Kellie Pickler, who turned 28 this weekend, draws her inspiration from country greats like Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. A recent report says the former American Idol contestant was shaped by these women in country music.

“She is one of the reasons I fell in love with country music,” Pickler says of Tammy Wynette. “I have sat on my bus and YouTubed videos of her singing. I just close my eyes and I feel like she’s right there with me, singing. I’m hanging on to every word. And I love that she just stood there and sang her songs.”

“We did a show a few years ago with Loretta Lynn in Canada … She stood there, behind that microphone, and just sang hit after hit, and everyone was hanging on every note, every lyric,” Kellie adds. “She didn’t need people swinging from the rafters to get their attention. She had the power of a great country song.”

I'm 28. #birthdaygirl 🙂 http://t.co/UBChKlztpx

— kellie pickler (@kelliepickler) June 29, 2014

Dolly Parton has long been an inspiration for Kellie Pickler and she got to meet her for the very first time just months after her elimination from American Idol. Dolly rounds out Kellie’s list of great country women, however she admits she gains inspiration from Hank Williams, too. She also cites the late Patsy Cline, fellow American Idol alumni Katharine McPhee and Mandisa, and her family as well. In fact she credits her family even more than these country legends.

“My husband Kyle changed my life,” she says. “He is my sanctuary and my safe place to come to. We write together and we work together some and he brings out the best in me … He makes me a better person and a better artist.”

Here’s an Instagram photo of Kellie and hubby Kyle Jacobs celebrating her birthday.

Kellie Pickler broke on to the music scene back in 2006 when she placed sixth on season 5 of American Idol. From there she signed a recording contract with 19 Recordings/BNA Records and the rest, as they say, is history.

Pickler has long been vocal about her faith, so it’s clear that although she cites these country greats as tops on her list of musical inspiration, and her family as even more important, everyone who knows anything about the country artist knows that she holds her Lord and savior highest of all. She has said many times that she’d be nowhere without her strong religious beliefs.

Image via Instagram