Jeff's Carrie Underwood Page

My review on Carrie's I Told You So (feat Randy Travis)

2009-03-17T00:38:00.001-04:00

There has always been talk among fans of country music about the changing sound of the genre; and the seemingly lack of appreciation today's artists have of the past. In comes Carrie Underwood to release a 5th single from her album, Carnival Ride, sending a clear message where her heart lies. While the move was deemed a risk at the time, it shouldn't be any surprise, in retrospect, since she has consistently shown her respect for old school country music throughout her career.

Throughout her very short career thus far, Underwood has been able to showcase her versatility, by reinterpreting George Michael's "Praying For Time", the Pretenders "I'll Stand By You"; and yet maintain her commitment to older school country music. Some of her best live performances have taken stage at the Grand Ole Opry (Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man") and this stunning vocal of a Randy Travis hit. It's no wonder the Grand Ole Opry decided to request her to sing this song and have Travis sneek up on her towards the end to extend an invitation to the historic institution.

A year after that emotional evening where Underwood and her fans shed tears of joy, she returns to the studio along with Travis to deliver a stunning duet. Initially, one may think their voices are so different; yet their voices blend oh so smoothly together. Underwood effortlessly switches between her flawless high notes and soothing harmonies; while Travis lends a more mellow, mature voice to the track.

This combination between voices from country greats from 2 eras is a must have for all music lovers!

Dynamite Carrie Montage

2008-11-26T20:21:00.001-05:00

Dynamite Carrie Montage

Click above to view my 10th Carrie Underwood Montage!

Dancing Queen Carrie Montage

2008-11-26T20:20:00.001-05:00

Dancing Queen Carrie Montage

Click above to view my 9th Carrie Underwood Montage!

more animated GIFs

2007-11-22T23:31:00.000-05:00

7th Carrie Montage

2007-11-22T23:26:00.000-05:00

Remember When Carrie Montage

Click above to view my 7th Carrie Underwood Montage!

New Hobby: Animated GIFs!

2007-11-21T16:59:00.000-05:00

OK, i have picked up on a new hobby, making animated GIFs. a great way to remember the great Carrie moments. Happy Thanksgiving to all. And thank you to Miss Carrie Underwood for being Carrie!!!

6th Carrie Montage

2007-08-17T23:01:00.001-04:00

Sold to Carrie Montage

Click above to view my 6th Carrie Underwood Montage!

5th Carrie Montage

2007-08-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

How do you spell C-A-R-R-I-E montage

Click above to view my 5th Carrie Underwood Montage!

4th Carrie Montage

2007-08-02T11:20:00.001-04:00

Wonderful (Tonight) Carrie Montage

Click above to view my 4th Carrie Underwood Montage!

3rd Carrie Montage

2007-07-26T20:35:00.000-04:00

What Carrie Does For You Montage!

Click above to view my 3rd Carrie Underwood Montage!

2nd Carrie Montage

2007-07-26T20:34:00.001-04:00

Rocking Carrie Montage!

Click above to view my 2nd Carrie Underwood Montage!

My very first Carrie Montage!

2007-07-09T09:52:00.001-04:00

Unbelievable Carrie Montage!

Click above to view my pvery first Carrie Underwood Montage!

watch this space

2007-07-05T01:05:00.000-04:00

i havent updated this in ages, but watch this space... something new will be coming up!

Jeff’s AC second concert review

2007-05-28T22:27:00.003-04:00

Carrie sang the same songs as she did the night before, except she added Whenever You Remember. She was definitely less nervous and didn’t forget the words to the songs, although I think SCOM was a lil different, I can’t quite put my finger to what exactly though. The crowd was MUCH better, although we were still told to sit down when we got up for SCOM lol. the sound crew also worked out the kinks with her mic so there wasn’t any problems with that last night. For her encore, the crowd rushed to the front of the venue and security gave up telling people to go back to their seats lol. carrie had a cute greenish floral short dress and jeans. Her style is just so cute!

I recall reading what another country artist, jack ingram, say about carrie as a performer: he said she is just so raw and real, and I think that is really a great description. I’ve seen most of the big country acts in concert, and Carrie is definitely the most real. With her cute banter in between songs, you really get the sense that she enjoys performing on stage and she treats her fans like friends. And of course, that voice of hers. Tonight, she talked about the recording process for DFTRM, that it was done when she was on tour with AI, and how that was the first time she really was away from home, and she got really homesick and how the song hit her. At this moment the crowd gave her a big “awwww!” and she also said that she thinks the song was recorded in seattle, and how she was bawling and squalling (the crowd gave her another “awww!”) when she was recording the song and somehow mark bright managed to make something out if it!

I got to meet her (again) after the show, and she is really just such a TOTAL SWEETHEART. We talked for a bit and she really talks to her fans like how I would imagine she would talk to a friend. She really looks you in the eye, and I was just being spellbound looking into her eyes throughout. Gosh, she really has expressive and beautiful eyes. At the end, I was just totally melted and forgot to say something I wanted to tell her lol. she signed my pistons hat, so that means my boys will be winning the championship!

Oh yea, before I forget. Don pulled a don again. I wanted him to make things up to me for screwing my pic with carrie the night before, so he was supposed to take a pic again. Well, when I was 2 people away from meeting carrie. I realized don was panicking. His camera went out!!! “Change batteries” LMAO. I was like dude, theres no time to change the batteries and I shoved my camera into his hands. Then I go and talk to carrie and at the end I asked if we could take a pic and we both looked at don and he had already taken a pic of us!!! What the heck! He took a candid pic of us talking lmao.

Jeff’s AC first concert review

2007-05-28T22:27:00.001-04:00

So, the excitement had been building up for some time. This would be Carrie’s first FULL concert since new year’s eve. Would she sing new songs from her album, would she sing new covers?

This is a really small venue, it holds about 1500 people. Finally, the time came and carrie came out wearing this REALLY cute dress (or was it the combination of cute carrie and the cute dress that made it REALLY cute? Lol). it was blue with white trimmings at the bottom. She also had her extensions out and her hair kind of straight. Very cute! Carrie sang her usual set list, but she added ISBY and took out WYR. I was recording ISBY on vid when my cam ran out of batt halfway through! I muttered a choice word as my camera shut down lol. She also did her 2 G&R songs. She said those who didn’t recognize those 2 songs, she would say “shame shame” to them lol.

The show was on May 25th and carrie made it a point to say it was her second anniversary of her win on that show! She also said since this was her first concert in a long time she was nervous, and thanked the fans for supporting her to calm her nerves. Carrie actually forgot the words a couple of times, the one during DFTRM was really noticeable! I think that got her flustered a lil! Shes such a cutie though. When she sang TNB she sat on a stool at the beginning and her left leg was shaking uncontrollably! God bless that girl’s heart! I think she was really nervous she would forget the words to that one! She also did her usual sentimental speech for she dedicated JTTW to the fans.

The show ended in a bit of a downer as carrie’s mike went off. Like when she did her runs at the end of SH, and at the beginning of IAICA. The fans sang the beginning of IAICA for her lol.

After the show, we heard she was signing at the merch table. OMG is all I have to say. Carrie underwood is the reigning FVOTY, grammy award winner, 6x platinum artist, and she is still doing this for us??? Granted this is a small venue and she was staying over for the night, but STILL. Her dedication to her fans never ceases to amaze me. Of course, without expecting her to sign I never planned what I wanted to say to her this time lmao. So I had to think of something while in the line. I did bring a pic I got of her and brad singing WL, just in case she was signing. I had gotten Brad to sign that one already so I was just delighted that I could get carrie to sign that one too!

So I go up to carrie and she really is such a sweetheart. She talks to her fans like friends. Youd never think you are talking to the reigning FVOTY, grammy award winner, 6x platinum artist. She asked me how I was and flashed me her signature smile. I said good and I handed her the pic of her and brad. She was like “wow! You got brad to sign this!!! Ok what is this he scribbled here?” (I had brad put my name on it) and carrie pointed at his scribbled ‘jeff’. Before I could answer her she was “OHHH! That’s ‘jeff’! brad has horrible pen-manship!” at this moment I asked her if she could take a pic with me and we posed. This is where our good friend Don came in and did his magic. This is what went down:

Don: *presses button on cam*
Jeff: *happy that his pic with carrie is taken*
Carrie: I think you turned that off!
Keith: C’mon now, you shouldn’t be doing this, you’ve done this so many times!
Don: *looks down at cam trying to figure what the heck he did*
Jeff: *panics and brain goes up in smoke. Whatever he wanted to say to carrie went down the toilet*

So carrie went back to talking to me and I just nodded and smiled without saying anything other than ‘thank you’. She also said she misses Brad. At this moment I realize don is beginning to take another photo of us and carrie is looking at me and I had this weird look on my face and I go “um carrie?” and the girl is so smart, she realized that don was trying to take another photo but the timing was kinda off so both of us had weird expressions on it!

After the meeting, I checked the photo with don, and im like dude, you just screwed me up there! He was talking photos for others as well, and we were checking the pics. Well, he only got the pic of me and carrie! Luckily for the others I was taking a pic of them! Don’t get don to take a pic of you and carrie the next time. he will ‘pull a Don’ lmao. Im sure the others will back me here.

Despite her nerves, carrie’s voice just keeps getting better and better. She totally nailed SWG and apart from forgetting the words, she sounded really good on DFTRM. Im bummed my cam went out when I was recording ISBY. I do have pics and a vid of wasted. Of course, It was nice getting to meet carrie again. Shes just so down to earth and seriously, if not for me thinking she is so pretty, I could easily have a conversation with her like I would have with a friend. She looked really cute with that dress and her hair without her extensions! As you can tell, she talked a lot more to me than I talked to her lol. she really likes brad a lot too. She is just too amazing, as a singer and as a person. She gives back so much to us, and no wonder we all love her so much!!!

The concert year in review

2006-12-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

So, this was my last concert for Carrie’s first tour, and let me get a little sentimental here. what a great first year it has been for her, and for me as a fan. A year ago, carrie was thrust into a whole new world with a lot of uncertainties. I think many of us were hoping she would be accepted into the industry as an artist and not just a contest winner. A year ago, I think she would never have imagined being invited by the king of tours, Kenny Chesney, and the best guitar player in the world (and one of the nicest guys in the world), Brad Paisley, to be on their tours. It doesn’t get any bigger than those 2. they obviously recognize her as a talent. Thank you, Mr Chesney and Mr Paisley!

Her touring year could hardly get any better. Apart from the brief period at the end where she caught a bug, she performed consistently at show after show, doing over a hundred shows as us fans packed the auditoriums and stadiums. She has often said how amazed she is at Kenny chesney’s consistency; she sure is very consistent herself. Has she ever put on a bad show, or even an average one? Every single show, she has poured her heart and soul into the performance as she is living her dream, and us fans feel proud as we watch her grow, but still remain the sweetheart that we saw the very first time we saw her on TV.

Some of the memories from the past year:

1) her very first country show last December, when she opened for leann rimes and martina mcbride. It was a gutsy move, on her part, to open for those 2 huge voices. Carrie not only held her own, but she got me hooked

2) the debut of patience and sweet child of mine at the NCAA final 4 in Indianapolis. I remember I got a shock! Lol. it was just 4 months after the show in Detroit, and she grew so much from her first show. I remember staring at Richard in shock as she completed those 2 songs, saying “did she just sing that???”

3) The power going out during the concert at the Fowlerville fair. Nothing could have prepared carrie for that! The whole crowd was stunned in silence as IAICA got interrupted. Carrie tried to entertain the crowd by telling some stories, and I wouldn’t have minded the power being out for a little longer.

4) The concert that still stands out to me in terms of atmosphere and electricity is the concert at the Missouri state fair. Wow. The crowd was absolutely rocking, and carrie felt it and gave the most outstanding concert of concerts. You could tell she loved performing for this crowd. Still easily #1 in my book.

5) All the different firsts I did just for carrie, like being on my knees for a few afternoons as I made my very first concert sign. I would never have dreamt, just over a year ago, that I would make one. Thankfully, carrie got a kick out of it . Also, driving those insane distances to see her in concert. The furthest venue ive driven to is about 450 miles away. Wow lol.

6) Carrie’s randomness. She really goes off tangents talking, and she is just so endearing; and she says she’s bad at talking. Some of the random chatter: “mark, is that yogurt behind you? Why yogurt? Let’s have pizza and chocolate!” and after one of her SCOM performances, she yelled: “school dismissed!!!”

7) I got a HUGE and pleasant surprise at the brad paisley concert in Columbus ohio, where our carrie made her debut for Whiskey Lullaby. I had forgotten how much I had loved this song when I first heard it. I had attended a brad concert before carrie joined him on tour, and I recall brad playing the video of Allison Krause singing her part on the screen. Imagine my surprise! Carrie was pretty star struck singing with brad, it was so cute. Of course, she did a stunning job and would continue to sing with brad for the rest of the tour.

