Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music.

Like other forms of Christian music, the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

Style[link]

	"How Great Thou Art" Yolanda Adams performs "How Great Thou Art" at the White House's Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement in 2010. "How Great Thou Art" audio only file
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Gospel music in general is characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. Subgenres include contemporary gospel, urban contemporary gospel (sometimes referred to as "black gospel"), Southern gospel, and modern gospel music (now more commonly known as praise and worship music or contemporary Christian music). Several forms of gospel music utilize choirs, use piano or Hammond organ, drums, bass guitar and, increasingly, electric guitar. In comparison with hymns, which are generally of a statelier measure, the gospel song is expected to have a refrain and often a more syncopated rhythm.

Many attempts have been made to describe the style of late 19th and early 20th century gospel songs in general. Christ-Janer, et al. said "the music was tuneful and easy to grasp . . . rudimentary harmonies . . . use of the chorus . . . varied metric schemes . . . motor rhythms were characteristic. . . . The device of letting the lower parts echo rhythmically a motive announced by the sopranos became a mannerism . . ."^[1]

Patrick and Sydnor emphasize the notion that gospel music is "sentimental", quoting Sankey as saying, "Before I sing I must feel", and they call attention to the comparison of the original version of Rowley’s "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story" with Sankey's version.^[2] Gold said, "Essentially the gospel songs are songs of testimony, persuasion, religious exhortation, or warning. Usually the chorus or refrain technique is found."^[3]

History[link]

One can pursue the roots of gospel music through the academic discipline of ethno-musicology (going back to Europe and Africa), through a study of the 2,000-year history of church music, and through a study of rural folk music traditions. When it comes to the African American experience, gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century.^[4]

Coming out of an oral tradition, gospel music typically utilizes a great deal of repetition. This is a device to promote group participation.^{[citation needed]} And the repetition of the words allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate in worship. During this time, hymns and sacred songs were lined and repeated in a call and response fashion, and the Negro spirituals and work songs emerged. Due to the enslaved Africans attending their masters’ worship services, the 17th-century influences on Negro spirituals and work songs were the traditional hymns which the enslaved had heard in worship services. Worship services served several purposes; not only were they a means by which the Africans could be monitored, but they also served as a reinforcement of the slavery indoctrination.^{[citation needed]}

Quite often, readings were from the Apostle Paul's writings which outlined being good servants and loving, obeying, and trusting one’s master. At this time it was also illegal for more than a handful of blacks to congregate without supervision. This meant that the black people were not free to worship on their own and had to attend worship services with their master. At these services, their understanding of Christian doctrine grew, and music played a role in that experience. The worship music (hymns) of the whites became the backdrop for the music that the enslaved Africans would use at their eventual worship meetings.^{[citation needed]}

Most of the churches did not have musical instruments to use. There would be guitars and tambourines available every now and then, but not frequently. There were not regular church choirs that existed at this time, and they did not use a piano very often. Most of the singing was done a cappella.^[5]

Gospel also lends some of its more modern roots to the mass revival movement (starting with Dwight L. Moody, whose musician was Ira D. Sankey) and the Holiness-Pentecostal movement.^[6] Prior to the meeting of Moody and Sankey in 1870, there was an American rural/frontier history of revival and camp meeting songs, but the gospel hymn was of a different character, and it served the needs of mass revivals in the great cities.^[7]

The revival movement employed popular singers and song leaders (starting with Ira Sankey) who used songs by writers such as George F. Root, P. P. Bliss, Charles H. Gabriel, William Howard Doane, and Fanny Crosby.^[8] The first published use of the term “gospel” to describe this kind of music was apparently in the 1870s. In 1874, P. P. Bliss edited a collection titled Gospel Songs, and in 1875 P. P. Bliss and Ira Sankey issued Gospel Hymns, no’s. 1 to 6, an extension of the 1874 Gospel Songs.^[9] Sankey and Bliss’s collection can be found in many libraries today.

The popularity of revival singers and the openness of rural churches to this type of music (in spite of its initial use in city revivals) led to the late 19th and early 20th century establishment of gospel music publishing houses such as those of Homer Rodeheaver, E. O. Excell, Charlie Tillman, and Charles Tindley. These publishers were in the market for large quantities of new music, providing an outlet for the creative work of many songwriters and composers^[10]

20th century[link]

Exemplification of gospel music: The Bible, which is the word of God for Christians and a CD that represents the music in general.

The holiness-Pentecostal movement, or sanctified movement, appealed to people who were not attuned to sophisticated church music, and holiness worship has used any type of instrumentation that congregation members might bring in, from tambourines to electric guitars. Pentecostal churches readily adopted and contributed to the gospel music publications of the early 20th century. Late 20th century musicians such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mahalia Jackson, Andrae Crouch, and the Blackwood Brothers either were raised in a Pentecostal environment, or have acknowledged the influence of that tradition.^[11]

The advent of radio in the 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music, and James D. Vaughan used radio as an integral part of his business model, which also included traveling quartets to publicize the gospel music books he published several times a year.^[12] Virgil O. Stamps and Jesse R. Baxter studied Vaughan’s business model and by the late 1920s were running a heavy competition for Vaughan.^[13] The 1920s also saw the marketing of gospel records by groups such as the Carter Family.

The first person to introduce the ragtime influence to gospel accompaniment as well as to play the piano on a gospel recording was Ms. Arizona Dranes.^[14]

In African-American music, gospel quartets developed an a cappella style following the earlier success of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The 1930s saw the Fairfield Four, the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Five Blind Boys, the Swan Silvertones, the Charioteers, and the Golden Gate Quartet. Racism divided the nation, and these groups were best known in the African-American community, but some in the white community began to follow them.^[15] In addition to these high profile quartets, there were many black gospel musicians performing in the 1920s and 30s.

