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Carrie Underwood

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer that rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol. She has become a multi-platinum selling recording artist. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum and is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history.[1] Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the country charts in the United States and Canada: "Jesus, Take the Wheel","Wasted," and her biggest hit to date, "Before He Cheats". Additionally "Don't Forget to Remember Me" topped the charts in Canada. Underwood scored another Top 10 Billboard hit with her charity single, "I'll Stand by You". Some Hearts sold a total of 7 million RIAA-certified copies as of February 2008. In addition to being the best selling album by an American Idol contestant in the United States to date, it is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.[2]

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold about 3 million copies[3] and has produced three number one country hits, "So Small", "All-American Girl", and "Last Name". Underwood's Christmas single, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts.

Aside from her vocals, Underwood's success is attributed to what many fans recognize as her wholesome image.[4] In general, many of her songs also present inspirational and uplifting themes and messages.[5] To date, Underwood has sold over 12 million records worldwide. Underwood was recently featured during the seventh season of American Idol.

She is the first country artist in music history to have her first seven singles top the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[citation needed]

Early life

Carrie Marie Underwood was born to Stephen and Carolyn Underwood in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and was raised on her parents' farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma. She has two older sisters, Shanna Underwood Means (born 1970) and Stephanie Underwood Shelton (born 1973). Underwood had performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show in her childhood. As a young child, she sang in church, and for Old Settler's Day and Lion's Club, local events in Checotah.

Underwood graduated from Checotah High School in 2001 as salutatorian.[citation needed] After high school, she attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. She graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and an emphasis in journalism.[6] Underwood is a member of the Alpha Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.[7] For two years during the summer, she performed in Northeastern's Downtown Country show in Tahlequah. She also competed in numerous beauty pageants at the university and was selected as Miss NSU runner-up in 2004.[8]

American Idol

Main article: American Idol (season 4)

In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis. During the top eleven finalists' performance on the March 22, 2005 Idol episode, Underwood sang a rendition of the number one 80's rock hit "Alone" by Heart and judge Simon Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but would outsell all previous Idol winners.[9] Underwood was the second winner never to have been voted in the bottom three (the first being Kelly Clarkson); one of the show's producers later said that Underwood dominated the voting, winning each week handily.[10] While on the show, Underwood gained a loyal fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears". Coincidentally, she was in the same sorority (Sigma Sigma Sigma) as Linda Denham, the creator of the original Care Bears franchise.

On May 25, 2005, Underwood was crowned the winner of the fourth season of American Idol.

Underwood appeared on the sixth season of American Idol, with her newly found boyfriend Gerry Vogel. She sang her single "Wasted" on March 8. This was her fourth time performing on the show since winning the competition in 2005.[11] Underwood also performed at the Idol Gives Back concert singing her new song, "I'll Stand By You", (a cover of the Pretenders hit) along with Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, and others. Underwood sang the same song at American Idol's season finale on May 23, 2007. Underwood sang "Praying For Time", a former number one for George Michael, at the 2008 American Idol Gives Back mini-marathon. She also came back to perform "Last Name" on May 21, 2008 for the American Idol (season 7) Finale.

American Idol songs

Week Song Original Artist Result
Semi-Finals 1 "Could've Been" Tiffany Safe
Semi-Finals 2 "Piece of My Heart" Janis Joplin Safe
Semi-Finals 3 "Because You Love Me" Jo Dee Messina Safe
Top 12 "When Will I Be Loved" The Everly Brothers Safe
Top 11 "Alone" Heart Safe
Top 10 "Independence Day" Martina McBride Safe
Top 9 "Hello Young Lovers" Deborah Kerr Safe
Top 8 "Love Is a Battlefield" Pat Benatar Safe
Top 7 "MacArthur Park" Donna Summer Safe
Top 6 "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues" Martina McBride Safe
Top 5 "Trouble"
"Bless the Broken Road" 		Elvis Presley
Rascal Flatts 		Safe
Top 4 "If You Don't Know Me By Now"
"Sin Wagon" 		Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Dixie Chicks 		Safe
Top 3 "Crying"
"Making Love out of Nothing at All"
"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" 		Roy Orbison
Air Supply
Shania Twain 		Safe
Top 2 "Inside Your Heaven"
"Independence Day"
"Angels Brought Me Here" 		Carrie Underwood/ Bo Bice
Martina McBride
Guy Sebastian 		Safe
Finale "Inside Your Heaven" Carrie Underwood/ Bo Bice Winner