8) Getting to meet the fantastic people on this board! There are too many to name, but seriously, some of you guys are a riot! Lol. thanks for being a great part of these memories

9) last but not least, my encounters with this amazing young lady. wow. can anyone be any sweeter (and any more gorgeous as well?). she is just so personable and never fails to smile at her fans. ive had my fair share of encounters, being part of the insanely long lines to get those precious few seconds with carrie. No complaints here for sure. Ive met her a number of times, but it took me till my n’th attempt when I managed to finally spit out what I had planned to say to her all along. I still remember her laughing and her eyes having this incredulous look when I told her I had planned to say that all along. certainly many great memories from those meetings and I can never thank her enough for staying back hours after each show to meet the fans. to top it all off, she actually called me by my name during my last encounter, wow! i still cant believe it till this day. oh yea, for my second to last encounter, she actually michieviously took my sharpie from me and made sure i wouldnt remember asking her for it.

My WV concert review

2006-12-16T00:54:00.000-05:00

So, a few days after the concert, I decide to write my review, thanks to finals and all that. Im probably nuts for even going to this concert even though I have finals lol.

First off, stupid mapquest screwed me royally so I end up taking about 45 mins longer to get to WV than planned. Don was getting nervous since I was holding on to his ticket and I wasn’t in WV till after 6. apparently, he had a deal with heather and sara. He should have more confidence in me I say.

It was quite funny, as I bumped into perry during the intermission and she mentioned how she saw me in my car on 77 speeding pass her… speeding is a bad habit that I need to kick.

Now on to the concert. Carrie came out with her new shorter hair, and I think im in love with the new style. She looks so girl-next-door. Wow, can i say i LOVE it? I was concerned that with her illness how she will do tonight. But wow, she was full of energy and her voice was almost perfect. She did cough after songs and her talking voice was a little raspy, and she had a couple of bum notes, but if this had been my first carrie concert, I wouldn’t have guessed she wasn’t feeling well. She was lively performing, jumping and moving all over the place. The crowd actually didn’t stand up for much of her set, but boy was it a LOUD crowd. I had people behind me screaming into my ears the whole time lol. the atmosphere was just great! Def one of the best crowds ive been a part of.

She did talk about how Tom Hanks talked to her in DC, and how impressed she was with his demeanor. I guess it takes a truly humble person to recognize another humble person. Carrie mentioned a couple of times how great a lady her mom is. She again said what a wonderful year it had been for her, and she just wrapped up the time well wasted tour with brad paisley the night before. At this moment, the crowd starts cheering and carrie interrupted the applause “no! no! don’t clap! I’m sad its over!” (or something like that). Im sure she had a blast touring with brad and was absolutely thrilled to sing whiskey lullaby with him.

After the show, I met numerous people from the board: lynn, renee, rob, jen, perry & mom, and “the chauffer”, who are all super nice people. I hope I didn’t miss out on anyone.

Some Tidbits from my trip to Oklahoma

2006-11-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

This trip was just an awesome experience, getting to meet some of the okies and other CFers, and to see carrie back in her home state. I even tried some fried okra lol. She certainly was very happy to be back home and it showed in her performances. Its been a crazy few days since I got home from OK. I’ll just add some comments on top of the reviews.

OKC show
1) the crowd was just electric for our girl’s homecoming. I think the crowd was just as loud, if not louder, for carrie than for mr paisley
2) jake owen, who opened before carrie, hollered to the crowd “for all you cute Oklahoma girls out there!” the crowd went nuts. He continued “I know we got one backstage (referring to carrie)!” surprisingly, it seem not many in the audience got who he was referring to and was pretty much silent in response to that comment.
3) Miranda pointed out to me where mrs underwood and one of carrie’s sisters were sitting. I took a peek and then decided to hide. I somehow got nervous lol.
4) Carrie did talk quite a bit more during this show compared to the other brad paisley shows. As I said, it was really nice seeing her happy!
5) As you all have seen, she was in a stunning all black outfit, with black boots. That girl just keeps getting hotter! I say red, brown, black and green are the best colors on her.
6) It seems by now people know that she does the duet with brad on whiskey lullaby, and the crowd was already ready to explode even before she reached the steps. Those 2 need to record a duet together one day. At the end, brad said “carrie underwood ya’ll! Be proud of her here!”

Visit to Checotah
What struck me was that there were more cars in the town than I expected. Got to see Eufala Lake, the mcdonalds, walmart, the single stoplight, the drive through convenience store, the high school… I’ll put the pics up soon. It actually wasn’t as small as I envisioned.

Tulsa Show
1) This is probably the first solo show ive seen of hers for some time. She has changed the lighting on stage, and the new lighting actually makes taking photos really difficult. Our seats were pretty far back but we were thankful that buff managed to hook us up with a pair of tickets. Thanks buff!
2) Carrie was really really happy and it showed in her performances. I thought she gave her best rendition of DFTRM ive ever heard in concert
3) The crowd was really pumped for BHC. The cute little boy next to me was screaming the words out, wearing his cute little cowboy hat. Yes carrie, us guys sing the song too!
4) The amazing thing about carrie is that she keeps making me love songs that I originally didn’t care for. I heard WYR in concert for the first time and I was just blown away by the concert version. WOW. A note to the producers for her next album, that girl has major vocal talent, that’s for sure.

Jeff's Fort Wayne review

2006-10-22T10:53:00.000-04:00

This is my third brad and carrie concert, and compared to the crowd at the 2 previous shows, this crowd was pretty sleepy! I was amazed at the previous shows how most of the crowd stood up for the entire duration for carrie’s set. At first I was a little disappointed for carrie since that wasn’t the case here, but even when brad came out, a good number of the audience still sat on their seats! I think I was one of a handful who actually stood up for both carrie and brad for the entire duration of their sets!

Who would have guessed that the 2 CF peeps who got tickets through brads club would end up sitting next to each other? Lol. Robin and I had our seats together. Maybe brads club has some sort of tracker or something

It was interesting how the local station came out before the show is announce some promos. They were going to play nothing but brad and carrie songs after the concert, and they were going to give away a pair of tickets for the CMAs to see “Brad and Carrie”. It really seems that all the promo for this tour is about the both of them.

Maybe she had her vacation, but carrie’s energy was unbelievable. She was all over the stage working the crowd as usual, and was even hopping along to her songs. You can see that in some of the vid I recorded

The new backup female singer, nikki, was pretty interesting, from the little that I noticed (since my eyes were glued on carrie for the most part ha!). she really seems to be enjoying herself on the tour, and sported what I call the “nerdy secretary” look (hair tied up, dark-rimmed glasses). During SCOM when carrie hollers for the crowd to get on her feet, nikki ditched the glasses and let her hair down. when carrie left and returned to take her usual spot between nikki and Ashley, nikki was like “look at my hair!” and carrie was like “aaahaaa nice!”

She now changes the order of her set list, switching wasted and BHC, so right after kicking butt with SCOM she keys cars with BHC and the crowd remained wild! She was really really sassy on BHC.

i was amazed to see that many people sit down during brads set! I still am lol. Anyway, at the beginning of his set, the sound people were screwing things up. Sometimes, you’d hear his voice OK, then suddenly it goes soft, and back to OK again. This went on for the first few songs. Grrrr!

They sang whiskey lullaby together again (looks like it’s a staple now!). this time I had no screaming carrie-hater beside me. In fact, the lady next to me went nuts when carrie appeared! Its quite cute how when carrie makes her way towards brad, she seems star-struck to be singing with brad. At the end of the song, you can see brad say “yea! That was great! You did great!” to carrie, and they hugged and brad got his crowd to show her love. It’s typical carrie that she seemed kind of embarrassed having brad have his crowd applaud her as she tried to get them to applaud him. Brad finished off by saying “carrie underwood everybody! The coolest American idol ever! Absolutely!”

Meet and greet (with brad. No not carrie lol!)
I won a M&G pass to meet brad through his fan club. This was my 2nd time trying for the pass and I must say im fortunate to have won one at my second attempt. There were 4 winners through his fan club, 2 from the local radio station and another 4 (im not sure how they got it!). it was quite funny as the 2 girls who won won the M&G through the radio station were wearing “I <3 Carrie” shirts, and they asked if carrie would be coming out to sign, but it seems she had already left the venue. What was interesting was that while we were waiting, we were actually next to carrie’s dressing room!

Anyway, there were 10 of us so this wasn’t like the carrie M&Gs at the merchandise booth (understandably so!) lol. We were let in one by one to have our time meeting the man. All I can say is I am blown away by his sincerity and appreciation for his fans. I was about to open my mouth to say something when he shook my hand and said “hey jeff!” and really looked me in the eye. He asked me if I liked the show, which of course I said yes. I let him know what a dream come true it is for me to meet him and I got him to sign a pic of him and carrie singing whiskey lullaby from Cincinnati and also the album cover for Time Well Wasted. I got him to sign on his side for the WL pic since im hoping to get carrie to sign her side one day lol. what was funny was the pic had a black background, but he signed on the guitar with his black pen. Now, as usual I asked if he could personalize it for me, and he was like “ok sure! but now I need your silver one since ive run out of space on the guitar!” I then told him what an awesome CD he had and he thanked me for liking it and supporting him and coming out to the show, and said how much he appreciates us fans.

We then took a pic (one of his band members took it. His club is awesome. They don’t allow you to use your camera, but they will have the pics up on the fanclub for ordering. Word is they only charge you for shipping). he put his arm round my shoulder, so im about to put mine round his and the wretched wall got in the way so I touched his butt! Lmao! Thankfully, I never had a situation like this with carrie, if not I’ll be sitting in jail!

I thanked brad and he thanked me again. I almost forgot to say what I had planned to say to him since I was so blown away by his humility and sincerity. So as I was a bout to step out I said “hey brad, congrats on the baby and all the best for the CMAs!” he smiled and thanked me again. I think what I spoke to him is probably about as much I have spoken to carrie all these times combined!

Seriously, brad is so down-to-earth, sincere and appreciative, I couldn’t believe it. I had always admired him for putting out great country music. But now seeing how he treats his fans and carrie, and getting a glimpse of him as a person, I am just wowed. Carrie couldn’t be on tour with a better person!

Jeff's Combined Reviews --- Ohio double header (Columbus and cincy)

2006-10-07T11:40:00.000-04:00

Combined reviews. Warning: SUPER LONG

Great Great Show! If you love carrie and you love good country music, this is the ticket you must absolutely get!!! I was really happy when it was announced that brad paisley had invited carrie to tour with him, since he is prob my fav male country artist. I also thought all along that personality-wise they would fit in nicely since brad has this really dry and dorky sense of humor. This is definitely the best ticket out there right now.

Columbus Ohio Sep 29

Jake owen opened the show. I think he actually started like 15 minutes early and played about 25 minutes. He was pretty good.

Carrie’s set
Now as you all know, carrie has this new stage set up with the steps, and the intro to Y&B is longer and really sets the scene for a rocking show. Actually kinds of reminds me how dierks Bentley starts out his show when he starts with lots of leavin left to do…

So carrie came out on the top of the steps, the crowd went wild. There were pretty huge sections of the crowd that stood up immediately (mostly the side sections, btw I was row 15 DEAD center )

Now, onto the group that was seated next to me. There was a guy with his gf and also I assume his gf’s parents. Guess what, the guy kept shouting “yeah carrie! Woohoo!” lol he was really enthusiastic for carrie! On my other side was this guy and his mom. Throughout her set, I could hear the 2 guys next to me go “ooh and aaah!” each time she hit those notes. They really were jamming to her set!

Carrie received GREAT applause for each of her songs, and especially for DFTRM, SCOM, BHC and JTTW. EVERYONE was on their feet for SCOM and BHC. (she did BHC after SCOM) I actually recorded the crowd reaction after SCOM and I can assure you, none of what you hear is coming from me! You really can hear the guy with the gf, he really enjoyed the rocker chick lol (http://download.yousendit.com/675CF14A1BFC87B9)

So after carrie goes off stage, the guy next to me (the one with the gf and her parents) started shouting “WE want MORE!!! WE want MORE!!!” the gf’s dad was like hey we have brad coming up, and the guy says to him “NO! I WANT more HER!!!” lol it was hilarious, esp the look on the gf’s face

Lyss and perry found me during the intermission. I was checking the pics in my cam when I heard my name. always nice meeting members of the board!

Brad’s set (with carrie and WL)
Now onto mr brad paisley. This is my second time seeing him. He really is great fun. Great guitar player, and plays just awesome music. He has his guitar picks on the mic stands and he throws the picks to the crowd. When a mic stand runs out of picks, he has someone bring the stand backstage to put more picks on it lol. He went nuts throwing the picks to the crowd! He has some really cool and funny computer animations that he made which get played on the screen as he performs.