In the 1930s, in Chicago, Thomas A. Dorsey (best known as author of the song, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"), who had spent the 1920s writing secular music, turned full time to gospel music, established a publishing house, and invented the black gospel style of piano music.^[16] He had many trials in his life that he overcame concerning his health and his wife died. He dedicated all of his musical talent to the service of the LORD. Thomas gained knowledge of his religion from his father who was a Baptist minister and took up on piano from his mother who was his teacher. He started working with lack blues pianist when they moved to Atlanta.^[17] It has been said that 1930 was the year when modern gospel music began, because the National Baptist Convention first publicly endorsed the music at its 1930 meeting.^[18] Dorsey was responsible for developing the musical careers of many African-American artists, such as Mahalia Jackson.^[19]

Meanwhile, the radio continued to develop an audience for gospel music, a fact that was commemorated in Albert E. Brumley's 1937 song, "Turn Your Radio On" (which is still being published in gospel song books). In 1972, a recording of "Turn Your Radio On" by the Lewis Family was nominated for "Gospel Song of the Year" in the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards.^[20]

Following the Second World War, gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate.^[21] In 1950, black gospel was featured at Carnegie Hall when Joe Bostic produced the Negro Gospel and Religious Music Festival. He repeated it the next year with an expanded list of performing artists, and in 1959 moved to Madison Square Garden.^[22] Today, black gospel and white gospel are distinct genres, with distinct audiences. In white gospel, there is a large Gospel Music Association and a Gospel Music Hall of Fame, which includes a few black artists, such as Mahalia Jackson, but which ignores most black artists.^[23] In the black community, James Cleveland established the Gospel Music Workshop of America in 1969.

Gospel music genres and subgenres[link]

This article is a part in a series on Gospel music

Roots and Beginnings  Christian Hymns Negro Spirituals Sacred Harp Shape note

Genres and Subgenres  Southern Gospel Gospel blues Bluegrass gospel Christian country music Country Gospel Progressive Southern Gospel Urban contemporary gospel Christian hip hop

Related Music Genres  CCM

Associations and Groups  Gospel Music Hall of Fame Gospel Music Workshop of America National Gospel Singing Convention National Quartet Convention Australian Gospel Music Association GMA Canada

Gospel Music Awards  GMA Dove Awards Stellar Awards Covenant Awards Singing News Fan Awards Australian Gospel Music Awards

Related WikiProjects  Christianity Wikiproject Gospel music Wikiproject Southern Gospel Wikiproject

Category  • Musicians See also: Christianity: Portal  • Category Christian music: Portal  • Category

This box: view talk edit

Urban contemporary gospel[link]

Urban contemporary gospel (sometimes still marketed as "Black gospel" to help distinguish it from other forms of Christian music) is a subgenre of contemporary gospel music.^{[citation needed]}

Gospel blues[link]

Gospel blues is a blues-based form of gospel music (a combination of blues guitar and evangelistic lyrics).

Southern gospel[link]

Southern gospel, is sometimes called "quartet music" by fans due to the original all male, tenor-lead-baritone-bass quartet make-up. This type of music deals with the everyday problems of life and how God answers those problems. Southern gospel depends on strong harmonies, often with extremely wide ranges (i.e. extremely low bass, falsetto tenor.) Flavors in Southern gospel range from ultra-traditional early quartet music (i.e. the Statesmen Quartet, circa 1940-50) to very cutting edge sounds (i.e. current Signature Sound quartet discography).

Progressive Southern gospel[link]

Progressive Southern gospel is an American music genre that has grown out of Southern gospel over the past couple of decades.

Christian country music[link]

Christian country music, sometimes referred to as country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as inspirational country. Christian country over the years has progressed into a mainstream country sound with inspirational or positive country lyrics. In the middle 1990s, Christian country hit its highest popularity. So much so that mainstream artists like Larry Gatlin, Charlie Daniels and Barbara Mandrell, just to name a few, began recording music that had this positive Christian country flair. These mainstream artists have now become award winners in this genre.^[24][25]

Bluegrass gospel[link]

Bluegrass gospel music is rooted in American mountain music.

Celtic gospel[link]

Celtic gospel music infuses gospel music with a Celtic flair, and is quite popular in countries such as Ireland; the Dublin Gospel Choir has had over 10 years' success with Celtic gospel music.

Controversies[link]

Some proponents of "standard" hymns generally dislike gospel music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, Patrick and Syndor complain that commercial success led to a proliferation of such music, and "deterioration, even in a standard which to begin with was not high, resulted."^[26] They went on to say, "there is no doubt that a deterioration in taste follows the use of this type of hymn and tune; it fosters an attachment to the trivial and sensational which dulls and often destroys sense of the dignity and beauty which best befit the song that is used in the service of God."^[27]

Gold reviewed the issue in 1958, and collected a number of quotations similar to the complaints of Patrick and Syndor. However, he also provided this quotation: "Gospel hymnody has the distinction of being America's most typical contribution to Christian song. As such, it is valid in its inspiration and in its employment." (Robert Stevenson, Religion in Life, Winter, 1950-51.)^[28]

Today, with historical distance, there is a greater acceptance of such gospel songs into official denominational hymnals. For example, the United Methodist Church made this acceptance explicit in The Faith We Sing, a supplement to the official denominational hymnal. In the preface, the editors say, "Experience has shown that some older treasures were missed when the current hymnals were compiled,"^[29] a diplomatic way of saying, "It's all right to sing these songs in church."

