Keeping Up With Carrie

[clayistheway]

I watched Carrie singing the National Anthem at the All-Star Game.  She did a fantastic job and looked absolutely beautiful. 

[KSChristian4Clay]

Lynyrd Skynyrd on ABC special tonight
JOHN GEROME
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Back in the '70s, Lynyrd Skynyrd cranked up their arsenal of guitars for shows with the Who and the Rolling Stones. These days, the band is more likely to unleash their wall of sound for country crowds alongside Tim McGraw and Gretchen Wilson.

The Southern rock icons will perform on "CMA Music Festival: Country Music's Biggest Party," an ABC-TV special that airs Monday (9 p.m. Eastern).

The show also features Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Hank Williams Jr., Wynonna Judd and others.

The taped performances were culled from this year's Country Music Association festival in June, which drew 161,000 fans over four days.

Johnny Van Zant, who joined Skynyrd as lead singer after his brother, Ronnie, was killed in a plane crash in 1977, said the band fit right in.

"What country music is these days is pretty much what Lynyrd Skynyrd has been for the last 30 years," he said. "We've done shows with Tim McGraw, Hank Williams Jr., Montgomery Gentry, Shooter Jennings. We just got off the road with Gretchen Wilson."

It's not like the Skynyrd of old was averse to country music. They covered Merle Haggard's "Honkytonk Night Time Man" on their 1977 album "Street Survivors," and their classic hit "Sweet Home Alabama" wouldn't be nearly so sweet without the down-home banjo roll.

But the line between country and rock was more pronounced then.

"It would have been unheard of," Van Zant said of the CMA performance. "It's cool for artists to do that these days, but back then it wasn't cool."

Today, he said the crowds are as enthusiastic when Skynyrd shares the stage with Wilson as with rockers 3 Doors Down.

And the catcalls for "Freebird" just as loud.

Kansas City Star

[KSChristian4Clay]

'Idol' win keeps Underwood on the go
By BRAD SCHMITT
The (Nashville) Tennessean

08/11/2006

Less than two years ago, Carrie Underwood, a young shy Oklahoma blonde, took her first flight, a trip to Hollywood to audition for "American Idol."

This spring Underwood flew three times in seven days, executing a superstar itinerary: to Las Vegas for the Academy of Country Music awards show, where she sang and won two awards; to Los Angeles to sing on the 2006 "American Idol" finale in front of a TV audience of 40 million; and to Nashville to get ready for her summer tour.

Underwood won "American Idol" one year ago and since has sold more than 3 million albums on the power of a No. 1 single; she has won Billboard, Dove and ACM awards.

Now that she's country's "It" girl, she draws a crowd virtually everywhere she goes ... even when she stays in. Underwood reports that several little girls occasionally ring the doorbell at her home.

"It's all great," she says, smiling. "I'd much rather people be excited and pay attention and stuff like that than not know who I am or what I do. So it's all good. But you've got to keep that in mind all the time."

Underwood, 23, says it's still hard to get used to so much attention because she had such a humble, quiet life before "American Idol."

She was the third daughter of a paper mill worker and an elementary school teacher in Checotah, Okla., just next to a town Merle Haggard made famous in "Okie From Muskogee."

Underwood started singing as a little girl in vacation Bible school in what she describes as a "real conservative, quiet church, where you'd listen a lot, sing a hymn and leave."

Underwood's only childhood conflict, as it were, would come from an occasional run-in with her mom at school when Mrs. Underwood was the substitute teacher for her class.

"I stuck my tongue out behind her back once," Underwood says. "I got told on."

Music became fun for her when she was cast as Mother Nature singing to the animals in a fourth-grade production. From there, Underwood began singing in talent contests locally and regionally, and at age 15 found herself with an artist development deal at Capitol Records, then home to Garth Brooks. But the deal quickly went away when there was a change at the helm of Capitol, and Underwood went back to Oklahoma. "Dream shattered," she says, then turned more pensive. "I wasn't ready anyway."

Underwood enrolled at nearby Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., where she studied broadcast journalism and became part of a country music review show.

In fall 2004, her friends encouraged her to go to the "American Idol" auditions, and her mom drove her and a friend to St. Louis.

Her adorable girl-next-door looks and kind disposition made her a natural for country music, but she stumbled a bit at first. Her first single, "Inside Your Heaven," released immediately after her May 25, 2005, win, reached No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, but got little country radio play.

Just a few months later, though, Underwood exploded at country radio with "Jesus, Take the Wheel," No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for six straight weeks and R and R's country airplay chart for five straight weeks. Underwood set a record for most weeks at No. 1 for a single from a new artist's debut album since those records were first kept in 1990.