He talked about the ohio state buckeyes being the #1 ranked team in the nation. He was like “buckeyes huh?” and the crowd went nuts. Being a Michigan wolverine, I had to control myself lol. Then brad goes “I’m from W-w-west Virginia…” (west Virginia is the 4th ranked team) and the crowd isn’t sure whether to boo him or not lol. Then brad goes “maybe we’ll meet in the championship game!”

Brad had carrie sing whiskey lullaby with him. you can tell carrie was really nervous. 1) maybe she was concerned about not forgetting the words, 2) it really is one of the greatest duets, 3) I recall her saying she thinks brad paisley is a cutie, some time back when she just won AI right? I understand that, I think carrie is a cutie and I get all nervous around her all the time lol. The crowd went nuts when she appeared on the top of the steps singing the first few lines of her part. This song was sung acoustically and she sounded beautiful, despite the nerves. You can see her fidgeting a little, touching her hair and scratching her nose etc. I was surprised that they managed to work this out this early in the tour.

i thought what was really cool was that brad seemed to sense carrie's nerves. so when she walked over to him during the song, you can see brad looking her in the eye and giving her a nod and look of encouragement, like a big brother to his little sister, y'know. i have a younger sister and that couple of moments when he was encouraging carrie, kinda reminded of me and my sister... lol. ok back to carrie. so at the end, brad pats her on the shoulder and smiles to convey "good job", carrie gives a kinda sheepish smile, but the crowd goes nuts. brad then gives a shout out "carrie underwood ya all!" as carrie runs off the stage. gosh, even running off the stage she looks cute lol.

What a show… now on to Cincinnati…

Cincinnati 30 sep

My tickets for this show were ordered through the brad paisley fanclub, so I picked them up at will call. Now, I knew this venue had like 5 rows in the pit and I was expecting my seat to be in rows 2-6 FROM the pit, but lo and behold, I was IN the pit! Wow brad really looks after his fans. When carrie sets up her fanclub, I hope she takes a cue from mr paisley since he really does look after his fans. Till this day, I have yet to hear a brad paisley fan complain about their seats from the fan club.

The local radio station was having some kind of karaoke contest, with people singing songs by jake, carrie or brad. When the girl started to “belt out” JTTW, I ran to my seat for cover...

Got to my seat. Pretty neat. 5th row in the pit slightly off center. Met perry again as she and her friend were seated in front of me. I think I tortured them later when I was singing with brad paisley lol. a while later, I saw someone familiar walk right across me as she made her way to her seat. I stuck out my hand and probably surprised/shocked Hil

Jake started the show again. Some of the ladies loved him, and there was this guy who kept shouting “jake I love you!!!” there were pockets of the crowd on their feet for him.

So during the intermission, hil came over to chat a little, and what do you get when 2 moderators of cf meet up? Yea, they discuss the days pressing issues, ie is carrie’s band too loud. We both agreed that from our seats it was a little difficult to follow most of jake’s songs, but hil mentioned she went to the back of the venue during part of jake’s set and she could hear him pretty good from there. Interesting…

Carrie’s Set
Now onto carrie’s set. I thought the Columbus crowd was great, well that was NOTHING compared to what Cincinnati had in store for miss carrie. The entire crowd was on their feet throughout her set (ok I noticed a small section sitting during one song but that was it I think). This is only the 2nd time I have ever been on my feet the entire duration of a carrie set. Unbelievable energy. Even better energy than more than half of the carrie solo concerts for sure

The crowd was rocking, and you could hear them sing along to DFTRM, SCOM, BHC and JTTW. Being in Cincinnati, the crowd went nuts during JTTW “She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati”

Brad’s set (with carrie and WL)
Brad talked about football again. “bengals huh?” and the crowd went nuts. He then admitted that he grew up as a browns fan and the crowd heartily booed him! Lol I couldn’t believe it. Ahhh ohio politics!

I really enjoyed his set again. He truly is great. Everyone needs to see him live just as I say everyone needs to see carrie live.

Now, I knew carrie had a show in Massachusetts the next day so I was wondering if she would stay behind to sing WL with brad. This time I had my cam recording the start of WL. And when it came to allison’s part, carrie came out onto the steps again! And the crowd just went berserk! She was much more confident this time, its just amazing what a difference a night makes. She stayed on the steps longer this time and they really sounded beautiful together. Carrie really did justice to allison’s part of the song. It was just hauntingly beautiful. They really need to record a duet one for one of their albums. They both took turns to get the crowd to applaud each other at the end, and you could see carrie was really happy as she clapped her hands and smiled really brightly (which looks cute as usual). The crowd gave a rousing ovation and brad gave carrie her kudos “carrie underwood ya all!!!”. And they cheered heartily as she bounced off the stage. It really is just so awesome, for me personally, to see 2 of my favorites respect and care for one another.

Now, onto my video capture. As I mentioned the crowd gave her so much love, but unfortunately, the one hater in the crowd was standing next to me! She wasn’t around during carrie’s set and when carrie appeared she was screaming “why does she have to ruin everything???!!!” and unfortunately that was caught on my recording. I want to make it clear that the crowd really loved her and it was just my luck to have the lone hater next to me. Its really sad for her since she was so biased she already had her opinion formed even before carrie opened her mouth. Its her loss for not being able appreciate the beautiful harmony of brad’s and carrie’s voices.

General comments (similar things for both shows)
She didn’t talk as much as she does when she is the headliner. She did thank brad for having her tour with him. She also dedicated DFTRM to the moms and daughters in the crowd, and thanked the audience for putting where she is today before singing JTTW.

Seriously, I have never seen this much love for an opening act before. The thing about carrie, is, most of her songs that she performs have not been released to radio, and for the crowd to enjoy every one of them is just phenomenal.

Brad performed his new single, She’s Everything. It’s the first time ive seen him perform it and it was awesome. Probably would be another #1 hit for him. I also really liked and was touched with When I Get Where I’m Going. He paid tribute to some great people who have passed away: dale earnhardt, Ronald Reagan, JFK, elvis, steve Irwin, buck owens etc

Interestingly, brad also thanked the crowd for giving him this wonderful job, and then went on to perform Easy Money.

My only complaint is that since brad has recorded so many great songs, some of his great hits were never performed, like We Danced and He Didn’t Have to Be.

i was surprised that brad actually got carrie to sing allison krause's part. when whiskey lullaby was recorded, i recall brad saying he invited allison since he thought she was the greatest living female vocalist. its pretty awesome he thinks this highly of carrie. i thought that carrie did sound a little like allison during the duet. its also interesting to note that during carrie's My Music Mix on GAC showing all her favorite videos, the video for this song was in that list as well

final thoughts
what an amazing weekend, seeing carrie open for one of my other favs. Again, I have to pimp for this show. There really is nothing stopping you from getting this ticket.

About the band, I think the chemistry is working out great.

Sometimes, we get newspaper reviews that don’t put carrie in a very positive light. All I have to say is this. That review is the opinion of one person, while its blindingly obvious almost all of the brad paisley crowd loved her. I think the opinion of 8,000 (or however big each of the venues are) brad paisley fans speak louder than one newspaper reporter.

What was more incredible, to me, was seeing how brad wants to help carrie, like any big brother would for his little sister. The way he encouraged her when she was obviously nervous performing with him really touched me. And that obviously settled her nerves the next evening. Its just wonderful seeing 2 great, genuine, humble talented country artists tour together and it is also amazing to witness the admiration and respect they have for each other.

Columbus pics

Cincinnati pics

Jeff's Greensboro Review --- his final meeting with Miss Carrie (what happened???)

2006-09-17T12:08:00.000-04:00

Another great show put on by our lovely and talented miss carrie underwood. This show was awesome as there were quite a few interesting things happening.

-Carrie wore the same outfit she had in Missouri, which is probably one of my favorite “non-red” outfit she has since I really think she looks like a princess in this. She was pretty talkative during the show and was just so endearing in her chatter to the crowd.

-After one of the songs early in the set, she look at mark (the bass player) and went “mark, is that yoghurt behind you? Why do you have yoghurt? Lets have something like pizza or chocolate!”

-She mentioned how she isn’t too good with chatting and that she often goes “off tangent”. So everytime she spoke to the crowd she went “see! I go off tangent again!”

-After another song, she made a great declaration “I am a dork! I really am!”

-During SCOM, during the part where Ed zones out playing the guitar, he actually ran off the stage and into the audience. Carrie pointed in his direction. Sara and I were like where the heck is he??? And finally I spot him in the audience! He then made a somewhat unsuccessful attempt to get back on the stage as he actually tripped on the steps, so he stumbled but didn’t fall down. At the end of the song carrie was like “oh, ed, you gave me a fright!”

-During wasted, at the end where Ashley does his thing with the fiddle running all over the stage, he also ran off the stage and into the audience!!! At this time sara and I were like “man imagine if carrie ran out to the crowd!” so after that, she commented that ed and Ashley had taken their turns running out to the crowd and so who would be next? “Maybe Lemar?” she said, “but he has to stay with his green drums! We’ll figure something out for lemar!”

-During the end of I just cant live a lie as carrie is singing the last few lines with her eyes closed, Ashley took a bouquet of flowers that a fan had given carrie earlier in the show and then went down on one knee holding the flowers, as if proposing to carrie. When carrie finally opened her eyes she got a surprise and yelped out “oooohhh!!!” and laughed heartily and everyone cracked up. “you scared me Ashley! Bad Ashley!” The best part? I was recording this song on video so I got that part too. I don’t think I will be sending this to mrs clark lol

-She took time to show her appreciation for the gifts the fans put on the stage for her. She showed off the bouquet of flowers to the crowd (the one that Ashley later used to “propose” to her); someone threw a puppet carebear on the stage and carrie actually picked it up and played with it as she sang (I got a picture of that!); and she also put on a necklace and said she had to use the things that fans give her!

-She also commented that performing in NC was pretty nice since the weather is great. She talked about how some venues were cold and as luck would have it, she would be performing indoors when the weather outside was nice (this was in an auditorium). She obviously hasn’t heard of the term good-weather carrie :)

This show was just awesome. I will rank this just below Missouri, so this is the 2nd best show I have seen her.

Just somethings about the new members of the band. The new girl really does seem to need more time to learn. Don’t be too hard on her. The new guitarist was really good I thought. If you didn’t know he was new you would have thought he has been with the band for some time. He blended in really well.

Meeting carrie
Of course it seems my review is never complete without mentioning my meeting with carrie after the show. Don sara and I were near the end of the line. It was really long and was extended all the way until we were outdoors! The line grew and grew. Keith and the security people kept coming out to check how long the line is and they were always “Holy crap!” I don’t think carrie is too popular with the even staff since she actually makes them work more than they would need to for other stars lol.

Finally it got to our turn. Sara wanted me to take a pic of her and carrie (since we have the same cam model). Turns out don decided to take a pic of them too. So the funny thing is, carrie was looking at dons camera and sara was looking at mine when the pictures were taken!

As usual, I insisted I went after sara and don, since being last in the group does seem to make me less nervous around carrie. So when it was my turn to meet her i handed her the pic to sign, she was like "which pen should i sign with (silver or black)?" i said i think any color will do. i was stressing showing her the present I got her so i didnt take the opportunity to ask for my pen she stole from me the last time i met her. i showed her the mug and she held it and looked at it and was like "oooh thats cute!!!" i then said "i like the cat's eyes, they reminded me of yours thats why i got it for you. and you have really beautiful eyes!" she then looks at me and goes "aww thank you!"

so she is about to sign the pic and then she said something that absolutely made my day. she went "shall i make this to jeff as usual?"and flashed her signature smile. I was freaking out at this point! OMG not only does she remember me she remembers my name, and knows that i like her to personalize her autographs for me!!! i mean she knows that im a huge fan and she really didnt need to say that to me. it just goes to show how she cares for her fans, not just as fans, but as people too. i couldnt believe my ears. i thought i was a) going to die or b) going to wake up from some dream. but no it was reality! i suffered from brain cramps (duh!) and just nodded my head and smiled like a silly fool. now with my brain suffering my hands had difficulty packing the mug back into the box and into the bag. keith was like "c'mon jeff, we gotta keep the line moving". so i moved aside to pack the mug. i then put the bag next to carrie and as i was about to leave she turned her head and smiled that signature smile of hers at me and said "thank you!" i was suffering from so much cramping i couldnt even thank her or say youre welcome. i just gave her my signature silly smile and left. so yea i did pull a jeff again!

This will be my final meeting with carrie and she totally made my day. I couldn’t sleep that nite and right now, im still running on 2 hours of sleep as I have tons of HW assignments to complete! But wow it is worth it!!!

the present

Jeff's Carrie with Kenny in Chicago review (episode: Sprinting for Carrie)

2006-09-03T23:35:00.000-04:00

i go into the stadium at around 3, an hour after the gates were opened. Kenny fans were there early to have a great tailgaiting party, and there I am with absolutely nothing! I ask where the oasis stage is (where carrie will be doing her acoustic set). Just as I am about to head there, I get a call from sara and she just arrived at the parking lot. Turns out her car is parked 2 cars from mine lol. And luckily she got some beers so we at least look like we’re tailgating. Turns out her friend is in town so we wiat for him.