See also[link]

• Gospel Music Hall of Fame
• Gospel music WikiProject
• List of gospel musicians
• Museum of African American Music
• Phillip Paul Bliss House
• Soul music
• Stellar Awards

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Blackwell, Lois. The Wings of a Dove: The Story of Gospel Music in America. Norfolk: Donning, 1978.
• Boyer, Horace Clarence, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7.
• Broughton, Viv, Too Close To Heaven - The Illustrated History Of Gospel Music, Midnight Books, 1996, ISBN 1-900516-00-4
• Albert E Brumley & Sons, The Best of Albert E Brumley, Gospel Songs, 1966, ISBN na-paperback Amazing Grace
• Cleall, Charles. Sixty Songs From Sankey. London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, Ltd., 1960.
• Darden, Robert, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, ISBN 0-8264-1752-3.
• Downey, James C. The Gospel Hymn 1875-1930. University of Southern Mississippi, MA, 1963.
• Eskew, Harry. “Gospel Music, I” in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980), VII, 549-554.
• Goff, James R. “The Rise of Southern Gospel Music,” Church History, v. 67, no. 4, Dec. 1998, pp. 722ff.
• Hanson, Kenneth, The Hymnody and Hymnals of the Restoration Movement. Butler University, BD, 1951.
• Heilbut, Tony, The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions, 1997, ISBN 0-87910-034-6.
• McNeil, W. K., Ed. Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. Routledge, 2005. ISBN 0-415-94179-2.
• Stevenson, Arthur L. The Story of Southern Hymnology. Roanoke, VA: Stone Printing and Manufacturing, 1931.
• Zolten, Jerry, Great God A' Mighty!:The Dixie Hummingbirds - Celebrating The Rise Of Soul Gospel Music, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-19-515272-7.

External links[link]

Professional organizations[link]

Firebird Arts Alliance - Encourages all races and religions to join

Gospel Music Association - Acknowledges all forms of Gospel Music

Gospel News Today - Primarily Gospel News

Gospel Viu - Gospel Without Borders

Gospel Wire - Primarily urban contemporary gospel

Pacific Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Southern Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Media outlets[link]

Black Family Channel

Bobby Jones Gospel

Gospel Music Channel

The Inspirational Network

Christian Broadcasting Network

Daystar Television Network

Trinity Broadcasting Network

v t e Christian music Roots and Beginnings Chorale Hymn Negro spirituals Sacred Harp Shape note Jesus music Genres and Subgenres Contemporary Christian music Contemporary worship music Gospel music Fusion genres Christian rock Christian hardcore Christian metal Southern Gospel Traditional black gospel Christian alternative rock Christian punk Christian ska Christian country music Progressive Southern Gospel Christian hip hop Gospel blues Urban contemporary gospel Chant v t e Christian liturgical chant Eastern Armenian Byzantine Coptic Georgian Ethiopian Syrian Znamenny Western Ambrosian Anglican Beneventan Celtic Gallican Gelineau Gregorian Mozarabic Old Roman Lists Christian bands and artists by genre Christian country artists Christian dance, electronic, and techno artists Christian folk/folk rock artists Christian hardcore bands Christian instrumental/jazz/swing artists Christian metal bands Christian punk bands Christian vocal artists Christian record labels Gospel musicians Other topics Christianity Christian media Christian music industry Christian music festivals Portal Category

Mary Wambui is a Kenyan businesswoman and the second wife of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.^[1] The Wambui family claim that Mwai married Mary in 1972 under Kikuyu customary law and have a daughter, Wangui Mwai.

In 2004 the media reported that Kibaki has a second spouse allegedly married under customary law, Mary Wambui, and a daughter, Wangui Mwai. After the news broke, the State House released an unsigned statement that Kibaki's only immediate family is his wife, Lucy and their four children.^[2] The Washington Post termed the entire scandal as a "new Kenyan soap opera".^[3] In 2009, Kibaki, accompanied by a furious Lucy Kibaki, held a press conference to re-state to the world that he only has one wife.^[4] Although officially denied status as a wife, Wambui is provided with all the trappings of a presidential spouse including armed bodyguards and limousines.

In an interview with The Standard written on April 5, 2007, Winnie said that she and Artur Margaryan, a suspected mercenary from Armenia, intended to marry in the future. In Kenyan media, Mary Wambui is often described as "NARC-activist". (National Rainbow Coalition), a Kenyan political party.

At a recent interview with the media in Kenya, Wambui said that she had five children but was reluctant to disclose their names.

References[link]

This Kenyan biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This African business-related biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2008)

Juanita Bynum (born January 16, 1959) is an American Pentecostal televangelist, author, actress and gospel singer.

Early life[link]

Prophetess Juanita Bynum is one of 5 children, from the marriage of Elder Thomas Bynum Sr. and Katherine Bynum. She grew up in Chicago, and received a starring role in Perry Middle School's annual play, My Fair Lady. Bynum attended Saints' Academy Church of God in Christ (COGIC) High School (a boarding school) in Lexington, Mississippi.^[1] Bynum was raised as an attendee at St. Luke Church of God in Christ, in Chicago, a Pentecostal church.

Personal life[link]

After Bynum graduated from high school, she started preaching in nearby churches and at revivals. Gaining some notoriety at this point, she began a series of what she calls "Lessons in Submission".^[1]

In 1996 Bishop T.D. Jakes invited Bynum to attend one of his singles' conferences, where she rose from attendee to speaker in 2 years. In 1997, she released "No More Sheets," a video and audiotape series about her changed sexual lifestyle. In July 1999, Bynum re-preached "No More Sheets" at Jakes' 52,000 attendee Woman, Thou Art Loosed! Conference in Atlanta. She began appearing regularly on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

In 2000, Bynum taught a class on the subjects of character, submission and time management at New Greater Bethel Ministries in Jamaica, New York, attended by a class of approximately 70 women. While teaching, her Women's Weapons of Power Conference was organized. The Weapons of Power conference was held annually through 2006.

