Kellie Pickler has stayed largely out of the public eye in the three-plus years since her husband, Nashville hit songwriter Kyle Jacobs, died tragically.

However, her decision to return to the stage of American Idol, where she launched her career 20 years ago, has put her back in the spotlight.

Read on to discover what Kellie Pickler has been doing since her husband died in 2023.

Who Is Kellie Pickler?

Pickler first came to public attention when she competed on Season 5 of American Idol in 2006, placing sixth.

She released her debut country album, Small Town Girl, that same year, scoring Top 20 hits with “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.”

Her self-titled second album in 2008 spawned additional hits with “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” “Best Days of Your Life” and “Didn’t Know How Much I Loved You,” while “Makin’ Me Fall in Love Again” stalled at No. 30.

Pickler has gone on to a career that includes a reality television show following her life, a winning run on Dancing With the Stars, a talk show and more.

Who Was Kellie Pickler’s Husband?

Pickler’s husband, Kyle Jacobs, was a successful and well-respected songwriter and producer in Nashville.

He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in February of 2023. He was 49 years old.

Pickler declined to serve as administrator of his estate following his death, leaving his parents to serve as co-administrators.

Why Is There a Legal Battle Between Kellie Pickler + Her Late Husband’s Parents?

The trouble between Pickler and her former in-laws, Sharon and Reed Jacobs, has splashed across quite a few headlines over the course of the past year, as they have traded filings in an ongoing legal battle over his estate.

The first time the public knew anything was wrong was when Pickler filed suit against her late husband’s parents.

She alleged the couple had “entered [her] home and obtained items of personal property after [Kyle’s] death” without her permission.

The Jacobs went to court to demand that Pickler turn over items they claimed belong “indisputably to the estate,” including an extensive gun collection, a sword, expensive watches and guitars, baseball card albums, school awards, a viola and a grand piano, as well as Jacobs’ work laptop, iPhone and hard drives.

The couple asked a judge to find Pickler in contempt of court in March of 2025 for what they said was her refusal to comply with their previous subpoena for those items.

Pickler claimed she either did not have the items in question, or they belong to her.

Her lawyers asked for dismissal for the most recent motion, writing, “There is simply no basis to support a contempt petition.”

The Jacobs have also issued another subpoena to the funeral home that handled their son’s arrangements. They’re asking for information in regard to his cremation, any personal effects he had when he was delivered to the facility and the disposition of those effects.

What’s the Latest in Kellie Pickler’s Court Case With Her Late Husband’s Parents?

On Nov. 25, 2025, a Tennessee judge dismissed the subpoena against Pickler over her husband’s property, ruling that it was improperly submitted and therefore “void and unenforceable,” calling it “unusual on its face.”

What Is Kellie Pickler Doing Today?

Despite her ongoing personal drama, Pickler made an emotional return to the live stage during a show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on April 22, 2024.

Pickler will also return to the American Idol stage on Monday (May 4), as part of a special episode celebrating the show’s Class of 2006.