We thought that since most of the folks there were tailgaiting at the lot and were Kenny fans that there wouldn’t be a crowd for carrie’s acoustic set. So we head over half an hour before her set started, and there already was a slight crowd. Sara and her friend decide to look for the restroom and during that time the crowd swelled and there was no way she could get back to our spot

Carrie arrived at the stage and got a really good reception from the crowd. I lifted up my sign for her; with all the heads in front of me, I cannot be sure, but I think she spotted it and smiled. She starts talking to the stage crew for some time as everyone is eagerly awaiting for her to start. There certainly was a buzz. She wore the same outfit as she did during the Missouri state fair (which is my favorite non-red outfit of hers), but she had her hair back here. One of the DJs from the local station, US99 then asks her a question on air, asking what is her favorite “Carrie” --- “Carrie Fisher”, “Carrie Bradshaw”, or “Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood”. At this moment half the crowd breaks out in jeers. Carrie laughed and said judging from the response she better not choose the last option.

She did a short 4-song acoustic set: DFTRM, IAICA, JTTW and BHC. The Kenny fans around me were oohing and aahing as she hit those notes beautifully, and I could hear their amazement. I heard comments like “oh my God” and “she’s amazing”. That’s the beauty of carrie’s voice; it is just so pure and beautiful. Before she did BHC, she mentioned she was taking a request from the front row as someone wanted BHC. She then said “mark (Oakley) says no, I say yes, so we’re doing it!” I wished the set was longer but hey im not complaining. I hope one day she does a full concert acoustically.

The acoustic set ended at 515 and the gates for the stadium didn’t open till 6. at this moment, I see I have a text message, and its from Richard. He couldn’t handle missing seeing carrie in his home town so he came down to see her and got tickets for the show! I meet up with him and robin. A while later, I decide to keep my sign back in the car, and soon enough sara returned to her car to take some stuff for the concert.

We head over to enter the stadium at around 630. I am about to go in the the security tells me I cannot bring my bagpack in! im like no way, my car is parked at the other end! Can I leave the bag somewhere around here? And he said to me that he wont guarantee the bag will be here after the show. Carrie’s set was starting at 7 and the crowd was increasing in size to enter the stadium. So I sprinted my way back to my car, threw the bag in it, took my camera out from it, and sprinted back to the gate. I go through the same security guy and he smiles at me and says youre good to go son. I thank him for giving me a work out, and I was really huffing and puffing at this point. But that wasn’t it. The crowd was so huge it took me some time to get to the field area. I was still trying to get onto the field when I heard the opening drum beat for Young and Beautiful. Im like ugggh and I finally get onto the field and carrie comes out singing. My seat is 13th row from the front so I had some distance to walk/run to it. Sara sees me and asks if I ran. I just huffed and puffed and nodded instead of saying yes. I am totally unfit I have to say.

Carrie did her usual 6-sing set when she opens for Kenny. Y&B, BHC, DFTRM, JTTW, wasted, SH, and she got a great response throughout her set, especially during her 3 radio singles. Most of the folks were singing the songs, and if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have guessed she was just an opening act. Everyone was on their feet, dancing and singing along. i thought she got the biggest ovation for DFTRM. It just amazed me at the reception she got as an opener, since all the other openers I have seen in other concerts usually gets polite applause at best. To have the fans of another artist react this way I thought was great. I wished she would have talked a little instead of rushing through her set, since the Kenny fans do seem to appreciate her. Her set was over in less than 25 minutes.

Dierks Bentley and Kenny both put on great shows. I recommend you guys seeing these 2 in concert. They are great. The fans were standing on their chairs during kennys set, so sara and I follow suit, cos if we didn’t there was no way to be able to see Kenny lol. At the end of the show, our legs were killing us since the chairs were not meant to be stood on haha, and I was still recovering from the sprint earlier on.

As carrie’s tour with Kenny chesney ends, I would just like to thank Kenny for inviting carrie on his tour. I still think it was huge for Kenny to invite her along. carrie would never had the opportunity to perform in these huge stadium shows if not for Kenny, and I think it was a great learning experience for her. So, thank you, Kenny!

Jeff’s New York State fair review

2006-09-03T23:30:00.000-04:00

Ok, how should I start? Carrie was just awesome once again, but she was especially talkative during this show.

Just a few tidbits

- it was an overcast day. It wasn’t supposed to rain. But I came prepared with my poncho. After andy griggs’ set when they set up the stage for carrie, I hear thunder. I look at the guy next to me and we both had the same “oh no” look. Turns out the stereo was playing garth brooks’ The Thunder Rolls. We both heave a sigh of relief. So we start talking. He is amazed (not surprising) when I said I came in from Michigan. Guess wearing a Cornell university tshirt didn’t help me blend in among the new Yorkers. Turns out, he knows one of the star players for my college football team (Michigan wolverines) so he tells me some interesting things. Even says he thinks the wolverines will go unbeaten this season. I said ohio state has a good team, he shakes his head, says the wolverines will be the team to surprise everyone. Immediately I like him since he is at a carrie concert and he predicts my team will go unbeaten lol. So we talk about carrie, and so he asks if he is correct to assume that I have been to a few carrie concerts. I reply “yea a few” and then say she puts on a great show.

- show starts. The guy next to me is immediately impressed as he oohs and ahhs as she hits the notes. Oh yea, he tells his parents and gf that I came in from Michigan. He is about to start taking pictures, then sees my canon powershot and he goes “that’s got to take some great pictures! Can you send me yours?” of course I agree since I already like him.

- Carrie is wearing a simple red blouse and jeans. Man, red is the best color on her. My favorite look of hers with the CMAs last year and the NASCAR coke 600. why does she keep looking better and better each time I see her?

- As others have mentioned, carrie was especially chatty, the chattiest I have ever seen her in concert. The part I found most amusing was early on the show, she asks “has school started?” and then she nods her head slowly and frowns and goes “yea? Well, I don’t need to go back to school since I just graduated” after a song or 2, I think it was SCOM, when she ends the songs, she exclaims “class dismissed!”

- She also mentioned she thinks she is a dork and the audience get a chuckle out of that. Well, she has to be the most beautiful dork then

- She says how she sees little girls just bawl when they meet her and she wonders why. She is just carrie underwood. Then she talks about her recent encounter with randy travis, someone whom she has looked up to for a long time. And she remembered she was bawling as well!

- She mentioned her tour with Kenny chesney. Says she probably made him feel old when she mentioned to him that she saw him in concert when she was 15. she then mentions she will tour with brad paisley in the fall and that he is such a nice guy. I am thinking, watch out young lady, he hasn’t played a prank on you yet. But then maybe cant bring himself to play a prank on sweet carrie…

- My new pal sitting next to me keeps saying to me how good he thinks she is (practically after each song he goes man she is good!). Turns out, his gf is actually sitting a row behind and a few seats away too. Safe for him to praise carrie.

- It starts to drizzle during her acoustic set. I go yikes and start to wear my poncho and put it on the wrong way. My pal says “you certainly came prepared”. It took me a good couple of minutes to put it on, but then 2 problems arose. One, its warm inside the poncho; two, I cant take any pics with my came with the poncho on! So I take it off and place my faith in good-weather carrie again. Good-weather carrie pulls through again as the drizzle stops pretty soon.

- There was this couple of people in the front (or second) row and they made signs for carrie. She comes over my side of the stage, they put it up. Ok no big deal, since ive made one before and I know their excitement. She looks at it and they leave it up the ENTIRE time she was there. My pal shouted at them; I couldn’t say anything as I thought I was going to get an aneurysm missing out on some potential photos. Then the next time she comes over, they put it up again!!! Unbelievable, though thankfully not the entire time she was there, but they did this at least 5 times…

- Carrie leaves the stage after SH, so my pal asks me “that’s all???” and I assure him there is one more. He looks happy.

Meeting carrie

Some of you may know already, but I was determined to tell her what I had always planned to say to her since the first time I met her, but with my repeated failures and pulling myselfs, never got to say! We were pretty much in the front of the line and I made sure I was last among the CF folks so they couldn’t watch me pull a potential me. At this point Sara wants a picture taken of her and carrie, and she entrusts her camera to my bungling hands, since we use the exact same model. So I had mine slung around my neck, and then slung Sara’s camera around my neck too. One of the fair security folks look at me and asks me how many cameras I have. Someone (I think either sara or don) said yea hes the paparazzi. I just smile as my moment is arriving.

So sara goes before me. I go out of the line to get a better angle to take a picture of her and carrie. So after sara spoke with carrie, the guy who was behind me propped himself in front of carrie! So I just butted in and said “hey, sorry dude, its my turn.” My hands were freakin full at this time as I was holding the pic I wanted her to sign, I was holding my bag with her present in it, and my neck had 2 huge cameras slung on it. I decide to return sara her camera.

I changed my approach this time. Usually, I stress myself out showing carrie the present I got her and then forget everything else, so I just placed the bag on the table and told her I got her a magnetic plush toy that she could stick onto her fridge. She looked at it (the bag is transparent) and smiles. Then, the moment comes when I finally say what I have wanted to say all along. Miracles do happen, reggie. I was determined to spit everything out. So I just said “I haven’t said this before, but I really want to thank you for everything you have done for us. It really means a lot and we all really appreciate everything.” (ok, now that wasn’t really as hard as I made it out to be right?) Carrie flashes me this huge smile and looks incredulously at me, perhaps knowing it’s the first time I have ever strung a sentence of more than 10 words in front of her, since all I usually say is “thank you” when she hands me back the autographed picture. She then laughs and says back “well, thank YOU for coming back out once again!” at this moment I hand her this stunning pic for her to sign (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...i/IMG_1417.jpg) then she looks and says “how can i sign black on black?" and flashes me another smile. I then hand over the silver pen that I had brought along. As she is about to hand me the picture back, I say to her “you look really great tonight in this outfit and red is a great color for you.” At this moment, she giggles and then gives me a cute little pose! I don’t know how to describe it, but its something like a curtsy even though she is sitting down (makes sense?). at this point, my determination not to have brain cramps is broken as she is looking so stunning in that red blouse, and that little pose she did just did it for me. i thanked her again as she handed me back my pic and left. And then I realized my brain cramps cost me something! I left my silver pen behind with carrie! Lol sneaky carrie! I am convinced she comes on this board and somehow got wind of my determination not to have brain cramps this time so she probably ensured I got one anyway, and then came away with my silver pen too! Haha!

Jeff's Illinois State Fair review

2006-08-21T22:07:00.000-04:00

After the high of the Missouri state fair, would the Illinois state fair disappoint? Obviously not haha.

This is the furthest I have ever been seated at a carrie concert. Phil Vassar opened for almost an hour and he put on a great show. I do think he is one of the most under-rated male country artists today.

During the intermission while they were setting up the stage for carrie, one of the Djs from the local station came up and talked about carrie. It was announced that this was the largest crowd for this years fair.for those unaware, CURT (carrie underwood radio team) organizes weekly listening parties (usually on a Friday) and one was arranged the Friday before the concert. The vey DJ who hosted the party for CURT came up and gave a shout out to the carrie underwood listening party that he hosted and thanked all those who were listening in! how awesome is he!

I think after the Missouri state fair, carrie has reached another amazing new level in terms of her as a live concert performer. She was full of energy and moving around (and making it extrememly difficult to take pics of her lol). A few tidbits

- she was back to flirting with her band members during BHC. After the song she was like “I notice its normally the girls who sing along to this song, but tonight I notice a lot of guys singing along too! Whats up with that?” and then she laughed. She then went on and said she has been getting lots of bats in the mail and assured guys need not be afraid of her. At this moment, being the goon that I am, (despite being way back in the grandstand) I decided to shout out “we’ll never cheat on you carrie!”

- early on her set, she tried to reach out to touch the outstretched hands of fans, and after the song, she announced “I really wanna touch your hands, but… I have a phobia of fallin off the stage when I reach out! I really do have a phobia!!!”

- the crowd really sang along when she sang DFTRM. She was really touched and said it means a lot to her when the crowd sings along to her songs, since it shows her that her songs do matter to the fans.

- after IAICA, she went around the stage and bowed to each section of the audience (ala martina mcbride. I think she gave martina a call lol). However, she needs to bow to the crowd when she gets those standing ovations that shes getting on a really regular basis instead of cutting the ovation off! Lol. She bowed really gracefully and I got that on video.