Marriage[link]

Bynum was first married in the early 1980s, but the marriage ended in divorce. Bynum suffered domestic abuse in that marriage, but that she had "made a vow that I would not talk about that situation because it was over 20 years ago."^[2]

Bynum married Thomas Wesley Weeks, III in 2002.^[3]

Early on August 22, 2007, Bynum was beaten by her husband, who eventually pled guilty to aggravated assault charges. Weeks was given 3 years probation, 200 hours of non-church related community service, and ordered to attend anger management counseling.^[3] In June 2008 Bynum and Weeks were divorced.^[4]

Discography[link]

• Morning Glory (Shekinah, 1999)
• Morning Glory, Volume 2: Behind The Veil (Shekinah, 2000)
• A Piece of My Passion (Flow, 2005)
• Gospel Goes Classical (featuring Jonathan Butler) (Flow, 2006)
• Christmas at Home with Juanita (Flow, 2006)
• Pour My Love On You (Flow, 2008)
• More Passion (Flow, 2010)
• The Diary of Juanita Bynum (Son Flower / Spirit Rising / Music World Entertainment, 2010)

References[link]

The Summit 2000 (Pensacola,Fl) Women Weapons of Power Conference 2001 "Come to the Garden" (Pensacola,Fl) Women Weapons of Power Conference 2002 "Pray" (Tampa.Fl) Weapons of Power Conference 2003 "It's Time for Revival" (St. Louis,Mo) Women on the Front-line Summit 2005(Tampa,Fl) Women on the Front-line Summit 2005 (Los Angelas, Cal) The Threshing Floor Revival 2006 "it's a refreshing from the lord" Women on the Front-line Conference "The Reunion/Accessing the power within"

External links[link]

• Official website
• Juanita Bynum at the Internet Movie Database

Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood at the 2010 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.
Background information
Birth name	Carrie Marie Underwood
Born	(1983-03-10) March 10, 1983 (age 29) Muskogee, Oklahoma
Origin	Checotah, Oklahoma, United States
Genres	Country, country pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2005–present
Labels	19, Arista Nashville, Arista
Associated acts	Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Tony Bennett
Website	www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com

Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country singer, songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005. Underwood has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a winner of several Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards, a Golden Globe Award nominee, a three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, and a two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year. She is the first-ever female artist to win back-to-back Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards for Entertainer of the Year (2009/10). Underwood was inducted into and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008. She was also inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2009.^[1] Billboard named Underwood Country Music's reigning Queen in 2012.^[2]

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum and, since February 2006, is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history.^[3] It is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, since February 2008,^[4] and, since March 2011, the best-selling country album of the last 10 years.^[5] Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs. Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has sold over 3 million copies as of January 2010,^[6] being certified 3 times Platinum,^[7] and produced four consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. Underwood released her third album, Play On, on November 3, 2009. It has been certified 2 times Platinum by the RIAA^[7] and has produced three consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. As of March 2012, Underwood has sold over 22 million singles^[8] and more than 14 million albums worldwide.^[9] As of May 16, 2011, Underwood became the "American Idol" US Top Earner, selling so far 12.4 million album copies and 19 million digital tracks,^[10] along with amassing $66 million in tour revenues, since winning Season 4.^[11] Underwood's fourth album, Blown Away, was released on May 1, 2012.

With eleven number one hits on Billboard Hot Country Songs, Underwood is listed in the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records as the Female Country Artist with Most number one Hits on such chart from 1991 to present, tied with Reba McEntire.^[12] Underwood is also the only solo Country Artist to have a number one hit on Billboard Hot 100 Songs in the 2000 decade, as "Inside Your Heaven" reached the top of the chart in July 2005. Her album Some Hearts was named the Best Country Album of the 2000 Decade by Billboard,^[13] and she's the only Female Artist to appear on the Top 10 of Billboard's Best Country Artists of the 2000 Decade list, ranked at number ten.^[14] She was also ranked number 50 on the Artists of the Decade list by Billboard.^[15] In June 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Underwood as the number eleven Queen of Pop, based on a lot of criteria from 2009 until 2011.^[16] In July 2011, Forbes reported that Underwood earned over $20 million between May 2010 and May 2011.^[17]

Early life[link]

Underwood was born to Stephen and Carole Underwood on March 10, 1983, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was raised on her parents' farm in the rural town of Checotah, Oklahoma.^[18] Her father worked in a sawmill, while her mother taught elementary school.^[19] She has two older sisters, Shanna and Stephanie.^[20] During her childhood, Underwood performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show, and sang at her local church, First Free Will Baptist Church.^[21] She later sang for local events in Checotah, including Old Settler's Day and the Lion's Club.^[22]

A local admirer arranged for her to go to Nashville when she was 14 to audition for Capitol Records.^[21] In 1996, Capitol Records was preparing a contract for Underwood but cancelled it when company management changed. Underwood said of the event, "I honestly think it's a lot better that nothing came out of it now, because I wouldn't have been ready then. Everything has a way of working out."^[23] While at Checotah High School, she was an Honor Society member, a cheerleader, and played basketball and softball.^[24] Underwood graduated from Checotah High School in 2001 as salutatorian.^[22] She chose not to pursue singing after graduation. She said, "After high school, I pretty much gave up on the dream of singing. I had reached a point in my life where I had to be practical and prepare for my future in the 'real world'".^[24] She attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and an emphasis in journalism.^[25] She spent part of one of her summers as a page for Oklahoma State Representative Bobby Frame.^[26] She also waited tables at a pizzeria, worked at a zoo, and at a veterinary clinic.^[24] Underwood is an alumna of the Alpha Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.^[27] For two years during the summer, she performed in Northeastern State University'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.^[28]

[edit] American Idol

In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis, Missouri. After she sang "Could've Been" by Tiffany on the top 12 girls night, judge Simon Cowell commented that she would be one of the favorites to win the competition.  During the top 11 finalists' performance on the March 22, 2005, Idol episode, Underwood sang a rendition of the number one 1980s rock hit "Alone", made famous by Heart, and Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but she would also outsell all previous Idol winners.^[29] One of the show's producers later said she dominated the voting, winning each week handily.^[30] She gained a fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears" during the course of the show. During the final, she sang with Rascal Flatts their song "Bless the Broken Road". On May 5, 2005, Underwood became the season four winner. Her winnings included a recording contract worth at least a million dollars, use of a private jet for a year, and a Ford Mustang convertible.^[31]

Performances and results[link]

Career[link]

[edit] 2005–07: Some Hearts

Underwood performing at the World Arena in 2006.

Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts, was released in November 2005, entering the Billboard charts with 315,000 copies sold, debuting at number one on the Hot Country Albums and at number two on the Hot 200 Albums. The large first week sales of Some Hearts made it the biggest debut of any country artist since the advent of the SoundScan system in 1991. The album was the best-selling album in the United States in 2006 and the best-selling country album in the United States of 2006 and 2007. Some Hearts has since been certified seven-times Platinum by the RIAA, and is the fastest-selling debut country album in the history of the SoundScan era,^[32] the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, as of February 2008,^[4] and the best-selling album by an American Idol alumni in the U.S..^[33] "Inside Your Heaven", Underwood's first single, was released in June, debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Singles Chart. It was the longest running single of 2005 in Canada. "Inside Your Heaven" is the only single by a solo country artist in the 2000 decade to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold nearly one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA and two times platinum by the CRIA. The album's second single,^[34] "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was released to radio in October and later peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, topping it for six consecutive weeks, and at twenty on the Hot 100. The song sold over two million copies and was certified 2-time Platinum by the RIAA.^[6] Underwood's third single, "Some Hearts", was also released in October, but just to the pop radios. "Don't Forget to Remember Me", her fourth single, also proved successful, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Later that autumn, Underwood's third country single,^[34] "Before He Cheats", hit number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, staying there for 5 consecutive weeks. The song peaked at number eight 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. It sold over three million copies, being certified 3-time Platinum, and is the fourth best-selling country digital song of all time.^[35] On April 11, 2007, Underwood continued her streak of top Country singles with the release of "Wasted", which peaked at number one on the Hot Country Songs Chart, sold nearly one million copies and was certified Gold by the RIAA.^[36] On August 2008, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was reported to have been certified Platinum, making Underwood the first country artist ever to have two songs hit Platinum Mastertone status together with "Before He Cheats", which has been certified earlier in 2007.^[37] Underwood started her first headlined tour, Carrie Underwood: Live 2006, with dates across North America.

At the 2005 Billboard Music Awards, her hit song "Inside Your Heaven" won the coveted Top-Selling Hot 100 Song of the Year award and also Top-Selling Country Single of the Year award, and she won Country Single Sales Artist of the Year. At the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards, she won Top New Female Vocalist and Single of the Year, for "Jesus, Take the Wheel". At the 40th Annual Country Music Association Awards she won both the Horizon Award (now Best New Artist) and Female Vocalist of the Year. At the 2006 CMT Awards, Underwood won both the Breakthrough Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year for "Jesus, Take The Wheel". She later won the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the American Music Awards, and was also nominated for Favorite Female Country Artist. She won 5 awards at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards, including 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. Also that year, Underwood won a Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Award for Country Recorded Song of the Year, for "Jesus, Take The Wheel". At the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2007, Underwood won Album of the Year, Video of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year. She was nominated for "World's Best Selling New Artist" at the 2006 World Music Awards. At the 2007 CMT Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 16, Underwood's "Before He Cheats" won three awards, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, and Video Director of the Year. Underwood won two awards at the 2007 CMA Awards: Female Vocalist of the Year, for the second consecutive time, and Single Record of the Year, for "Before He Cheats". In 2007, at the 49th Grammy Awards, Some Hearts received four Grammy nominations and Underwood won her first two Grammy Awards: Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel. She sang the Eagles song "Life in the Fast Lane" alongside Grammy nominees Rascal Flatts. She also sang the Eagles' "Desperado" to honour Don Henley of The Eagles. She also paid tribute to Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys by performing "New San Antonio Rose". At the 50th Grammy Awards, in 2008, Underwood was nominated for two more Grammys: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for "Before He Cheats" and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, for "Oh, Love" a duet with Brad Paisley. She won one Grammy Award that night, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and performed the song at the ceremony.

In December 2005, Underwood was named Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Today.^[38] In December 2006, Underwood joined Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé and Josh Groban to sing "For Once In My Life" on The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[39] Also that month, she paid tribute to Dolly Parton, by singing "Islands in the Stream" with Kenny Rogers (originally by Parton and Rogers) at the Kennedy Center Honors, which honored Parton that year. Underwood performed with the USO Christmas Tour in Iraq during the 2006 Holiday season.^[40] Underwood also performed at the 2007 Idol Gives Back concert singing "I'll Stand By You", a cover of The Pretenders hit. Her version of the song debuted at number six on Billboard's Hot 100 Songs. Also in 2007, Victoria's Secret named Underwood the Sexiest Female Musician.^[41]

[edit] 2007–09: Carnival Ride

Underwood performing in a concert, 2007.