2005-2007: Some Hearts

Underwood's debut album, entitled Some Hearts, was released to store shelves on November 15, 2005, entering the Billboard 200 chart with 315,000 copies sold. The large first week sales of Some Hearts made it #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the biggest debut of any country artist since the advent of the SoundScan system in 1991. Some Hearts has since been certified septuple Platinum by the RIAA, and is the fastest-selling debut country album in the history of the SoundScan era.[12]

The album's second single, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was released to radio on October 18, 2005. It received so much airplay that it debuted at #39 on the Billboard Country Chart in its first week. It eventually reached #1 for six consecutive weeks, two weeks shy of Connie Smith's record for a solo female performer, set in 1964-1965 when "Once a Day" topped the chart for eight weeks. The songwriters of Jesus, Take the Wheel, Gordie Sampson, Brett James and Hillary Lindsey, were awarded the 2006 Grammy award for Country Song of the Year.

Underwood's third single, "Some Hearts", was only released to Pop, Adult Contemporary and Hot Adult Contemporary stations in October 2005 and peaked in the top 25 on the Hot AC format, while it made the top 15 on the AC Charts. "Don't Forget to Remember Me", the second of Underwood's singles to be released to country radio, her fourth single overall, peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Chart, as well as #49 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it did reach #1 for a week on the Radio & Records Country Singles Chart.

Both "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Don't Forget to Remember Me" have earned number one spots in Christian radio countdowns. "Jesus, Take the Wheel" won the Gospel Music Association's award for best country single of the year.

Underwood performed "Jesus, Take the Wheel" on May 23, 2006, and received a standing ovation at the ACM Awards. She ended up winning Best New Female Vocalist and Single of the year for the song. She was also nominated for Song of the Year and Female Vocalist of the year, but did not win.

Later that autumn, Underwood's third country single, "Before He Cheats", hit number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, staying there for 5 consecutive weeks, marking Underwood's third country number one hit and her fourth number one hit all together. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, achieving the slowest climb ever to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record that was previously held by Creed from July 2000. After a year of release, the single still remains in the Billboard charts.

To promote "Before He Cheats", Underwood performed it at the 40th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 6, 2006, and later won both the Horizon Award for new country artists and Female Vocalist. Underwood's double win is the first time since 1995 that an artist won both the female vocalist and Horizon award.

On November 21, 2006, Underwood went into the American Music Awards with 2 nominations, that night she left the building winning the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award. She was also nominated for Best Female Country Artist, but did not win in that category. She also attended the "2006 Billboard Music Awards" On December 4, 2006, and took home 5 awards. She won the coveted Album of the Year, Top 200 Female Artist of the Year, Female Country Artist, New Country Artist, and Country Album of the Year.

Underwood was nominated for five Academy of Country Music awards in 2007. She was nominated for Best Female Vocalist, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Album of the Year and Single Record of the Year. She won three of her nominated categories; Album of the Year, Video of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year.

On April 11, 2007, Underwood continued her success of top 2 Country singles with the release of "Wasted". The song peaked at number 1 on the Hot Country Songs Chart, and number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for Wasted debuted at number 2 on the GACTV Top 20 Countdown.

At the 2007 CMT Awards in Nashville, Tennessee on April 16, Underwood was nominated for three awards, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, and Video Director of the Year, all for "Before He Cheats." She won in all of the three categories. She also performed there, singing "Before He Cheats".

In early April, Underwood took a break from working on her second album to take a trip to South Africa for American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" charity special. A music video package from her trip aired on the show April 25. Underwood recorded an acoustic version of The Pretenders' classic "I'll Stand By You," which served as the music bed for this American Idol video package. The charity single of the song released exclusively on iTunes reached the #2 spot.

Underwood also appeared in Brad Paisley's latest album, 5th Gear, on a song entitled "Oh Love" (co-written by Gordie Sampson, Hillary Lindsey and Aimee Mayo. Aside from those activities, she also performed "Before He Cheats" and "Wasted" at the CMA Music Festival.

2007-present: Carnival Ride

Underwood's second album, Carnival Ride,[13] was released on October 23, 2007.[14] "So Small", the first single from the album, was released on July 31.[15] On Carnival Ride, Underwood was more involved in the songwriting process than on the debut; she set up a writers retreat at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium to collaborate with such Music Row tunesmiths as Hillary Lindsey, Craig Wiseman, Rivers Rutherford, Tom Wehrle and Gordie Sampson.[16]

Carnival Ride was certified double platinum as of December 14, 2007.[17]

Underwood appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Enchanted, performing a song entitled "Ever Ever After". In the music video for the song she appears as both animated and live action, much like the characters in the movie. She appeared on Christmas at Rockefeller Center on November 28, 2007. She also appeared on the holiday CD Hear Something Country Christmas 2007 that featured many other country artists, with a rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear?. Since then, the song has reached #2 on the AC Chart, and held it for 3 consecutive weeks, making her best AC hit to date.[18]

Underwood was named as Billboard's best country artist of the Billboard year 2007,[19] and in December 2007 over 1,000,000 People magazine readers named "Before He Cheats" as the song of the year.