Meet and greet
I was way back in the lineanyhow i am about to meet her and the cop there asks me to place my picture for her to sign on the table (to make things faster). the cop says "hey thats a great pic!" but i didnt respond cos i was too engrossed looking at carrie lol. she signed this one

I chose this pic (with advice from some of you, thanks!). she looked at it and was like "eek i look scary!" as you know i think she looks cute in the pic, but who am i to argue with carrie underwood, 3x platinum artist, the next megastar, and angel in my eyes??? As usual, I got her a present (I was visiting st louis the day before, so I got her a tshirt from the gateway arch), so i just chuckled and then handed her the present and mentioned i was in st louis the day before and got her something from there since its the city where everything began for her. she then said "thanks! its my lucky city!"

Jeff's missouri state fair review --- best Carrie concert yet!!! (8/18)

2006-08-19T23:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, so you guys know that ive been to a few carrie concerts right? But as don had earlier mentioned, this was simply the BEST carrie concert ever. No doubt. When I met up with don after the show, I asked him (hey hes been to the most concerts so he’d be able to judge) and he agreed without hesitation this was her best yet. This girl just continues to amaze me. I was oohing and ahhing throughout as if I was attending my first carrie concert. I was slightly worried she was doing too many shows in too little days, that her voice might get strained; now I can stop worrying. Her vocals were the most powerful I have ever heard, and were soaring as she hit all those crazy notes effortlessly and held them for like forever; she was having fun and enjoyed performing for the crowd; and this crowd was the best ive ever had. Man they were out there to really have a great time. The people around me (and myself) were on their feet for the entire duration of carrie’s set, even during the acoustic set of songs (my type of crowd! I love standing during carrie concerts! So I didn’t have to sit down fearing blocking other peoples view). Most of her songs turned out to be carrie sing-along sessions as the crowd gave carrie backup vocals lol

A few tidbits about the concert (Words will never be able to describe or justify how awesome she was last night):
-Don and I were wondering what kind of crowd will be at the concert, cos the fair wasn’t crowded at all. Little did we know this was going to be the best crowd at a concert.

-I absolutely loved what she wore last night. She looked every inch a country princess.

-Good-weather carrie was at it again. There was 50% chance of a thunderstorm during the show. I had arrived at the venue at 430pm. it was mad hot, 100 degrees, then at around 530 the dark clouds gathered and it rained till about slightly past 6. it was overcast and MUCH cooler the rest of the night! Carrie was really happy as she mentioned “its really gotten a lot cooler here hasn’t it!” to the crowd

-The wind was blowing throughout the concert and you could see carrie adjusting her hair all the time. She mentioned that she was “eating my hair” and later on “I keep eating my hair!!!”

-She mentioned she still thinks she isn’t good at telling jokes, and beseeched to crowd to give her a courtesy laugh even if they thought she wasn’t funny. The crowd cracked up at that statement.

-The choreography for BHC was totally different. She didn’t do her dances and flirty moves with her band members but was totally rocking. Ive got a vid of that so youd see what I mean. She also talked about spending a whole night shooting the video for this and said it is coming out soon. She also mentioned there isn’t a whole lot of violence in it.

-I know I gave the album version of wasted some beef in the past, but its one of her best songs live. The place was rocking to the strong beat. I now do think if they do some tweaking to the album version and send it out as the next single it would be another smash for her. In fact, if they wanted a video of it they should just record this one live.

-She really threw herself emotionally into Don’t forget to remember me and Jesus take the wheel, particularly the former. She said she misses her mom and when she started singing the first couple of lines, I thought she was going to cry. She sang the entire song with her eyes closed. But she held on and gave another overwhelming vocal, and got a great ovation for it.

-I got a vid of JTTW so you can see what I meant above. She sang most of the song with her eyes closed and hand up in the air. Before the song, she thanked the crowd again for putting her where she is today and urged the crowd to go out and pursue their own dreams.

-I took one more vid for The night before. I know I had taken one of this before but I am a total sucker for her vocals for this song. Hearing how great her vocals tonight, I HAD to record this one.

-When she left the stage after some hearts the crowd was chanting her name for a long time. There was no way she couldn’t come back out for IAICA

-She mentioned she considers Missouri her good luck state, since she tried out for the audition in st louis. For IAICA at the end where she changes the lyrics to say “oh theres nothing like Missouri” she put her hand on her hip, (and I don’t really know how to describe it lol) and mentioned Missouri in a pretty sassy way.

-At the end of the show, she bowed elegantly and graciously to the crowd. Right side of the stage, right center, center, left center, left… she bowed so many times and for so long she didn’t want to leave. She might have been so happy and could have done a few more extra songs for this crowd if she had enough song material to do so.

After the concert:
The line to meet her was insanely long. As don and I were near the front, we ended up being near the end of the line since the nearer the row was to the stage, the further it was from the exit to the merchandise booth. We knew she was going to perform in Kentucky the next night and that’s an 8 hour drive away (the reason why I wont be going to that show). So it wouldn’t have surprised us if she had to leave early… but carrie came through again as she stayed back a couple of hours to sign for everyone in line. I planned on congratulating her on the success of her 2 singles and for putting up the best show ever. Well, after waiting in line for almost 1 ½ hours nervously, I finally got up to her and before I could say anything, she said something that gave me brain cramps (again. Hey what did you expect? I pulled a jeff… wait no I pulled a me lol). I got her a present (again) and demonstrated how to operate it and she laughed and she took it to take a closer look. Keith at this point must be rolling his eyes as he has to carry yet another present from this crazy guy for carrie lol. But keith was in a really good mood tonight too. Don then congratulated her on putting on her best show and I remembered I wanted to say the same thing so I butted in and added “yea! Yea! Your best yet!” lol sorry don!

its an electric hand held fan, you press his tummy to make it work and the tummy lights up...

She just continues to amaze me with her effort to reach out to her fans. How many triple platinum artist (or even double platinum or single platinum) ever turn up at his/her merchandise booth to sign autographs even for a short time, let alone a couple of hours night after night. She may be new, but shes a big star and a triple platinum one. My hat is off to you carrie.

Last comments:
I just couldn’t believe she put up such an awesome show in Missouri. For those of you who were there, you really had a great night and I would also like to thank you for attending as carrie really fed off your energy. It was the best (positive) energy ive ever experienced at a concert, carrie and non-carrie. If someone sent the video of this concert to the people who vote for the CMAs, carrie would probably end up being nominated for Entertainer of the Year. Im not kidding. I have seen most of the big name country acts in concert and her energy is up there with them. She also took her vocals to a whole new level. Theres no stopping carrie underwood right now. She keeps getting better. And the next time I think she couldn’t improve anymore, she will probably end up proving me wrong again.

Vids coming up (BHC with Jolene, TNB, JTTW), and another 100+ pics. The pics will be up monday evening when I return to Michigan. Vids I will be sending to vin for tagging and all that

One more thing I would like to add. Don and I were amazed at the friendliness of the people of Missouri. My hat is off to you guys. Thanks for being a part and helping me experience my best concert ever. What else could you ask for a concert? Great weather, great crowd, and the greatest carrie performance. I feel really blessed.

edit: i just remembered one thing she needs to improve on. when he throws her guitar pick to the corwd. it doesnt even get to the first row. i was in second row and saw the lady in front waving her hands out in a futile attempt to catch it!

Jeff's review for Country Thunder, Twin Lakes, WI (07/20)

2006-07-20T22:14:00.000-04:00

WOW! Again im amazed with how our girl performs live. What a show this was! You guys may end up getting bored with my reviews since she’s so consistently amazing!

Got to the show in time to see Miranda lambert perform before carrie. I have to say its really different watching someone perform and you don’t really know their music. It wasn’t until she performed Kerosene at the end of her set that I got into her performance. It was drizzling during her set and I was hoping it would stop in time for carrie, cos no way was I going to risk my camera to take photos in the rain.

At 6, it was carrie’s turn, and the rain was no more. It was an overcast day so no problems of sunburn either. What can I say. It was supposed to rain in Fowlerville and Pittsburgh, but it didn’t. carrie underwood brings good weather!

The stage here had an interesting set up. Right in the center, in between the 2 front center sections was a runway that extended from the stage all the way to the end of the front section! And boy did carrie work that runway out! She went up and down it on several occasions. I was 10 seats in from the center and goodness knows how many toes I trod on to rush to the runway to take some pics of her when she was working it! She mentioned how it reminds her of a fashion show!

One of the best parts was during the early part of her show, people who were lined across the runway stuck their hands out and carrie reached down to touch each person’s hand. I too stuck my hand out, and what can I say? It feels awesome to get touched by an angel . It’s a miracle my knees didn’t buckle lol

Carrie made some cute comments after performing BHC. She was like “guys please don’t be afraid of me! (I was thinking hey im not afraid lol) ive been getting a lot of bats in the mail lately, I don’t know what im going to do with them all, I guess give them to security I dunno.” She then went on to apologize about her hair.

The crowd was pretty subdued. I think because she had already done a solo show in green bay and opened for alan Jackson in Milwaukee just a couple of weeks back. So there weren’t that many people with carrie shirts on. Most were there for the main act at the end, keith urban.

However, she really got the crowd rocking with sweet child of mine, and she made another move towards the runway and I again trod on some toes I think to rush there to get a video clip the crowd went nuts for her when she finished. People around me were like “oh my God, is she awesome or what!?”

Carrie also got great applause for DFTRM and JTTW. She thanked the crowd and her fans, but she didn’t talk as much maybe since this wasn’t totally her crowd. She did all her songs from her usual set with the exception of IAICA.

So, now off to meet miss underwood. I don’t know, I’ve met her a number of times but I still feel nervous lol. I had gotten her a present (that is related to what I made for her when I saw her in Green Bay) and a card. So finally it was my turn to meet her. What would happen this time? She smiled at me and said “Hi!” I handed her the present and she was “awww thank you! Cute! Very nice! Thank you!” I then flipped the present around since that was the side I wanted her to see and she was “I remember!” i placed a bag on the table and she got keith to put the present in the bag. (keith must be wondering, this crazy guy, not only do I have to do extra work following carrie at these signing sessions, I got to carry presents from her crazy fans) one more thing I have to add. I don’t know if it’s the water up here in the Midwest, or it was the shirt she was wearing (she had changed out of her concert clothes and was wearing the blue and white tshirt she wore for her Kenny chesney show in Tampa, which is my 2nd fav shirt of hers, and white shorts), but she was breathtakingly beautiful and whatever I had planned to say to her went down the toilet. I just looked at her as she signed my picture. So it was just like a few seconds of silence between us as she signed. So when she was done she was “here you go!” I thanked her (brain managed to function to thank her haha) and carrie as polite as ever went “you’re welcome! Thanks for coming back!”

So, what a great show! The different stage setting certainly made the show so interesting, and also getting my hand touched by carrie… haha

After carrie was leann rimes. She just had surgery on her knee and this was her first show since the surgery. She was moving fine and didn’t look like someone who just had surgery. Let me say this. I am not really a fan of her songs when I hear them on the radio, and I have never bought a single CD of hers. But what a great live performer and vocalist she is. Man, that girl can sing. I would definitely go to another of her concerts if she came around my area.

Keith urban closed the show. He mentioned that last year there was a thunderstorm at this venue and the stage got blown over. About 35 minutes into his set, there was this huge bolt of lightning and it started pouring. I wasn’t prepared for the rain so I had to leave my seat to seek shelter, and then decided to leave. Keith urban is the anti-carrie lol

Pics and video coming up! Hey 19th row this time, can’t get 2nd row all the time Also got pics of Miranda, leann and keith urban

pics here

pics from 19th row!

Click above!

the present and card i got her
full body view

front view

back view

card

Jeff’s Review of Carrie singing the National Anthem (All-Star Game in Pittsburgh)

2006-07-14T13:35:00.000-04:00

So I met up with Don as we headed out to the Roberto Clemente Bridge for the Red Carpet. We heard over the local country station Y108 that the players would be on the red carpet along with “celebrities”. So we thought maybe carrie would be there!

So we got to the bridge and saw the players on the red carpet, being transported by Chevys with their name on the vehicle. We couldn’t see any vehicle with carrie’s name so we didn’t expect to see her. We were left somewhat disappointed as that was the case, although I did managed to catch a candy bar that albert pujols threw to the crowd!

So we get into the stadium at five and saw the players take batting and fielding practice. Ok you guys don’t want to hear me talk about baseball right? Lol I got a lot of pics so if there are enough people interested I will upload them here.

So don and I start our carrie watch lol. Whenever a blonde girl appeared on the field we were straining our eyes (we had standing room tickets, so we were all the way back) to see if it was miss underwood.

So the pregame ceremonies start and all that, and finally don says “that’s carrie!” and sure enough there is miss underwood with keith and ann! Man, I don’t think don knew, but I was really nervous for her! I was wondering how the crowd will react to her. So my hands were shaking pretty bad so my pics didn’t turn out too good.