Sometimes, the "American Idol" connection can be a bit much, as it was when she was having lunch with her manager on Mother's Day.

"We were in some kind of deli and this woman comes up to me and says, 'My son and I were having a debate.' I figured right then she knew who I was and she was going to ask me for an autograph, so I had this big stupid grin on my face," Underwood said. "And then she said, 'Are you (fifth season Southern "Idol" contestant) Kellie Pickler?' And I said, 'What? Noooooo.' She was like, "You're not?' and she really wouldn't believe me at all.

"And I said, 'Ma'am, it's Mother's Day, and I promise to you on my mother that I'm not Kellie Pickler.' And I still don't think she believed me. That was a first."

Underwood laughs it off.

"If they think I'm Kellie, and they're happy about it, that's fine, I guess."

Deleware Online

[KSChristian4Clay]

Idol winner Carrie Underwood packs plenty of surprises at Musikfest
By Keith Groller Of The Morning Call

In an interview before her concert Saturday night at Musikfest's RiverPlace, Carrie Underwood promised a few surprises.

Turns out, she wasn't kidding.

Who would have thought that the country-girl sweetheart would wow the sellout crowd of over 6,500 with near-perfect versions of Guns N' Roses' "Patience" and "Sweet Child O' Mine?"

Underwood, the 23-year-old winner of "American Idol 4," said she would perform some cover songs to go with songs such from her own chart-topping, debut album, "Some Hearts."

But the audience, ranging from grandmothers to grade-schoolers, probably expected classics from the playlists of Martina McBride or Reba McEntire.

Imagine their surprise when they heard Axl Rose.

Underwood looked like a Nashville princess with a white tank-top and pink skirt complemented by cowboy boots. Several songs, however, were more much Pat Benatar than Pat Boone.

The entire 16-song, 70-minute performance was louder and edgier than songs like her platinum-selling country hit "Jesus Take The Wheel."

No one seemed to mind.

That's because not only did Underwood attempt to bust loose from the sappy-sweet country mold, but she did it remarkably well, showcasing the vocal power and gusto of the first "American Idol" winner, Kelly Clarkson.

She delivered the country goods as well, flawlessly hitting "Don't Forget To Remember Me" during an acoustic section, in which she played guitar, and mixed in a shortened version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene."

However, Underwood, who seems to rank highly as both a role-model for young females and as a sex symbol for young males, is far from a polished performer.

Some may find her uneasiness on stage to be part of her charm, but more pizzazz would be nice. Her idea of between-song entertainment was to sip water, chuckle about the bugs hitting her face and to thank everyone -- over and over again -- for coming out.

Those looking for jokes, comments about "how wonderful it is to be Pennsylvania" or other schtick were out of luck. There's an innocence and sincerity about Underwood that has yet to be tarnished by big-time success. As the Oklahoma native said, "Just a year and a half ago, I was just a typical college student." Her diploma may have arrived in the mail on Saturday, but she's still got that school-girl naivete.

Tandem, a Pennsylvania-based country band that primarily did covers of Big & Rich, Montgomery Gentry, Hank Williams, Jr., among others, slowly warmed up the crowd with a 13-song, 55-minute set that deserved a better response than it received.

mcall

[Ilovetowrite]

Carrie is on the cover of teen people this week.

[Clayhottiefan007]

BEFORE HE CHEATS VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://www.cmt.com/loaded/index.jhtml?vid=106496

its a AWESOME video!!!!
love ya
Kat

[aikenseeker]

Carrie Underwood joins literacy campaign

By The Associated Press
Mon Oct 2, 2:29 PM ET
 


OKLAHOMA CITY - "American Idol" Carrie Underwood is the latest celebrity to appear on a poster for the Oklahoma Library Association's "Read Y'all" literacy campaign.
Posters featuring the country singer from Checotah will be distributed free to every academic, public, school and special library in the state, said Buffy Edwards, poster coordinator for the campaign.

Other Oklahomans to appear on the posters include country star        Toby Keith, actress and singer        Kristin Chenoweth, actor        James Garner, author Dana Dunbar and New Orleans Hornets star Desmond Mason.

Gov. Brad Henry and first lady Kim Henry were featured on the first poster in 2003.

"I think Carrie Underwood just represents Oklahoma in such a positive manner," Edwards said. "She's grounded in her upbringing. She's proud of her state. She appeals to a very wide age range.