Underwood performed "Flat on the Floor", "All-American Girl", and "Before He Cheats" on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2008.[20]All American Girl her second single also reached number 1 on the Billboard country charts.

In January 2008, Underwood embarked on a joint tour with Keith Urban named the Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour, with dates fixed nationwide to continue through April.[21]

On March 15, 2008, during a performance at the Grand Ole Opry House, Underwood was invited by Randy Travis, who snuck up on her as she was finishing her her version of Travis' song "I Told You So", to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. [22] She was inducted by Garth Brooks during the May 10, 2008 edition of the Opry at the Grand Ole Opry House.

On April 9, 2008, Underwood went on to perform a rendition of George Michael's "Praying for Time" on Idol Gives Back. The charity single of the song released exclusively on iTunes reached the #3 spot in less than 24 hours of its release.

On May 19, 2008, Underwood opened the 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards with her new hit "Last Name" and later went on to win top Female Vocalist for the second consecutive year. On May 21, she performed "Last Name" again on the Seventh Season Finale of American Idol with a more powerful vocal ending. The single later reached #1 on the Hot Country Song chart, making the third single to reach #1 from "Carnival Ride", her sixth #1 and her fifth consecutive #1 on the Hot Country Chart.

Grammy Awards

On December 7, 2006, Underwood's album Some Hearts received four Grammy nominations. Underwood received two Grammy awards for "Best New Artist" and "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" while "Jesus, Take the Wheel" won "Best Country Song" for the songwriters Gordie Sampson, Brett James and Hillary Lindsey, and received a nomination for "Song of the Year".

Underwood's nomination marked the first time that an American Idol winner or contestant had been nominated in the "Best New Artist" category. The award ceremony was held on February 11, 2007 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. She also sang alongside Grammy nominees Rascal Flatts.

On the same occasion, she also sang her cover of "Desperado" to honour Don Henley of The Eagles as her solo act.

On March 24, 2007, Underwood was featured as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live with host Peyton Manning. Underwood performed her hit singles "Before He Cheats" and "Wasted". She appeared on SNL once again on February 23, 2008, where she sang "All-American Girl" and "Flat On The Floor". She became only the eleventh country music star to perform on the show.

On February 10, 2008, Underwood was nominated for a combined total of four (4) Grammys including Song of the Year for "Before He Cheats". She won one Grammy Award that night, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and her song won for Best Country Song both for her hit, "Before He Cheats". Underwood also performed "Before He Cheats" on the Grammy Awards, with a more powerful vocal ending.

Personal interests

Underwood receiving a gift from the 25th Infantry Division (Task Force Lightning) after performing in Tikrit, Iraq in December 2006.

At her American Idol audition, Underwood revealed to the judges that her favorite singer is contemporary country recording artist Martina McBride. Throughout her time on American Idol, home videos were shown in which she sang "Independence Day", one of McBride's best known songs. Underwood also released her version of "Independence Day" as the B-side to her first #1 single, "Inside Your Heaven".

In addition to being a singer, Underwood is also a skilled guitar player, and has accompanied herself on guitar during performances of certain songs like "Don't Forget to Remember Me" and "Inside Your Heaven" during some of her live concerts, as well as on the albums. She uses a McPherson guitar, with an off-set sound hole.

Underwood is a vegetarian and stopped consuming meat at the age of 13 as she couldn't stand the thought of eating one of her own animals. She was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA[23] in 2007 for the second time, the first being in 2005 alongside Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. In a 2007 interview with Peta, Underwood stated, "Ever since I was little I loved animals... If you told me I could never sing again, I'd say that was horrible, but it's not my life. If you told me I could never be around animals again, I would just die."[24]

Underwood is a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and has done several public service announcements for the organization.[25]

A native of eastern Oklahoma, she co-wrote a song dedicated to her hometown, "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore". In December 2005, Underwood was named Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Today.[26]

Underwood performed with the USO Christmas Tour in Iraq during the 2006 Holiday season, to spread holiday cheer to the troops overseas.[27] She follows a celebrity entertainment tradition started by Bob Hope that continues to this day. Several Internet sites have photos and video clips of Underwood's performances in Iraq, including photos of Underwood in military garb.[28]

Victoria's Secret named Underwood the "Sexiest Female Musician". She took the top honors along with Justin Timberlake, who was named the "Sexiest Male Musician". She was also placed on the 2007 and 2008 list of the "Most Beautiful People" by People. Most recently, Underwood was honored as one of three of the most influential entertainers in America at this point in time and was named sexiest female country artist by Country Weekly.