Finally, they were about to start the anthem, so miss underwood walks to somewhere between the pitchers mound and home plate. And they freakin made her wait for a long time as they intro’d various people. You could see she was nervous. And then finally she started belting out the anthem!!! There were a number of other carrie fans as guys and gals hollered her name out as she started singing! And when she hit those notes the crowd went nuts! I have it on vid, problem is that I was shaking real bad lol so the video is shaky, but you can hear the crowd reaction clearly and see st louis cardinals shortstop david Eckstein coming out of the dugout to talk to her! He followed her for some distance as she walked towards a path to what I guess is to her VIP box!

its just amazing seeing and hearing her perform it live! that girl is incredible, and im stoked with the crowds reaction

link to my video footage here!
My video footage of Carrie singing the anthem, plus before and after the anthem scenes!

Click above!

Jeff’s Fowlerville review

2006-07-11T12:24:00.000-04:00

What an interesting show this was! Carrie was pretty talkative tonight. She talked a lot lol.

Some excerpts: (not word for word, its hard trying to remember so many things!)
“Weve been to a lot of places this summer and still have a lot to go to. So bleesed to be on the road to have a good time and having fun. We love each other and we love you guys”

“Its nice to sit back and listen sometimes. Im still working on this talking to the audience thing, I feel like im getting better at it but some nights im not so sure, so if I say anything kinda silly or ridiculous I do apologize”

“im looking at the gifts you all got me and I see there is a picture of simon cowell on one of them. Hmmm. He is judging me wherever I go.”

“in all the excitement I actually lost an earring, luckily we found it so its not so bad. [no response from the crowd] Ok, I know im bad at telling jokes.” (I think this was after SCOM, I noticed during the part where she disappears and lets the guitarists play on she went back and was talking rather animatedly with someone)

this is probably the first time it has happened at a carrie concert. The freakin power went out just as she started singing IAICA! There was stunned silence. After like 20 seconds the power was restored but the music had problems. So while they sorted it out carrie went:
“we going to finish the song doggonit! Someone probably tripped over a power cord. oh I don’t have stories or jokes to tell you guys. Hmmm. Once upon a time there was a guitarist named ed… ok. Hmmm when I was young I didn’t really travel so I finally got to go to seaworld for the very first time. We swam with the dolphins, got to touch them…”
and some of the band members were saying how this is part of the show and all that. Things got sorted out in the end.

Some notes on the show
1) I have 150 pics. I was so mad I didn’t bring my camera in Milwaukee for summerfest so it was revenge tonight. i will put them up maybe tomorrow.
2) Since I was second row right next to the center aisle, I had to people from the back rows knocking me slightly when they came forward to take pictures. The security had to keep yelling at them not to stay too long in front.
3) The security kept telling people to sit down to avoid blocking the people behind??? What the heck! I think maybe that’s why carrie didn’t get so many standing ovations.
4) During SCOM carrie was like “get up on your feet!” and finally the crowd got up lol. She brought the house down again.
5) Huge applause for JTTW. I didn’t care and I stood up to applaud. Some others followed suit but people mainly sat down and gave a really long applause. Carrie was like “ok ok ok!!!” and waving her hands to get people to sit down and settle down lol and she went on to introduce her next song.

In the line for meet and greet:
So after reading the reviews here I decided to go to the merchandise booth after SH. There was already a pretty long line. There was this mother with her girls behind and they were saying they should tell carrie how far they came to meet her. I started talking to them and saying how great carrie is and how she cares for her fans etc etc etc. we were joined by a grandmother and her grand-daughter (who is probably around 8), so the pimping of carrie continued from me. I mentioned I was in green bay 2 nites ago and they were amazed lol. So I mentioned I got carrie to sign the sign I made her. The grandmother was like “so what did it say? Marry me carrie?” and her grand-daughter was like “do you have a crush on carrie?” lol

Meeting carrie, what happened???
So, finally, on my 3rd attempt, I finally had a meaningful convo with carrie! I was like “hey carrie, do you remember the sign I had for you in green bay?” and she was like “what did it say?” I said “the bowling one.” And she laughed and said “oh yea!” I had her sign a pic for me and then asked if she liked it, she giggled and said yea. I thanked her. Finally a meaningful convo with carrie!!!

ETA: one more thing to add. the opener rockie lynne said that he met carrie and said that all the good things that people say about her are definitely true

one more thing to add:
i think the drummer lemar is from michigan. when i saw carrie in grand rapids, i remember seeing him coming out to the seats and brought a bunch of folks whom i assume to be his family backstage. today, i saw the same folks and they had vip stickers on.

ETA: one more thing i forgot to add... after she finishes playing the guitar with patience, she actually flicks the guitar pick to the crowd. she needs to practice that cos both times in GB and fowlerville the pick didnt even get across front row!

pics here!

Jeff's Fowlerville Concert Pics

Jeff's Review of Carrie with Alan Jackson at Summerfest, Milwaukee (07/08)

2006-07-11T12:17:00.000-04:00

this is my second carrie concert in a row, and i went with don and sara again.

i was really excited to see this concert since carrie was opening for alan jackson, one of my favorite country stars.

a few notes:
1) i didnt bring my cam since there were signs all over saying that cams were not permitted. since my camera is pretty big and i have a case that makes it pretty obvious im carrying a cam, i decided not to take the risk. sara, being a lady with a purse, snuck hers in so she does have an awesome set of photos for you guys later. i am so mad cos in the end everyone was taking pictures! im bringing my cam in no matter what now!

2) AJ cracked a cute joke about carrie. i didnt quite get it so i'll leave don and/or sara to fill ya all in on that. [B]ETA: Shortly after taking the stage, Jackson quipped, "Carrie Underwood would be a great singer if she just wasn't so ugly."[/B]

3) carrie did almost a full set! her usual full set minus patience and the night before. the omission of both songs was a huge disappointment to me since TNBLGO is one of my favs of the album, and i really love love love her rendition of patience.

4) carrie got pretty huge responeses for SCOM and JTTW. she got a very long ovation for JTTW, and as usual she didnt know what to do! DFTRM and one more i think wasted also got a nice response from the crowd, which was clearly predominantly AJ fans.

5) the lady next to me had her hands over her ears throughout the concert! i thought maybe she found carrie too loud, but she did the same for AJ's set. or maybe becos i was singing too loud since i know carrie's and AJ's songs and was singing along!

6) AJ's set barely lasted longer than carrie's. carries was about an hour. AJ not more than an hour and 15 minutes. AJ puts on a really really great show, and he hardly moves around the stage. wow what a seasoned pro! everybody needs to see him live in concert at least once in their lives.

i'll leave it at this cos im pretty tired, and i have a 5 and a half hour journey back to michigan!

Jeff's Oneida Casino Concert Review (Green Bay 07/07)

2006-07-09T01:47:00.000-04:00

wow. im in awe of our girl once again. it just boggles my mind how carrie keeps improving from each show that i see her at. wow

a few notes:

1) i attended this concert with don and sara (don has had some amazing luck at the casino. he's trying to win back his airfare now i think.)

2) no pictures from my side. we spoke to some of the security folks before the show and they were very clear they would not be permitting photos. don and i did not bring our cameras. they didnt check for cameras in the end but really cracked down on folks who took photos. sara decided to take the risk and managed like 10 photos i think before someone from the security crew shouted at her.

3) pardon me as im pretty tired lol so i wont go into too much detail here. green bay is 450 miles from home for me. thankfully i decided to split the drive over 2 days, but i hardly slept last night probably from the excitement

back to the review:
the 3 of us were already in line (this is a general admission concert) at around 430pm. doors didnt open till 7 and the concert started at 8. yea talk about 3 dedicated carrie fans! so the crowd was let in at 7 and by 750 was beginning to be restless. the organizers decided to distract everyone by showing the crowd on the big screens, which is something that never fails to excite a crowd. so people were waving their arms and putting up the signs they made for carrie. a couple of signs were zoomed in onto the screen. i had a sign with me and the lady in front of me was liek hey why dont you put up your sign. so i decided to wait till the camera was around my area before putting up my sign. and amazingly, they decided to zoom right onto my sign! the folks around me got pretty excited, haha, probably more excited than i showed lol, and right there and then, the band came out and carrie too with young and beautiful

ok, on her attire. she had a white tank top on and white shorts, and instead of boots, she wore like 4 inch high heels! she was hot i have to admit (wait i say that everytime haha). how on earth she was moving and working the stage in those heels is unbelievable. she did mention early on the show that its hard moving in those heels and that the ladies would understand how she felt lol.

carrie brought DA HOUSE DOWN with sweet child of mine. OMG the place was rockin to it!

my favorite performances vocally were TWII, DFTRM, wasted, the night before and JTTW. as usual, she thanked the crowd for making JTTW the success it is, and the crowd gave her a long ovation (it had to be standing, this was a standing room only venue) and again she was pretty shy and didnt really know how to react to the long applause. i loved how cherie smiled at carrie when the applause was seemingly never-ending. i think carrie needs to call martina mcbride to get some advice on how to deal with these long ovations

she also said other cute things like how the fans are her bosses and thanked us for putting where she is today. there was someone who wanted to pass her flowers, and carrie tried to reach out to take them, but couldnt reach them, so when she was singing she was like "sorry i cant reach them!" and got the security to pass the flowers to her.

also, the fiddler ashely had these darth vader looking sunglasses on. seriously, it looked so out of place in the band and there was a part where carrie and ashley were singing and looking into each others eyes, and after the song, carrie commented she had just "made fun of ashleys glasses since someone has to do it"

its really great to see the band get more comfortable with each other, the way they interact. i know i gave them some beef a while back but they are putting on a show themselves.

ok, no wback to my sign. i think it was during TWII when i decided to put up my sign for her to see. not sure if she saw it, but then she commented that "the crowd had many interesting signs for her!" (and there were many). at the end of her set, when she was singing IAICA, don suggested i put my sign up one more time, and i figured why not. so right at the end, i put it up again, and this time, she cleary saw it and laughed (you all know how sweet i think her laugh is). what can i say, that made my day lol

so after her set is done, we were like ok wheres the merchandise booth. we went out of the tent (the stage was in a tent) looking for it and couldnt find it. many of the folks were walking out and left the place, but we were pretty sure she was gonna do some autos. so we asked one of the security folks abou tht ebooth and they were setting up one inside the tent! so we went back in. and then the security folks announced "ok, please form a line here!" and we knew yea, carrie was gonna come out. as i said, many had already left so there werent eve 200 folks who were in line for the auto.

so the time came when it was my turn. i tried to appear calmer this time, but believe me my stomach was churning! so when i met her i asked her to autograph the sign i made and i placed it in front of her. she looked at it and said something like "oh the sign!" and giggled and mumbled somethings. or maybe it was her giggle that made me have brain cramps cos i really didnt catch what she said to me after that. so as you all know she has this amazing way of interacting with her fans by looking at them in the eye, and when she did that, i suffered from more brain cramps. i was thinking through what i wanted to say to her while in the line. well, none of that came out of my mouth. she looked at me and asked who she should make the auto out to. so i said "jeff" and she was like "j-e-f-f?". she has this adorable way of spelling i guess... more brain cramps. after that i thanked her, but crap, i didnt get to say what i wanted to say to her lol

for the curious, here is the sign

Carrie with Kenny Chesney, Grand Rapids, June 3

2006-06-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

pics are up here http://jeff734gr.blogspot.com/

WOW! That’s probably the best way to describe this evenings concert. Kenny Chesney really does put on a great hi-energy show, and he has chosen 2 great young country stars to open for him.

I was really impressed by Dierks Bentley. He looks pretty ready to headline his own tour soon, and he will win an entertainer of the year one of these days. I don’t have his albums ( I think hes released 2?) but I do know his singles that were released. My favorite was “What was I Thinking”, but the crowd favorite (well, most of the crowd were 20 something ladies) I think was “come a little closer” lol

Kenny was great, and showed why he has so many entertainer of the year awards under his belt. and he really does know how to work a crowd… he even got me jumping and singing “Ive been living in fast forward… Hillbilly rock star out of control”. Haha, I should have gotten someone to record me doing that and then send the vid to my parents. They’ll get a surprise to put it nicely!

But of course, you guys are here to read about our little miss underwood. I am so happy for her that she gets to tour with these 2 awesome performers. This is my 4th time seeing her live, and yet im still amazed by her big voice. Seriously, after a short set of 6 songs, I became deaf (happily deaf I may add). Talk about a big voice that easily fills an arena, and that is miss underwood’s voice.

Being the crazy person I am, I created a new playlist in my ipod so I had my own carrie and Kenny concert on my 2 hour road trip. I put in all my fav songs of theirs and the playlist ended up 2 hours long lol

So the show started at 730 with carrie coming out in an interesting attire. White tank top, black shorts/skirt (couldn’t see, I was seated 20 plus rows back, plus I was probably too mesmerized to notice anyway), and knee high black boots. I have to admit I thought she looked really cute! She did not appear to be uncomfortable at all, and didn’t seem nervous to me. Mind you this arena has a capacity of more than 12,000 and I couldn’t really find an empty seat in sight. (Both nights were sold out)

When she came out, ALL the fans stood up! In fact, if youre attending a Kenny concert in the future, be prepared to stand up the whole duration! Kennys fans really know how to have a great time. Throughout carrie’s set, there were sections of kennys fans dancing!

