Carrie Underwood biography

Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma) is an American country pop singer and songwriter. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, and has become a multi-platinum selling recording artist and a multiple Grammy Award winner. 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 Billboard 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". Her debut album is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold about 2.5 million copies and has produced four number one country hits, "So Small", "All-American Girl", "Last Name", and "Just a Dream". 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. To date, Underwood has sold over 11 million records worldwide. Underwood was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on May 10, 2008.

Carrie Marie Underwood was born to Stephen and Carolyn Underwood in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and was raised on her parents' farm in the rural town of Checotah, Oklahoma. She has two older sisters, Shanna and Stephanie. Her father, Stephen, worked in a paper mill and her mother was an elementary school teacher. During her childhood, Underwood had performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show while also singing at the Free Will Baptist Church and later on for local events in Checotah, including Old Settler's Day and the Lion's Club. In 1996, she was in the process of getting a contract with Capitol Records, but the deal was canceled when the recording company's management changed.

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. Underwood is one of five winners never to have been voted in the bottom three (the others being Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, and David Cook); one of the show's producers later said that Underwood dominated the voting, winning each week handily. 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. She sang her single "Wasted" on March 8, marking her fourth time performing on the show since winning the competition in 2005. 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, during the seventh season American Idol Gives Back mini-marathon. She also came back to perform "Last Name" on May 21, 2008, for the finale of the seventh season of American Idol.