So, which American Idol female country artist has more legitimate country music credentials? Is it Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina or Kellie Pickler? Well, up until the release of Pickler’s 100 Proof, it was a toss-up. However, this straight-up country record makes Pickler the purist winner, hands down.

Listening to the fiddles saw and the guitars twang during the honky-tonk spunk expressed on “Stop Cheatin’ on me” just does any country music loving heart good. You can make the case that Miranda Lambert arrived at the traditional country music outpost first. But to Pickler we say: better late than never. This may be her third release/try to get it right, but she succeeds with flying colors.

One of these 11 songs (all of them good, by the way) is called “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” which is a question many of us have been sadly mumbling for a long time. Our country gentlemen generally have a better record when it comes to keeping it country. Maybe this has something to do with a girl’s temptation to pretty up and act like a slick diva. Whatever the cause, Pickler bucks this gloss-over-greatness trend nicely with an album that is as sincere as it is traditional.

The ballad “The Letter (To Daddy)” speaks to a father that is forced to fight a demonic alcohol addiction. Pickler sings its words over nothing more than an acoustic guitar, which reveals true artistic bravery. Mom’s don’t come off looking much better, as “Mother’s Day,” speaks to a strained mother/daughter relationship.

In a few places, there are even slight bluegrass references, such as the banjo that colors “Little House on the Highway,” and the instrumental backing to the lyrically honky tonk “Unlock That Honky Tonk.” Speaking of memorable musical moments, “Long as I Never See You Again” features some good old fashioned country piano that is played kind of like the Silver Fox, Charlie Rich used to do it.

While Pickler name-drops the former Mrs. Jones with “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” she sings a song that wouldn’t sound out of place coming out of Wynette’s lips with “Stop Cheatin’ on Me.” In an instance of what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, Pickler warns, “Stop cheatin’ on me/Or I’ll start cheatin’ on you.”  

Let’s hope and pray 100 Proof is a smashing success because the country world needs more than just one Miranda Lambert.  What’s so wonderful about this CD is that Pickler isn’t merely paying homage to her country roots with a covers album. Instead, she’s singing new songs and proving that traditional country sounds can support truly relevant lyrics. Both “The Letter (To Daddy)” and “Mother’s Day” will resonate with anyone that was raised in a less than functional family, for example. In other words, these aren’t just old sounds, for old issues.

All the focused attention to traditional detail would be meaningless without fine singing, and Pickler handles all her vocals expertly. She never over-sings. Instead, she lets the beauty of the instrumentation and lyrics speak for themselves. Up until now, Pickler was little more than a perky, pretty singer with a country past. However, if 100 Proof is any indication of her musical future, Kellie Pickler is now an artistic force to be reckoned with.