She first started off with Wasted, which again sounds 1000 times better live than recorded. All the glory notes were hit superbly and effortlessly. I hope she releases an album of her live performances one day.

Next up was BHC, I don’t recall her exact words, but she mentioned something along the lines like this is for all those who have been cheated on. She did her cute little flirty dances around some of her band members!

She then said “this is my current single” and of course I knew it was DFTRM, my fav song off her album. What can I say… her vocals are absolutely flawless on this song. I think the crowd felt the same way too, as it got the longest and biggest applause among her six songs, and this isn’t even really a song to fire up a crowd. kennys fans do recognize a great vocal performance!

She then said her next song “was her first single and thanked the crowd for requesting it to help it reach #1”. She also asked the audience to sing along if they knew the words. Im not sure if there were folks singing along, cos her voice drowns out everything lol. Again, she is spoiling me with another great vocal.

Next was Some hearts, and she was pretty cute in her hip sways and moves haha. You know the part near the end where she is about to hit that high note and she starts clapping her hands above her head? Many of the folks in the audience followed suit! They really were a great crowd!

Carrie finished her set with IAICA. She was like “this song is about my hometown. Maybe you guys could sing ‘grand rapids, michigan’ instead of ‘oklahoma’!” at one of the lines near the end of the song, she replaced one of the ‘oklahoma’s with ‘grand rapids’, which of course was positively received. She got a great applause as she ended her set.

I heard one of the 2 ladies next to me say to her friend “she really can sing!” in between carrie’s songs and her friend nodded her head. Of course at the intermission I had to pimp carrie a lil and she nodded her head. She was generally unexcitable as she just stood there without moving at all during dierks and kennys set either. In fact, she left halfway through kennys set???

Overall, a great show. Carrie’s vocals never cease to amaze me, and I was really impressed by dierks as a performer. Kenny was great and id like to thank him for giving carrie the chance to tour with him. The fans knew how to have a great time, and were very well behaved.

Perhaps the only disappointment is that during Kennys encore where he sang “she thinks my tractor’s sexy”, only dierks came out to sing with Kenny. Maybe it’s the song choice and the lack of chance for carrie to rehearse with them. Imagine carrie singing a line like “I think his tractor’s sexy” and pointing to Kenny? lol

When did a Coca-Cola shirt ever look this good?

2006-05-29T10:43:00.000-04:00

Carrie performed at the Coke 600 race yesterday. She looked so cute in the Coca-Cola shirt! Coke, go sign her up!!!

Carrie wins 2 awards at the ACMs!!!

2006-05-24T00:47:00.000-04:00

Carrie won 2 awards at the 2006 ACMs... congrats! she won for single of the year (Jesus take the wheel) and new female vocalist.

She also performed an emotional Jesus take the Wheel, and she broke down and cried and couldnt finish the song. No problems... everyone felt her emotion and gave her teh biggest standing ovation of the night!

have to love her speeches too... “I wouldn’t be here if God hadn’t opened all the doors for me,” she said! congrats girl once again!

Carrie Underwood On Idol Fever

2006-05-17T22:30:00.000-04:00

Tonight is American Idol’s final third episode and it’s down to Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee. The reigning American Idol, country music's own Carrie Underwood, recently shared insights about her experience on the show with Reader’s Digest. Carrie thinks the show is so popular because it’s a Cinderella story. She never in a million years thought she would win. Carrie tells the magazine what she really thinks about Idol judge Simon Cowell, noting, “He says what he thinks. I don't think he's malicious; I don't think he's out to hurt somebody; I think that's what he gets paid to do.” However, she admits that at first the judges’ criticism “stung pretty bad” because her friends and family were watching.

X Radio asked Carrie, whose first single was "Jesus Take The Wheel," had asked for divine intervention when she was an Idol contestant. “I never prayed for a win," she says. "I never prayed for anything like that. I just wanted what was supposed to happen to happen. If it was good, I wanted strength to be able to handle everything, but if it wasn’t supposed to happen then it wasn’t supposed to happen, and I wanted to, you know, not win gracefully and be okay with that.”

--------------------------

she is just so classy! what a girl!

A VERY SPECIAL AWARD FOR CARRIE UNDERWOOD

2006-05-10T00:22:00.000-04:00

from gactv.com

Carrie Underwood took home another award Saturday--but this time she didn't give an acceptance speech. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with high honors from Northeastern University, receiving her degree in mass communications with an emphasis in journalism from Northeastern State University. “I’m excited," Carrie tells X Radio. "I mean, I worked just like everybody else did to graduate and I think it’s an accomplishment that, you know, I’m as busy as I am. But to me, education is really important and it’s really going to be nice to have that diploma hanging amongst my…my awards and things like that, so that’s going to be awesome.”

When fans first met Carrie on American Idol, she only had one semester to go at NSU in Tahlequah, OK. Winning the show meant Carrie had to postpone finishing her degree. But since then, she's managed to fulfill her college requirements in time to graduate with her class. Carrie intentionally didn’t draw a lot of attention to her college graduation. “I wanted to make sure that family got in [to the graduation ceremony]," she says. "I mean it just…that’s a day I’m normal, I’m nobody. I am a college student graduating college like every other student that is there.” Meanwhile, the awards continue for Carrie– she was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame on April 28.

-----------------------------

as my friend said, carrie is just too good to be true. what a great role model!

Congrats to Carrie on her graduation!

2006-05-09T00:18:00.000-04:00

Associated Press

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Country singer Carrie Underwood is now a college graduate.

Underwood, the winner of last year's "American Idol," received her degree Saturday during a ceremony at Northeastern State University.

Along with 1,800 graduates, Underwood walked across the stage at Jack Dobbins Field House and received a degree from university President Larry Williams.

University spokeswoman Nancy Garber said Underwood declined interview requests so the spotlight could be on the other graduates.

Underwood, who graduated magna cum laude, received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She majored in mass communications with an emphasis in journalism.

The 23-year-old native of Checotah, an eastern Oklahoma town of about 3,800 residents, was a senior at Northeastern State, just three credits shy of earning her degree, when she withdrew from school to compete on "American Idol."

Underwood's hits include "Jesus, Take the Wheel," the video for which won her two Country Music Television video awards in April. The song also won a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association last month.

-------------------------------------------------

im just so proud of carrie, words cannot describe how i feel. beauty and brains, thats not combination seen too often. rarer is beauty, brains, talent, humility and great heart!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD ON HER DREAM JOB

2006-05-09T00:16:00.000-04:00

Rising country star--as occupations go, it's a pretty darn good one. But Carrie Underwood tells X Radio that it is still a job, and she tries not to get overwhelmed by the trappings of fame. “Um, I think it’s just important to not get caught up in everything," she says. "I mean honestly, it’s a job. It’s a wonderful, you know, exciting, great job but it is a job. And it’s really important to keep the important things in life in mind and realize that...at the end of the day if you’re proud of what you’ve done then you’re doing things the right way. And hanging out with family and friends, you know, that keeps me pretty grounded because they still treat me normally, but it’s just important to...remember where you came from, and who you are, and you’ll be okay.”

___________________________________________________

this girl is just too awesome!

Underwood's "Jesus" Takes a Bow at No. 1 Party

2006-05-04T20:30:00.000-04:00

With everybody still somewhat awestruck and overwhelmed at the song's success, Carrie Underwood and the three writers of "Jesus, Take the Wheel" gathered Tuesday afternoon (May 2) at the ASCAP lobby in Nashville during their No. 1 party.

"I had the easiest job in the world," Underwood told more than a hundred well-wishers. "For somebody to basically put a song like 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' in my lap and say, 'Go!' ... it's the luckiest thing for me ever. These people around me that I've met had the tough job. I just got to sing a wonderful song. I'm the luckiest person ever. Thank you guys for writing it, and thank you for letting me, of all people, have it. I appreciate it."

The writers of the song -- Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson -- were all quick to applaud Underwood's interpretation of the song which held the No. 1 position on Billboard's country airplay chart for six weeks.

"It's very rare that a record comes back and just blows your mind," James said. "That's what happened. It's blown my mind as well as all of America."

Lindsey noted, "I just wanted to say, 'Thank you, Carrie Underwood, for trying out for American Idol!'" After praising her vocal performance, Lindsey optimistically added, "I'm looking forward to more hits with Carrie."

Sampson concluded, "I'd also like to thank Carrie because, as songwriters, the best thing we could ask for is to have someone sing our song and sound like you wrote it when you sing it. We really, really appreciate that. Thank you."

Producer Mark Bright referred to Underwood as "an absolute blessing in my life." He took a spiritual approach to describe the experience of recording the song. "I definitely think there was a higher power involved," he said. "There's no question in my mind."

-------------------------------------------------------

awwww carrie! youre so humble! love you girl! she also looked absolutely cuuuuuuute!

Couple of funny Carrie stories from the past week

2006-04-24T16:16:00.000-04:00

Funny story 1:

Carrie is interviewed over the phone by Clevelands country station, WGAR, who also have Carrie's stripped performance (which by the way is awesome. Bless the Broken Road is magical. Im sure Gary Levox and gang are relieved they have already recorded and released the song, since, in all honesty, Miss Underwood blows them out of the water with her rendition). So the DJs ask Carrie whether the Flatts boys had asked her for any royalties. At this moment, you can hear our girl say "Oh no!" and the DJs laugh, then a moment of silence. After the silence is broken, our girl aspologizes, and says: "Im sorry! I sneezed, and the headphones flew off my head!" awww poor girl is sick! she is just too adorable, even when sick!

Funny story 2:
Carrie performed at the Suwanee River Jam in Florida on Saturday. Apparently, she is such an attractive young lady that a bug actually tried to kiss her and ended up in her mouth while she was singing! And what a trooper! she continued singing, and after the song, tried to spit the bug out, but apparently had already ingested the lucky bug, so she had a good laugh about it! there are several consipracy theories surrounding this incident, the most plausible being Vinman training bugs to carry micro video recorders to get up close and personal with Miss Underwood to give carriefans the best media available.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD DRESSES TO IMPRESS

2006-04-24T12:30:00.000-04:00

(from gactv.com)

Carrie Underwood may be a rising country star, but she's still a small down girl who loves to dress up for awards shows and music industry parties. " I always think it’s really important for me to look my best just out of respect for everybody," Carrie tells X Radio. "Awards shows and things like that, I mean, I can’t really see myself showing up in a t-shirt and jeans just because, I mean, it’s just saying ‘thank you.’So I’m going to look great for you guys and I’m gonna do the best that I can for you guys. So, it’s nice. It’s fun.” Look for Carrie to be all dressed up on May 23 at the ACM Awards. She's nominated for three, including the prestigious Top Female Vocalist.

------------------------------------------------------

actually its 4 awards shes up for.

anyway, this girl never ceases to impress me. what a classy girl! showing the industry the respect it deserves, no wonder the respect is reciprocated!

Carrie's Some Hearts Certified Triple Platinum!

2006-04-12T17:56:00.000-04:00

Underwood Honored at Triple-Platinum Celebration

Evening sun through the skylit roof of Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum set the beautiful tone for an appropriately historic occasion, as Music City celebrated Carrie Underwood and the Triple-Platinum certification of her debut 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville album, "Some Hearts." Released in November, and now RIAA certified for sales of 3,000,000 units, "Some Hearts" has become the fastest Triple-Platinum female Country debut in history, with 15 of its 20 chart weeks spent at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

Speaking to a packed house inside the Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater, RCA Label Group Chairman Joe Galante noted that it takes something extraordinary to win over fans and the music industry, as he told Carrie and the audience, “As the record stayed at the top of the charts, and continued to just drive home, people began to realize that it was more than American Idol, it was the way you sang those songs in every single performance starting with the CMA performance and just going on from there - and especially last night, where you just knocked everybody down.”

Indeed, Carrie delivered a highlight of Monday’s 2006 CMT Music Awards with her performance of her record-setting, six-week #1 single, “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” The 2005 American Idol winner also became a fan-voted favorite once again - and the only multiple winner of the night - as she was honored with awards for Breakthrough Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year (both for “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”)

A video montage shown at the party offered an amazing recap of a true whirlwind year of television, interviews, and major media - from Letterman to Larry King, Macy’s Parade to the Billboard Awards and cover features from Country Weekly to Cosmo Girl.

Reflecting on Carrie’s achievements, 19 Entertainment’s Simon Fuller cheered, “I am extremely proud of Carrie and all her success. She is the fastest selling of all the Idols to date, and it’s a special pleasure for me that we achieved this by keeping true to Carrie’s country roots.”

