While Carrie Underwood was winning awards last night, Kellie Pickler was fighting back tears.

The American Idol finalist broke down crying during the CMA while performing "I Wonder," a song about her estranged mother, who abandoned her when she was a toddler.

"Oh, I hear the weather's nice in California," Pickler sang at the end of the song, as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. "And just in case you're wondering about me/ From now on I won't be in Carolina/ Your little girl is off to Tennessee."

Pickler's mother, Cynthia Malone, has said that she was forced to leave her child because of an abusive relationship with her then-husband.

Kellie struggled to finish the song and spoke the final word, "Tennessee," as the Nashville crowd rose in applause to support her.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1XdZtYG1ms&eurl=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/index.html[/youtube]

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.