Kellie Pickler returns to ‘American Idol’ stage 3 years after husband’s shocking death

Kellie Pickler made a rare return to “American Idol” three years after her husband, Kyle Jacobs, died by suicide in 2023.

On Monday night, the “Red High Heels” singer took the stage to duet with Hannah Harper, who is in the Top 5 of this season’s competition series.

The women sang Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing” for the 20th reunion of the 2006 cast, in which Pickler originally competed.

“I’m an antique ‘Idol’ dustin’ off,” Pickler said after the performance, telling Harper, “Being able to share the stage with you has been such a blessing.”

The judges were wowed by their performance, with Lionel Richie telling the ladies, “All I can say is, the perfect voice blend and complement. The two of you make one dynamic performance. Incredible.”

Pickler, 39, has been living a low-key life since Jacobs died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside their Nashville home in February 2023. He was 49.

A day before the songwriter took his own life, he commemorated the success of country music star Lee Brice’s fifth album, “Hey World,” which went platinum. Jacobs had produced the project.

“Platinum?! SWEEEET!!! An amazing crew of incredibly talented peeps put this one together,” the songwriter captioned the post on Thursday, one day before he died by apparent suicide.

Pickler and Jacobs tied the knot in 2011 and did not share any children.

The couple starred in their own CMT reality show, “I Love Kellie Pickler,” for three seasons from 2015 to 2017.

Pickler’s last public performance was during a Patsy Cline tribute in 2024.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.