"I think America fell in love with Carrie Underwood on 'American Idol,' and we're very lucky she's from our state."

___

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061002/ap_en_tv/people_carrie_underwood_4

[Prissy]

Hello!

I have always liked Carrie and picked her from the start as the AI winner that season.  It's good to see she is having lots of success and still staying grounded.  I would go see her in concert if she comes my way on a tour.

Prissy

[Prissy]

Carrie was on the cover of the Parade Magazine in this past Sunday's newspaper with a featured article about her!  Way to go, Carrie!!

Prissy

[clayistheway]

Congratulations to Carrie for her recent win for "Best Female Vocalist" at the CMA's.  Not only was her acceptance speech genuine and refreshing, she looked simply beautiful.   She also won the CMA's  "New Horizon" award.  I think that's what it's called.  Congratulations, Carrie.

[aikenseeker]

Wed. November 08.2006 6:12 PM EST
Carrie Underwood Anticipates 2007 Album

Carrie Underwood is planning to release a new album next year, she told reporters backstage at the CMA Awards on Monday night (Nov. 6) in Nashville. Asked about her plans for 2007, Underwood replied, "I guess I'd say making a new album and getting back out there. Hopefully, it will do half as well as this one has, and people will respond to it and be equally as happy to go out and see a concert. ... It's kind of a blank slate right now. There are definitely a lot of things in the works, and one of them is definitely a new album." Underwood won the Horizon Award and female vocalist honors at the ceremony.

http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1545290/11082006/underwood__carrie.jhtml

[aikenseeker]

Wed. November 08.2006 6:12 PM EST
Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood Vie for People's Choice Award

Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood have both been nominated for favorite female singer in the People's Choice Awards to be held Jan. 9 in Hollywood. They are joined in the category by pop singer Shakira. Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith will compete for favorite male singer among all genres. Favorite country song contenders are Underwood's "Before He Cheats," Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most" and Tim McGraw's "When the Stars Go Blue." The special will air on CBS.

http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1545285/11082006/hill_faith.jhtml

[aikenseeker]

[qutoe]Posted on Sat, Nov. 11, 2006There’s something about Carrie
“American Idol” champ Carrie Underwood is this year’s CMA female vocalist of the year. She also won the Horizon Award for most-promising newcomer. Her potential seems endless.

Here are five things from Thursday night’s performance at the Colonial Center that might mean Underwood is here to stay.

1. She already is opening for a major headliner. The top spot is one more hit album away.

2. She’s good looking. No matter what country stands for, good looks — in Underwood’s case, great looks — matter. And she knows how to dress.

3. Fans still treat her like she’s on “American Idol, the most- watched TV show in the country. Her Sigma Sigma Sigma sisters were among those in the audience who held up “We Love You” signs.

4. Country fans are loyal, and as long as Underwood remains faithful, they will too.

5. She has an enchanting voice that has strength and vigor. It will take her a long way.

— Otis R. Taylor Jr.

[/quote]

http://origin.thestate.com/mld/thestate/living/15982716.htm?source=rss&channel=thestate_living

[Clayhottiefan007]

Anyone see the halftime show last night she rocked out!!!
she came to Oklahoma on Sunday and my cousin and her lil daughter,Abby, went to it and they said it was awesome!

shes been here twice and i still havent got to see her..oh well maybe next time!
love
Kat

[clayistheway]

Yes, I saw the half-time show with Carrie.   She was very good and dressed very "cool".  I thought it was a great performance.

[aikenseeker]

Carrie Underwood's Diamond Dress to Be Auctioned
NEW YORK, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrie Underwood's one-of-a kind Kwiat Diamond Dress, worn during this year's Country Music Association Awards on November 6th, will go up for auction online today at www.gottahaveit.com. This work of art was a collaborative effort by Kwiat Diamonds and fashion designer David Rodriguez and was worn by Underwood on the red carpet, as well as when she accepted two of the nights highest honors -- Female Vocalist of the Year and The Horizon Award for best new artist.

Valued at approximately $850,000, the dress has nearly 800 Kwiat diamonds with over 108 carats on the straps of the gown's dress alone. The dress is made of platinum grey Chantilly lace lined in silk charmeuse. The flounce is a sunburst pleat of silk organza.

The most affordable look that the special edition put together belongs to a fairly new starlet, Ellen Pompeo.

A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the dress will go to Underwood's charity of choice, The Humane Society of the United States for their Rural Area Veterinary Services Program, and Kwiat's charity of choice, The Make-A-Wish Foundation(R).

