the subject of the get-back duet “The Best Days of Your Life,” which Pickler recorded last week with sister country star Taylor Swift - the two wrote it together while touring with Brad Paisley - Pickler said: “We were sitting around one night and talking about old boyfriends. You know, you break up, and you’re really miserable, but what’s really comforting is to know that in time, he’ll come to regret it, and realize the best days of his life were with you, and they’re already gone.”

And the final result? “I didn’t know if our voices would go together - I’m so redneck and she’s so proper, but it really worked.”

Brad Paisley led the field of Country Music Television award nominees, with four nods for his “Online” video, it was announced Thursday.

Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift and Trace Adkins each received three nominations.

Earlier this week - from the Academy of Country Music - Paisley received four nominations, including entertainer of the year and album of the year.

In the CMT competition, which is decided by fan votes, Paisley’s “Online” is up for video of the year, male video of the year, comedy video and supporting character for actor Jason Alexander, the Associated Press reports.

Also in the running for video of the year is Sugarland’s “Stay.”

Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus and father Billy Ray Cyrus are scheduled to

host the April 14 ceremony in Nashville.

Singer-actress Katharine McPhee married producer Nick Cokas on Saturday in Beverly Hills, her rep Justin Gray Stone confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.

The 23-year-old American Idol season five runner-up and Cokas, 42, exchanged vows in a late afternoon ceremony at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church.

McPhee wore a strapless ivory Manuel Mota gown and Neil Lane jewels (diamond and platinum chandelier earrings and diamond and platinum bracelets), while Cokas wore an Armani tuxedo. Fellow season five Idol contestants Kellie Pickler and Mandisa were among the 305 guests on hand for the nuptials.

McPhee and Cokas met in 2005 when they performed in a Los Angeles theater production of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Their union began as a friendship and blossomed when McPhee auditioned for American Idol later that year.

The two quietly got engaged last year when Cokas presented her with a custom-designed round brilliant cut platinum and diamond engagement ring.

McPhee recently wrapped filming the Anna Faris comedy I Know What Boys Like.

Check out next week’s PEOPLE magazine for exclusive coverage and wedding pictures!

Fans are showering dad-to-be Keith Urban with gifts - not that he knows what all of them are.

“We got a tie-dyed jumpsuit thing that we really like,” he said backstage at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, where he was a surprise performer Friday night at LP Field.

When reporters told him it was likely a “onesie,” Urban, who’s expecting his first child this summer with wife Nicole Kidman, looked puzzled and asked, “A what?”

Urban was the last act of the night, taking the stage after Faith Hill and after an introduction from hosts Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler, who promised the crowd: “He’s very goodlooking, ladies.”

Urban took the stage in a black T-shirt and jeans, opening with “Days Go By” and immediately going into his next song, “Better Life,” before thanking the crowd.

“I want to say a huge thank you to everybody that has coughed up the

most outrageous amount of money per gallon to get gas to come to this festival this year,” he said. “We’re gonna give you a show worth seven bucks a gallon, so you’re making three bucks right there.”

At one point he took off his guitar, autographed it and handed it to a lucky fan while walking through the screaming audience.

“My kinda crowd right there,” he said.

On the hot night in Nashville (temperatures were in the 90s), Nicole Kidman remained out of sight, but not out of Urban’s mind.

Backstage, the singer told reporters, “I love having her with me when I tour, but at the same time, it’s work. You don’t want to ask too much of your family.” And as for bringing baby on the road, he said: “We’ll just have to see what works for us.”

• Reporting by SHELLEY AKERS and KAY WEST

PHOTO SPECIAL
Kisses %26 Kicks at the CMA Music Fest

Kellie Pickler is teaming up with fellow country star Taylor Swift for a new song on the former Idol’s upcoming album.

On the track, the singers mine some ex-boyfriend territory for a get-back tune called “Best Days of Your Life.” Although Pickler is mum about exactly which ex the song refers to, she tells PEOPLE, “You have to be careful when you date a songwriter. We always get the last word!”

Swift will join her in the studio to record harmonies on the song.

The two will be spending even more time together as the co-hosts - along with Julianne Hough - of the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, a two-hour special compiling performance highlights from a festival line-up that includes Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins and Billy Ray Cyrus. The show is set to air Sept. 8.

Toby Keith, Kellie Pickler and LeAnn Rimes lead the list of musicians set to perform live on the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

In a special performance, Kenny Chesney will duet with George Strait on the May 18 telecast. The two will sing their “Shiftwork” from Chesney’s album Poets %26 Pirates, live for the first time. The two will also face off against each other in the Entertainer of the Year category.

Chesney leads the pack of nominated artists, earning 11 nominations this year, including top male vocalist. Other big nominees include Rodney Atkins, who nabbed six nods, and Big %26 Rich and Sugarland with four nominations each.

Fans may vote in all categories at www.voteACM.com. The awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will air live on May 18 (8 p.m. ET, CBS) from Las Vegas’s MGM Grand Garden Arena.