Underwood's second album, Carnival Ride,^[42] was released in October 2007.^[43] On Carnival Ride, Underwood was more involved in the songwriting process; 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, and Gordie Sampson.^[44] Carnival Ride moved over 527,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Hot Country Albums, as well as number one on the Canadian Albums Chart. Carnival Ride was certified double platinum in just two months after its release, in December.^[45] The album is certified 3-time Platinum by the RIAA, for sales of over three million. "So Small", the first single from the album, was released in July 2007 and reached number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, topping it for three consecutive weeks.^[46] "All-American Girl", the second single, also reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. The next single, "Last Name", reached number one on the Hot Country Song chart as well. This made Underwood the first female artist to have two consecutive albums each release three number-ones on this chart since Shania Twain in 1998. "Just a Dream", the album's next single, was released on July 2008 and later peaked at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, staying there for 2 consecutive weeks. With that, Underwood became the third female artist in country music history to have released four consecutive Number Ones from the same album with Rosanne Cash's King's Record Shop and Shania Twain's The Woman in Me being the other two that have done so. The album's fifth single, "I Told You So", a duet with the original singer of the song, Randy Travis, was released in February 2009. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Country charts and number nine on the Hot 100. Carnival Ride has produced four Platinum-selling singles, "So Small", "All American Girl", "Last Name" and "Just a Dream", and a Gold-selling single, "I Told You So", which sold nearly one million copies.^[6] 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 that continued through April.^[47] She then started her headlined tour, the Carnival Ride Tour, in February 2008, with dates across all North America, and ended it on December 14, 2008, playing to 1.2 million fans throughout the tour and being named the top-selling country female touring artist of 2008.^[48]

By the end of 2007, Underwood won 5 awards at the Billboard Music Awards, including the coveted Billboard 200 Artist of the Year and also Country Artist of the Year.^[49] Also in late 2007, she won three American Music Awards: Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album, for her debut album, Some Hearts. At the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards, she won Female Vocalist of the Year, for the 2nd consecutive time. She received two nominations for the 2008 Country Music Association Awards. Underwood and Brad Paisley co-hosted the awards show^[50] and she walked away with the Female Vocalist of the Year award for the third consecutive time, but lost the Album of the Year award to George Strait. At the 2008 American Music Awards, Carnival Ride won the Favorite Country Album award, thus making that her 2nd consecutive win in such category. In 2008, Underwood also won her first international award, which was "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the European Country Music Association Awards.^[51] For the 44th Academy of Country Music Awards, in 2009, Underwood was nominated for four major awards. Underwood won for Female Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of The Year, thus making her the first woman to win the award in ten years and the 7th female to take it in the award show's four decade run. Underwood was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2009 CMT Awards for "Just A Dream". In 2009, at the 51st Grammy Awards, she won, for the third year in a row, the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for "Last Name", and performed the song at the ceremony. At the 52nd Grammy Awards, in 2010, Underwood won her fifth Grammy Award: She won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "I Told You So" with Randy Travis and was also nominated again for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, for "Just A Dream". At the ceremony, she performed with Celine Dion, Usher, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson during the 3-D Michael Jackson tribute.^[52] Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich stated that Michael Jackson greatly admired Underwood, which is why she was hand-picked to perform during his tribute.^[53]

On May 13, 2008, Underwood was invited by Randy Travis to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, later that month she was officially inducted by Garth Brooks into the Grand Ole Opry.^[54] A few months earlier, she sang Julie Andrews' classic, the title song from The Sound of Music, at the 2007 Movies Rock: A Celebration Of Music In Film.^[55] On October 22, 2008, Underwood unveiled her wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York. In 2009, Forbes reported that Underwood was the top earning American Idol alumni from June 2008 – May 17, 2009. She earned more than twice as much as the second place finisher, with estimated earnings of $14 million during this time period.^[56] She appeared on the holiday CD Hear Something Country Christmas 2007 with a rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?". The song reached number two on the AC Chart, and remained there for 3 consecutive weeks.^[57] She recorded the song "Ever Ever After" for the soundtrack of the 2007 Walt Disney film Enchanted. Underwood co-wrote a song for Idol alum Kristy Lee Cook's major-label debut album Why Wait. At the 2008 Idol Gives Back, she sang George Michael's classic "Praying For Time" and later recorded it. In November 2008, Underwood recorded a virtual and posthumous duet with Elvis Presley, on his classic "I'll Be Home For Christmas", for his 2008 album Christmas Duets. Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, herself asked Underwood to do the duet: "Priscilla wanted me to do 'I'll Be Home For Christmas'", she says. "I couldn't say 'no'."^[58] In March 2009, she tracked a cover of Mötley Crüe's ballad "Home Sweet Home" for the American Idol season 8 farewell theme.^[59] Her version debuted at number 21 on the Hot 100 Songs.

[edit] 2009–12: Play On

Underwood on the red carpet of the 2009 American Music Awards in November 2009

Underwood released her third studio album, Play On, in November 2009. The album debuted atop both the Billboard 200 and Hot Country Albums, selling nearly 318,000 copies, giving Underwood the second-highest female artist first week sales for 2009. Underwood wrote a song with pop/R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo for the album, the song however did not make the album.^[60] The first single from the album, "Cowboy Casanova", co-written by Underwood, Brett James and hip hop producer Mike Elizondo, was released in September, peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and at eleven on the Hot 100 Songs, sold 1.6 million and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Second single, "Temporary Home"^[61] hit number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and the RIAA certified it Gold.^[62] "Undo It", Underwood's third single from "Play On", was released to radio in May. It was later certified Platinum by the RIAA and hit number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, giving Underwood her tenth number one single on the Hot Country Songs. The 4th single from Play On, "Mama's Song", was released to country radio in September and peaked at two on the Hot Country Songs. The album is certified Double Platinum by the RIAA.^[7]

Underwood's Play On Tour started its first leg on March 11, 2010 in Reading, Pennsylvania.^[63] The second leg of the tour started on September 25, 2010 in Portland, Oregon, and ended January 1, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan.^[64] Underwood sold out the prestigious Hollywood Bowl on October 2, 2010.^[65] In December 2010, Pollstar.com ranked the Play On Tour one of the Top 50 tours of 2010, at number 18 on the North American raking, and number 31 worldwide. Billboard also ranked Underwood's tour at number 24 for all worldwide tours of 2010. On January 4, 2011, official statistics revealed that Underwood played to over 1 million fans throughout the tour,^[66]