Personal life

Underwood performed at halftime of the 2006 Thanksgiving Day football game at Texas Stadium in Irving, TX and was friends with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.[29] She attended his birthday party in April 2007, and on May 15, 2007, he escorted her to the Academy of Country Music Awards.[30]

Since August 2007, she had been dating Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl fame. On October 4, 2007, People magazine reported that the two were seen holding hands in New York City.[31] Though according to recent reports,[32] the two have recently broken up for good.

Discography

Main article: Carrie Underwood discography

Concert tours

Awards

Further information: List of Carrie Underwood awards

Notes

  1. ^ "Chart success continues for Carrie Underwood". Country Standard Time News. 2006-02-15. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ News : Headlines : Carrie Underwood Sets Sales Record : Great American Country
  3. ^ Hasty, Katie (2007-10-31). "Underwood Leads Three Country Debuts Onto Chart". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  4. ^ Karger, Dave. "The Confessions of Carrie Underwood". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  5. ^ "Carrie Underwood still shocked by success". The Associated Press. 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2007-12-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Country singer Carrie Underwood graduates". The Associated Press. 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Shining Sigmas".
  8. ^ "It's My Life". PBS Kids. Retrieved 2007-08-06. I was also a hospice volunteer and I got that through the sorority. You go and take care of people that are really sick. They don't want to be in the hospital anymore. It's just kind of about making them comfortable.
  9. ^ "Carrie Underwood Is America's 'Idol'". Fox News. 2005-05-26. Retrieved 2007-12-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Edward Wyatt (2008-05-24). "'Idol' Tries to Keep Viewers Guessing". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  11. ^ "American Idol Calls McBride, Underwood, Pickler". CMT. 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Carrie Underwood's Album Is Quintuple Platinum". CMT. 2007-01-10. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Arista Nashville". Retrieved 2007-08-30.
  14. ^ "Carrie Underwood plans fall CD release". MSNBC. 2007-07-17. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Carrie Underwood's New Single Arrives". CMT. 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Country star Underwood enjoys fast-moving 'Ride'". AOL Music Canada It has moved over 527,000 copies in its first week, becoming Underwood's first #1 reaching album. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  17. ^ "Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride Certified Double Platinum, as 2007 Marks Another Milestone Year!" (Press release). Arista Nashville. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-16. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Breaking Music News - Music Business Information - Music Industry Sales
  19. ^ "The Year In Charts 2007: An Early Peek".
  20. ^ Carrie Underwood CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO PERFORM LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE ON “ D. CLARK'S NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE 2008,” DEC, 31ST ON ABC The Official Carrie Underwood Site
  21. ^ Official Ticketmaster site. Carrie Underwood tickets, concerts and tour dates
  22. ^ Carrie Underwood Invited to Join Grand Ole Opry
  23. ^ "Past 'Sexiest Vegetarian Alive' Winners". PETA. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  24. ^ "Carrie Underwood: A Vegetarian Success Story". People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  25. ^ "Star Power: Hollywood's Response to Help Pets Hurt by Katrina". The Humane Society of the United States. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  26. ^ "'Idol 4' winner Carrie Underwood named Oklahoman of the Year". UPI. 2005-12-26. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Carrie Underwood Visits Troops in the Persian Gulf". USO. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  28. ^ Perry, Dustin (2006-12-18). "Country Music Star Carrie Underwood Performs at LSA Adder". GX: The Guard Experience. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Lone Star Fun". People. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "Carrie Underwood, Tony Romo Hit the Red Carpet". ExtraTV. 2007-05-16. Retrieved 2007-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Carrie Underwood on Chace Crawford: 'He's Really Cute' - Caught in the Act, Carrie Underwood : People.com
  32. ^ Carrie and Chace Are Dunzo! : Hollyscoop.com

References

  • Tracey, Kathleen. Carrie Underwood: American Idol IV. September 2005. Blue Banner Biography series (Juvenile) ISBN 1-58415-425-X
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carrie Underwood.
Preceded by Grammy Award for Best New Artist
2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance
2007-2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Country Music Association Award for Horizon Award
2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year
2006-2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Academy of Country Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year
2007-2008 		Succeeded by
Incumbent


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