Daleville woman gets ‘cool’ phone call from music star

It’s not everyday that a person in southeast Alabama gets a personal phone call from a international recording star, but recently, it happened to a Daleville woman.

Cue McCollister said it was “very cool” to receive a phone call from Grammy Award winning singer Kelly Clarkson Wednesday, July 6.

“She had a contest where people could submit photos and stories about someone in your life that came in and picked you up ‘Piece By Piece’ for her new single by the same name,” explained McCollister. “She chose two winners—one happy ending and one not so happy (ending), like hers. She chose my story about my dad (not my biological father) as the happy ending story.

“This is what I submitted to her contest. This song so hit home with me! My dad was my hero in so many ways. He was the only dad I really ever knew and he did not have to be. When he married my mom I was part of the deal. He was my dad, my friend and the best pop-pop my kids could have had. He loved me and treated me as his own. Biology does not make a parent, the heart does.”

Even though McCollister knew the telephone call was coming, as it had previously been arranged by RCA Records, she said she had not prepared anything special to say or ask of the singer. Nor, she said, did she have any idea what Clarkson would ask her.

“I didn't ask her much. She asked me things and we chatted about kids, grandkids, family, her kids...15 minutes in all,” said McCollister. “She asked about my name, how I got the name Cue. She said it was RAD. She had never heard it before.” 

As for her name, McCollister explained that her mother had “wanted my initials to be NCB like my father and brother so she spelled Sue with a C and it became CUE.”

McCollister said Clarkson told her she didn’t sound old enough to have grandchildren and that the Daleville woman’s father sounded like a wonderful person.

“I told her about him and how he came in and filled a void in my life and eventually my children's lives,” explained McCollister. “I told her my mother and father divorced when I was six. She said so did hers. She told me she has four children total, her husband had two children when they married. She said she hopes she is as good a parent to them as my dad was to me. I told her I had no doubts that she is.”

A fan of Clarkson since the singer won the first season of American Idol in 2002, McCollister said her favorite Clarkson songs are “Piece by Piece” as well as “Because of You,” “Stronger” and “Wrapped in Red.”