At the 2009 CMA Awards she received two nominations and co-hosted the ceremony with Brad Paisley.^[67] Underwood was nominated for 6 Academy of Country Music Awards. At the show, Underwood was named Entertainer of the Year, making her the only country female artist in history to win this award twice. Host Reba McEntire presented Underwood with the "ACM Triple Crown Award" signifying her winning Top New Artist, Top Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year during her career. She was only the second Female to win the coveted "Triple Crown Award", the first being Barbara Mandrell. At the CMT Music Awards Underwood walked away with Video of the Year for "Cowboy Casanova". She also won CMT Performance of the Year for "Temporary Home" from CMT: Invitation Only presents Carrie Underwood.^[68] Underwood won two international awards at the 8th French Country Music Awards, which were Best Female Vocalist and Video of the Year, for "Cowboy Casanova". At the 2010 American Music Awards, she won "Favorite Country Album", for "Play On", making her the only artist in the American Music Award history to have all albums awarded in such a category.^[69] She co-hosted the 2010 CMA Awards with Brad Paisley for the third year in a row. Underwood was the 2010 American Country Awards' top winner with six wins, Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for (Play On), Female Artist Single of the Year for ("Cowboy Casanova"), Female Artist Video of the Year for ("Cowboy Casanova") and Touring Artist of the Year.^[70] At the 2011 Grammy Awards, Underwood was nominated for 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' for "Temporary Home."^[71] Underwood was honored by the CMT Artists of the Year special as one of the 5 top Artists of the year in 2010 in country music.^[72] The event aired on CMT on December 3, 2010. At the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards, Underwood sang with Steven Tyler both her song "Undo It" and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". In May 2011, Underwood was one of the seven women to be honored by the Academy of Country Music at the Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country special. She was recognized for being the first and only female artist in the Academy's history to ever win Entertainer of the Year twice.^[73] At the ceremony, Vince Gill introduced Underwood and presented her with the special award. He sang one of her hits, "Jesus, Take The Wheel", and joined Underwood on a rendition performance of "How Great Thou Art". The video of the performance turned into a viral sensation, reaching 3 million views on YouTube within two days.^[74] On December 5, 2011, Underwood won three awards at the 2011 American Country Awards, including Female Artist of the Year for the second consecutive time.^[75]

In late 2009, Underwood had her very own CMT Invitation Only^[76] and also hosted a Christmas special, Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special, a two-hour variety show on Fox that featured Dolly Parton, with whom she sang a rendition duet of "I Will Always Love You", seventh-season American Idol champion David Cook, Kristin Chenoweth, Brad Paisley and others.^[77] In May 2010, Underwood was selected on People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People List for 2010. This was the 4th year in a row that she was selected for the list. Also in May, Victoria's Secret named her legs the Sexiest Legs in Hollywood.^[78] Underwood appeared on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Her character, Tiffany, is a pharmaceutical sales representative who becomes the love interest for another main character on the show.^[79] A few months earlier, she performed a voice-over as 'Carrie Underworm', a parodied "worm" character, in an episode of the PBS children's television series, Sesame Street,^[80] Underwood co-wrote and recorded a song entitled "There's a Place for Us," the lead single from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.^[81] Underwood and songwriters, David Hodges and Hillary Lindsey, received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.^[82] In March 2011, Underwood sang John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" at the NBC's special All Together Now – A Celebration of Service, which honored former President George H. W. Bush.^[83] She made her big screen debut in Soul Surfer, in April 2011. At the season ten finale of American Idol Underwood selected a song for contestant Lauren Alaina to sing.^[84]

Underwood is featured on "Remind Me", a duet with Brad Paisley that reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, giving Underwood her eleventh number one single on such chart and fourteenth overall. She has also a duet with Tony Bennett on his 2011 album Duets II^[85] and another duet with Randy Travis on his 2011 Anniversary Celebration album. Underwood was one of the headliners of the iHeartRadio Music Festival. The event took place on September 23 and 24, 2011.^[86] On September 19, Underwood performed "You Really Got a Hold on Me" in order to honor Smokey Robinson, as he was presented with the Ella Award at the Society of Singers annual dinner. Robinson returned the favor to Underwood by singing "My Girl" to her. At the same event, they sang together with Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole and other artists a medley of multiple songs.^[87]

On February 4, 2012, Underwood joined Steven Tyler to record CMT's Crossroads at the Pepsi Coliseum during the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam of Super Bowl XLVI.^[88] It was the highest-rated episode in seven years.^[89] On February 12, 2012, Underwood and Tony Bennett performed their duet "It Had to Be You" at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards show.^[90]

[edit] 2012: Blown Away

Blown Away,^[91] Underwood's fourth album, was released on May 1, 2012.^[92] Underwood has said that this album features songs with a "darker storyline."^[93] Blown Away debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, the Country Albums Chart and the Digital Albums chart in the United States, selling more than 267,000 in its first week.^[94] The first single, "Good Girl", was released to the iTunes store on February 23, 2012. It was officially released to Country radio on February 27, 2012.^[95][96] The music video for "Good Girl" premiered on Entertainment Tonight and on VEVO on March 12, 2012.^[97] The song has already been certified Gold by the RIAA, for sales of half a million.^[6]

On May 1, Underwood announced the North American arena tour leg of her Blown Away Tour. The tour will include an international run of shows this summer, including her a concert at Royal Albert Hall in London on June 21,^[98] which sold-out in 90 minutes.^[99]

Personal interests[link]

