Kelly Clarkson gears up for Miracle on Broadway Concert

During a time when many of Nashville's biggest stars are heading out of town for the holidays, Kelly Clarkson is pulling them in to the city's center for the first of what she hopes will be an annual holiday benefit concert.

Clarkson said the idea for the concert was born this fall during a rush-hour commute from her manager's office on Music Row to her home in Hendersonville. The concept started as a small show for fans, and by the time she saw her manager, Narvel Blackstock — who is also her father-in-law — that night, it had blossomed into an arena show complete with special guests.

"We were at dinner and I was like, 'OK, I'm thinking I want to do this show,' " she recalled. "He was like, 'That's amazing for next year.' I was like, 'Except we're going to do it this year.' And he was like, 'Interesting.' "

Clarkson said Blackstock and everyone else in her camp "waved a magic wand" to make it happen in her time frame.

Another benefit of the timing? Her first Christmastime benefit show also will fall on her 6-month-old daughter's first Christmas. River Rose was born in June.

"It'll be her first charity show," Clarkson quipped. "She won't remember it, but we'll take a picture."

The new mom said having a child opened her eyes to "wanting to give back," and she wants to share that with her daughter. It is important to both Clarkson and her husband, Brandon Blackstock, that their children are aware how fortunate they are.

"We grew up in a duplex and a trailer," Clarkson said of herself and her husband. "We grew up working really hard. We don't want to punish (our children) for being born into a family with money … but we want to make sure that they are a part of things like this from the get go. You can't grow up in your little world. There's a whole world out there, and there's people that are in need and to know how lucky she is …"

Clarkson paused as she teared up: "Seriously, it is like I'm pregnant again. I'm not. You talk about River and I just go mushy. I used to be more badass."

Clarkson's Miracle on Broadway Concert is 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bridgestone Arena. The show will feature Clarkson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Charles Esten, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves, Martina McBride and Paramore's Hayley Williams. Tickets are $26.04-$45.25 and are available through Ticketmaster.

Proceeds from the concert will go to benefit The Fruition Fund, which was established by Clarkson through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. From there, the money will be distributed to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Monroe Harding Children's Home, Second Harvest Food Bank and Thistle Farms.