Y’ALL, July/August, 2008, Volume 6, Number 3, page 36

by Jon Rawl

Kelly Clarkson came on the scene, the biggest talk around Burleson, Texas, was when, if ever, the city of 21,000 would allow the sell of alcohol.

Thanks to the American Idol I winner, the Fort Worth suburb now has a whole lot to brag about. (Oh, and Burleson became wet back in 2006.)

Clarkson’s taken her catapult to international stardom rather nonchalantly. “At the end of the day, life is too short,” she says. “You can’t take things too seriously.”

The singer grew up in the ‘90s singing in musicals and in the talent show at Burleson High School.

The youngest daughter of a first grade teacher (Jeanne Anne Rose) and engineer (Michael Clarkson) decided to skip college and work on music. The decision paid off in 2002, when she won the hearts of Americans with her amazing voice on Simon Cowell’s show.

With over 25 million albums sold around the world to date, the 26-year-old Southerner is poised to become an even bigger force in music.

In the past year she’s teamed up with Reba McEntire; and the two songstresses cover Clarkson’s 2005 hit “Because Of You,” a song the Texan wrote at age 16.
“She’s half my age but we have a blast together,” says McEntire. “I love her music. It was so much fun to sing, and she loves to sing mine.”

The two are now touring the country with one of the most successful tours of 2008. The 2 Worlds 2 Voices tour has grossed over $6.75 million from the first 15 shows, and is expected to gross $18 million by the end of the year.

In an unprecedented format, both acts stay on stage for the entire concert – trading off lead and background vocals throughout the show. Both artists’ bands are combined to create one superstar band for the event.

Steve Moore, of MEG/AEG LIVE Nashville, promoted the tour. “We knew we had a special concept, and the fans obviously agreed,“ Moore says.

And Miss Independent has done quite well sans Reba. Clarkson’s solo No. 1 hits include “Since U Been Gone,” “A Moment Like This,” “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” and “Because of You.”

Her latest RCA Records album, My December, has already sold over two million records, and includes the songs “Never Again” and “One Minute.”

“The biggest difference is how intimate it is,” Clarkson says of the album, co-produced by David Kahne and touring band members Jimmy Messer and Jason Halbert. “Regardless of whether it’s a happy or sad song, the album’s very in-your-face.

“There was no filter...just four very different individuals who joined together to come up with a really cool record. There’s a little bit of something for everyone on this album.”

She either wrote or co-wrote every song on the album.

“The record is about me, why I make the decisions I do,” she says. “Most of my songs are about what’s happening in my life. For me, it’s like free therapy. Whether it’s me growing, or helping someone else get through similar circumstances.”
Clarkson fans can expect a new CD from her later this year. OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder is helping out on the production of this fourth project.

In the butterflies department, putting out a new album will be easy compared to what she did back on April 19. Clarkson participated in a Papal Youth Rally at the campus of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, in Yonkers, N.Y., during the 2008 U.S. Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI.

“I was so excited to be asked to sing for the Pope,” says Clarkson, raised Baptist. “It’s always been a dream of mine to perform ‘Ave Maria.’ To have that dream come true on such a special occasion is truly a blessing.”

And we are blessed to call Kelly Clarkson a Southern superstar.