Underwood is an animal lover and a vegan.^[100] She stopped eating meat at the age of thirteen because she could not stand the thought of eating one of her own animals. She was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA^[101] in 2007 for the second time, the first being in 2005 alongside Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who is also a vegan.^[101] 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."^[102] Underwood is a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and has done several public service announcements for the organization.^[103] Underwood has also done a "Protect Your Pets" public service announcement for Do Something.^[104]

To benefit cancer research, in August 2008 Underwood joined Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and other female artists to record the song "Just Stand Up!". The proceeds benefited Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C). As a result of their fund raising efforts, the SU2C scientific advisory committee, overseen by the American Association for Cancer Research was able to award $73.6 million towards novel, groundbreaking research.^[105] The song peaked at number eleven on Billboard's Hot 100 Songs. In August 2009, she formed the Checotah Animal Town and School (C.A.T.S.) Foundation to benefit her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. On August 28, 2009, Underwood visited Checotah High School with ABC news anchor Robin Roberts, where she gave a presentation on stage, sang with a young girl in front of students and school faculty, and donated over $117,000 worth of musical instruments to three music programs at three of Checotah's schools. Underwood has participated in the annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball tournament for charity for many years. The event takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, and benefits research for life-threatening diseases.^[106] During the 2011 holiday season, her C.A.T.S. foudation donated $350,000 to schools in the singer's hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma.^[107] On January 10, 2012, it was reported, but had previously been blogged by Underwood herself on her official fan-site, that the singer rescued an abandoned dog along highway. According to Underwood, she spotted two dogs along the road while traveling with her own dogs, Ace and Penny, from her parents' home in her native Oklahoma. "My guess is that the dogs were thrown out of their car by their owners on the highway", said the singer. One of the dogs was already dead, but she put the other – bloody and limping – into her SUV. She named the puppy Stella, took her to the vet and got her groomed. Within a matter of days, she'd found a nearby home for the dog. "I cried when she walked out the door," she wrote.^[108]

Underwood has also stated she has a great interest in sports. In 2005, she performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons,^[109] and in 2006 at the NBA All-Star Game.^[110] She also performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers in 2006,^[111] as well as at the 2006 edition of NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600,^[112] the MLB All Star Game in Pittsburgh, P.A., and at Game 3 of the 2007 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies.^[113] On February 7, 2010, Underwood performed the National Anthem for Super Bowl XLIV.^[114]

Personal life[link]

Underwood is a practicing Christian.^[115] She follows a vegan diet.^[100] She performed at halftime of the 2006 Thanksgiving Day football game at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas, and was friends with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.^[116] She attended his birthday party in April 2007, and on May 15, 2007, he escorted her to the Academy of Country Music Awards. They were rumored to be dating on and off throughout 2007. Although she denied the rumor when asked, Romo confirmed it by saying "[...] I'm dating Carrie Underwood" on his website. He also told an Illinois newspaper that they were dating.^[117] In August 2007, Underwood began dating Chace Crawford of the American television series Gossip Girl. On October 4, 2007, People magazine reported that the two were seen holding hands in New York City,^[118] though according to further reports, they ended their relationship in the spring of 2008.^[119]

She became engaged in December 2009 to then Ottawa Senators (now Nashville Predators) hockey player Mike Fisher, whom she began dating after they met at one of her concerts in 2008.^[120] Underwood and Fisher appeared together publicly for the first time in January 2010, at the Bell Sens Soiree, an annual fundraiser in Gatineau for the Ottawa Senators' official charity.^[121] After appearing together at the CMT Awards in June 2010, Underwood told reporters that Fisher was planning a surprise honeymoon for the two of them after their summer wedding.^[122]

On July 10, 2010, Underwood and Fisher wed at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, with more than 250 people in attendance. The couple gave People the following statement, which they signed "Mike & Carrie Fisher": "We could not feel more blessed to have found each other and to have shared this day with our friends and family that mean so much to us!" According to People, Monique Lhuillier created a dress of Chantilly lace for Underwood and also designed the bridesmaids' dresses. The ceremony featured classical music and readings of the couple's favorite Bible verses.^[123][124] National Hockey League players, as well as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, American Idol contestants, and judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson were in attendance.^[125][126] She surprised her husband by having one of their favorite artists, Brandon Heath, sing his song "Love Never Fails" for their first dance.^[127]

On February 11, 2011, an Ottawa radio station, 105.3 CISS-FM, banned the playing of Underwood's music because her husband, Mike Fisher, was traded to the Nashville Predators the day before. Due to Underwood's fans' threats on Facebook to never tune into the radio station, the station later modified their statement. They apologized for their actions, saying that their statements were meant to be taken as a joke, as they do not play Underwood's country songs anyway and it was their tongue-in-cheek way of wishing Fisher the best of luck in Nashville.^[128][129] Fisher later criticized the station saying "obviously Carrie had nothing to do with the move or the trade or anything so to imply something like that was just wrong", and noting that both he and Underwood were disappointed in the negativity that was created by the radio station.^[130][131] Underwood was selected by The Hockey News on its annual list of the 100 People of Power and Influence in Ice Hockey. For the 2012 list, Underwood ranked at number 85.^[132]

Underwood was ranked #60 on Maxim's annual Hot 100 list in 2009.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

• 2005: Some Hearts
• 2007: Carnival Ride
• 2009: Play On
• 2012: Blown Away

Filmography[link]

Tours[link]

• 2005: American Idols LIVE! Tour 2005
• 2006: Carrie Underwood: Live 2006
• 2008: Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour (w/ Keith Urban)
• 2008: Carnival Ride Tour
• 2010: Play On Tour
• 2012: Blown Away Tour

Awards[link]

See also[link]

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. country chart
• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of best-charting music artists in the U.S.

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Tracey, Kathleen. Carrie Underwood: American Idol IV. September 2005. Blue Banner Biography series (Juvenile) ISBN 1-58415-425-X

Footnotes[link]