The auction will begin at 8:00am EST on Wednesday, November 29th and will end on Wednesday, December 6th. Visit www.gottahaveit.com for more information.

Since her debut onto the country music scene at last year's CMA Awards, Underwood's album SOME HEARTS has sold over 4 million copies and placed 3 singles in the #1 chart position, including current song "Before He Cheats."
 


And as of this week, SOME HEARTS has sold more than any album currently on the 75-position Billboard Top Country Albums sales chart.

 

Copyright 2006 by NBC. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah2875.shtml

[aikenseeker]

December 05, 2006

2006 Billboard Music Awards - Carrie Underwood Wins Five

American Idol 4 Winner Carrie Underwood cleaned up at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.  Carrie Underwood won a total of five awards: Album of the Year for “Some Hearts,” Country Album of the Year for "Some Hearts," Female Billboard 200 Album Artist of the Year, Female Country Artist of the Year, and New Country Artist of the Year.
American Idol 4 Winner Carrie Underwood cleaned up at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.  Carrie Underwood won a total of five awards: Album of the Year for “Some Hearts,” Country Album of the Year for "Some Hearts," Female Billboard 200 Album Artist of the Year, Female Country Artist of the Year, and New Country Artist of the Year.

http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2006/12/2006_billboard_.html

[clayistheway]

Carrie Underwood Heading to Persian Gulf
Dec 12, 10:05 AM EST


The Associated Press

Country music star Carrie Underwood has signed up to entertain troops on her first United Service Organizations tour of the Persian Gulf.

Underwood, the 2005 "American Idol" winner who was recently named CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and nominated for two Grammy Awards, will perform for and meet with service members on the tour.

Exact dates and locations of her shows in the gulf region were not made public by the USO.

"There are no details and no dates for safety and security reasons," publicist Jessie Schmidt of Nashville, Tenn., said Monday.

"They never release exactly where the tours are happening, or exactly when they're happening. All I can share is that it is sometime before too long from now. But I don't even know the exact locations that she's going in the Persian Gulf," Schmidt said.

Schmidt said USO officials approached Underwood, originally of Checotah, Okla., about touring the Persian Gulf region several months ago and plans have been in place "for quite some time."

"She is completely excited about it," Schmidt said. "She does have some band members that are able to go with her over there, so they're just all really jazzed.

"When she does return from the tour we can say that she's just come back, and hopefully we'll have some photos that they'll service to the press from over there as well," Schmidt said.

Underwood also was seen Monday on a segment of the Oprah Winfrey Show taped last week, performing her hit song, "Jesus Take the Wheel," and joining fellow guests Tony Bennett, Josh Groban and Michael Buble for a rendition of Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life."


http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=244672&GT1=7702

[aikenseeker]

Underwood Tops Chart With Big Christmas Sales
"Some Hearts" scores big

By Neil Haislop.

NASHVILLE, TN Friday Jan.5.2007 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- During the last week of Christmas sales CARRIE UNDERWOOD's album Some Hearts was the most popular country album by far selling nearly 300,000 copies(292,246), compared to the great sales of the closest competition, Rascal Flatts' Me and My Gang, that sold 217,912 copies.

Collectively during the Christmas week sales, the top five albums (including Keith Urban's Love Pain & the whole crazy thing, Sugarland's Enjoy the Ride and George Strait's It Just Comes Natural) sold 895,928 CDs.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD's Some Hearts, also closes the year still at #1 with 65,889 scans as.... RASCAL FLATTS remains at #2 with 57,651 scans while... KEITH URBAN'S Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing marks time at #3 with sales of 42,249 copies and... RODNEY ATKINS If You're Going Through Hell moves up to #4 with scans of 87,663 as... SUGARLAND's ENJOY THE RIDE rounds out the top five at #5 scanning 28,537 units.

http://www.netmusiccountdown.com/inc/news_article.php?id=11812

[aikenseeker]

Carrie Underwood Launces Fan Club Site
Design boutique develops website for singer

By Neil Haislop

NASHVILLE, TN Monday Jan.8.2007 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- Carrie has launched her official fan club site. Sparkart, a high-tech creative design boutique catering to high-profile entertainers, has developed a sophisticated online fan website for Carrie Underwood.

The fan club site includes a general segment when fans log-in which displays news, photos, events and announcements.

From there, users can register or log-in to the official Carrie Underwood Fan Club, which displays blogs from Carrie and other exclusive content, message boards, chat, information regarding concert ticket pre-sales and meet & greets, and a variety of private online activities and information for fan club members only.

http://www.netmusiccountdown.com/inc/news_article.php?id=11825