Presented at this evening’s party with a special, 3-shaped plaque to commemorate the 3x Platinum album, Carrie (with proud mom Carole in the front row) enthused, “I think the only word really that I can say is, ‘Wow!’” Sharing the credit, she said, “To me, I’m just the decoration to the songs … and it took so much more to make a successful album, to put everything together so perfectly. You guys are making my dreams come true, and in turn, I will always be grateful.”

_________________________________

i cant be any prouder of carrie, not just for her achievements, but her humility in the face of all this success! what a girl, what a girl! go Carrie!

I just realized

2006-04-11T13:35:00.000-04:00

what a mesmerizing pair of beautiful eyes carrie has. normally, her smile is the one that draws my attention. but here, she isnt smiling, and i noticed her eyes... im melted

Carrie wins 2 awards at CMT awards

2006-04-10T23:27:00.000-04:00

our girl just won 2 CMT awards, for Breakthrough Video of the Year and Female Video of the year. Just as I predicted. Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going" was just too deserving and congrats to him as well.

Her first acceptance speech:
"This is my very first acceptance speech, so I made a list. First of all, thank you fans so much for voting for me again. You have no idea what it means to me."

Second one:
"I have the best fans in the universe," she said. "Thank you so much, everybody who voted for me. You don't know what it means to me to know I have that kind of support. All the other ladies in the category, I idolize you guys, so this is just amazing. Everybody in the country music industry has been so awesome to me. My mind is just blown by how nice everyone has been and how everyone's opened their arms to me and just been so great."

Congrats Carrie!

My Coke Fest concert review (Final 4, Indianapolis)

2006-04-04T01:26:00.000-04:00

I had to leave home real early, hoping to get a good spot. During my 4hour road trip to Indianapolis, I was listening to carrie’s songs nonstop, except for the last half hour, where after stopping for gas I decided to play the other songs in my playlist lol

So I reached Indianapolis at around 11am, and proceeded to the south side of the monument circle, where the stage was set up. There were already quite a lot of people who were already in line! (gates opened at 130). Hungry, I decided to buy a jimmy johns sandwich to eat while in line. Apparently, it was a good idea. A number of people saw me eating in the line and they were like “that’s such a great idea! Lets eat sandwiches now so we don’t have to leave in between the concert for lunch!” and they promptly grabbed some food.

The weather forecast for Indianapolis was actually terrible. Reports throughout the week said there would be storms, with hail, during the concert. So there was this guy who was in front of me and he had his friend from the met center update him with the latest forecast. Soon, he had a call and he pumped his fist in joy! The storms wouldn’t be heading our way after all! Woohoo!

So, we were let in at 130, and I got a pretty decent spot. About 10 rows back, dead center! So the giant screen introduced the upcoming acts: Chris Brown (lots of screaming 10 year old girls for him, and I was surrounded by them!), collective soul (not much reaction), the wreckers (mot much reaction), [our] Carrie underwood and john mallencamp. OK, I need to say this, whoever suggested that most of carrie’s fans are teenage girls is absolutely wrong. The screaming 10 year olds for chris brown were silent for carrie; but carrie had massive cheers from college-aged guys. Indeed, her cheers were probably as loud as the cheers for the hometown guy, john mallencamp.

First all, I need to state that throughout the concert, there were problems with the sound system. Very disappointing. They already had another concert at the same place the day before, and you’d think they’d sort out the problems. The MC always appeared and her mic was always too soft. I couldn’t hear a thing of whatever chris brown was singing (not that it mattered to his fans, they seemed to really like his dancing), the lead singer of collective soul had to have his earpiece changed TWICE (he even took them off during two of his songs), michelle branch didn’t like how her guitar sounded and there was a short delay as they tried to sort it out on stage after her first song. For carrie, they took a whole 50 minutes to set the stage for her. One of her guitarists was really unpleased with the way his guitar sounded. As the stage crew tried to fix the problems, there were 4, maybe 5, spontaneous chants of “Carrie! Carrie! Carrie!”, led by college-aged guys, as the crowd were waiting (impatiently) for the problems to be fixed. During the concert, some of these guys hollered “Carrie I love you!” a few times.

I have to add that after being on my feet from 11, my back was hurting like hell. So, finally carrie came out (about 10 minutes after the scheduled start time) to “We’re Young and Beautiful”. This looks like her lead-off concert performance (she also led off with this song in Maine). And guess what? She was really shaking her booty and dancing to the song! I was so surprised! Not that she was running around the stage, but she was moving and dancing to that one! Miraculously, my back was no longer pain…

She then sang “That’s Where It Is” and I was impressed by her vocals again on this one. This has to be one of her best songs that she performs live. Awesome! She then sang Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”, and it seemed that her mic was turned down slightly? It was just weird cos there were spots on the song where it seemed they turned the mic up, only to turn it back down again for the majority of the song.

After that, she sang “Before He Cheats”, which was a crowd favorite. Everyone went nuts. She even did some flirty dances with her bass player (mark) and another of her guitarists. She even did something a lil naughty during the chorus. She was shaking her booty next to mark and looking at him. She then pinched him on his cheek and then pointed at him at the line “Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats”!

It was after “Before He Cheats” that one for her guitar players had to have his guitar fixed, more problems. They kept changing the cables and all that stuff. Carrie apologized to the crowd, saying this was their first show together. She then sat on a stool and thanked the crowd for attending despite the crappy weather, and introduced her bass player, mark. “This is mark. He likes long walks on the beach [the whole band laughed when she said this]. And ladies, he is still single!”

So after they sorted out the problems, she sang “starts with goodbye”. Ashley, her fiddle player, had a few stretches where he sang a whole line or two while Carrie was hitting the big notes. Nice change!

My favorite though, had to be DFTRM. It was done brilliantly in an acoustic setting. Carrie, with her 2 guitar players (I wish I knew their names haha), Ashley and Cherie sat on stools as a group. Her voice just shone on that one, without the glaring bass (which was too loud throughout the concert, not just for carrie, but for everyone). Beautiful, beautiful.

She then sang IYH with the same acoustic setting and she also played the guitar on that one! After that, she said, “although im a country girl, I do listen to other types of music too. This is something from Guns N Roses”, and she sang “Patience” and played the guitar too.

Then, she sand “Sweet Child of Mine” and totally ROCKED it out. She was moving all over the stage and was twirling her mic stand throughout like a true rocker! If I hadn’t followed her career so far, I would have thought she was a female rocker!

She then went backstage for a little while to remove her top layer (don’t worry, she had a tank-top underneath!), and then came out rocking to Lessons Learned!

She then performed “Wasted” which was brilliant. She nailed all the glory notes and sounded 10000 times better than on the CD.

She also did “The Night Before” which was just brilliant vocally, (but the dam bass was too loud). Ive always stated that I think DFTRM and “The Night Before” are the 2 songs which she does best vocally on, and based on the concert, I don’t see why I should be changing that opinion anytime. Just beautiful.

She then closed the show with JTTW. She thanked the crowd for giving her her first #1 single, and wow, she was 10000 times than on the CD again. It was after this, when walking away from the concert, that I realized my back was hurting lol

Carrie’s songlist:
Were young and beautiful
That’s where is it
Jolene
Before he cheats
Starts with goodbye
lessons learned
DFTRM
IYH
pateince
sweet child of mine
Wasted
Nite before
JTTW

Trivia:
We could send text messages that would be displayed on the jumbotron. So theres this message that was sent. Was it sent by me? :grin:

So overall, this sums it up. Carrie was GREAT. Her vocals were spot on (even though the mic was screwy in parts), but what impressed me most were her performance skills. Wow. I mean I would have still liked to see her in concert just to listen to that beautiful voice of hers, but now those critics who want to pick on her performance skills can just keep quiet now. And just like on the opry, she was so comfortable. She clearly has been getting really good constructive critiques from her team and working to becoming the total package. What a girl. Her vocals are enough to make her a superstar, but she isn’t interested in resting on her laurels and is working hard to improve. I say give her a year to really work on it, she’ll probably be better than that Colombian girl Shakira(sp?) in terms of shaking their booty. It was interesting to see her perform a couple of Guns N Roses songs here. I guess this was a basketball crowd so it was a little more appropriate, even though I would have preferred if she did “Stand by your Man” lol. Personally, I doubt she will be doing those songs during country fairs. Hopefully, she’ll sing “Stand by your Man” at them. And carrie has a LOT more college-aged guys as fans than people think it seems. Oh yea, I’ll give the sound crew for the concert an ‘F’ for the multiple screw-ups throughout.

My very Carrie day had another carrie part! On my way home, I stopped by for dinner at a McDonald’s. Guess what? They were playing “Some Hearts”!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD'S CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE STRANGE KIND

2006-03-25T23:41:00.000-05:00

(from gactv.com)

When you have millions of fans, chances are at least one or two of them are going to be a little strange. Carrie Underwood--whose trip to the top has been a rocket ride, tells X Radio she's met some of those odd fans. “Ah, I’ve had a few strange encounters, yeah. Man, this is funny. A big group of guys were going out to a minister’s bachelor party--and yeah, I don’t know what they were gonna go do. But they stopped me and they were like, ‘Oh, you’re Carrie Underwood,’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’

And this guy says, ‘Can I have your autograph?’ and I said, ‘Well I don’t have anything on me.’ And he pulls out his little pocket Bible and wants me to sign it and I was like, ‘Ah, you want me to sign your Bible?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ So I was like, ‘Where are the notes pages?’ because they put the little notes pages in the back. So I figured that God wouldn’t hate me if I did that," she laughs.

"So I signed his little notes page and then one of the members in the group called me Kelly, so that just topped it all off. That was weird. And there’s plenty more that I could come up with," she smiles.

Carrie Underwood: Country Superstar

2006-03-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

Carrie Underwood: Country Superstar

I have to type this out. Last night, after Carrie’s amazing night at the opry, and talking to various people about her performance, last night was a special night. I hardly slept last night thinking about this. I don’t know if you guys felt the same way as I did watching Carrie at the Opry last night. There was just something very special about last night’s performance. I know many of us are in absolute awe of her rendition of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” (an absolute country classic by the way). But the whole of last night’s show was something special. It was a night where everything fell perfectly in place.
It started with a great introduction to the show. Carrie was introduced as the “best selling debut artist in country music history”. Lordy, how big is that? In country music history! She also looked absolutely beautiful. Her performance of JTTW was a perfect lead-off for things to come last night. She was so comfortable, so relaxed. It was like she was performing in her backyard for her mom. She had an aura that only country superstars like Martina McBride has. The only other person I follow as closely as Carrie is Martina, and she has that special aura whenever she performs. Last night, Carrie certainly had it. Not only were her vocals spot on for JTTW, she also connected big time with the crowd. She seemed to make eye contact with people in the crowd and smiled at them.
What else is there to say about “Stand By Your Man”? That performance told me a couple of things. Carrie really is as country as there can be. I hope her next album will be a little geared towards traditional country. Also, she has to do what Martina did: release an album of classic country hits. I don’t know about you guys, but if I were up on that stage performing such a huge classic, I’d be nerve-wrecked. But, she was so relaxed on the stage. She even did those cute facial and hand gestures during the song and even cracked out “ain’t that right ladies?” after the line “after all he’s just a man” and had a good laugh even. And then she nailed that huge note at the end “caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan”. She won the crowd, she had them eating out of her hand. I was watching that performance with my mouth open in awe. And then the standing ovation. Correct me if I am wrong, I believe this is the first standing ovation she’s ever gotten at the opry. It was a great, spontaneous, reaction to an absolutely brilliant performance. Even Barbara Mandrell agreed!
It was at this point where she perhaps showed that she isn’t used to this; she started talking about DFTRM too quickly instead of milking the applause! LOL girl! Get used to it, this will the first of many to come! It was as if she was like “ooh guys! Take it easy! I’ve got another song! Quick! Sit down!”
And then, DFTRM. Wow. She again felt the lyric of the song. Another sign of her comfort was that she took the mic off the stand and started walking around singing the song, as if she was walking around at home! I felt her every emotion. She got another standing ovation for this one too.
I really do think she stole the show last night. She was performing with 2 much more established stars in Leann Womack and Lorrie Morgan, but she was the only one who got the standing ovations. Poor Danielle Peck. No one is going to remember her opry TV debut. Everyone will be talking about that new superstar: Carrie Underwood. She was so comfortable and relaxed throughout. She looked beautiful, and her dress was so elegant. Her vocals were spot on, and her emotion was felt and she connected with the crowd. And I bet she won a lot of respect with SBYM. It was a perfect night. Guys, remember March 18 2006. Mark it down in your calendar if you have to; but I won’t need to. I will remember this night forever. This night will go down in history as the night our girl took the next step. She truly is now a bona fide country superstar.

Dont Forget to Remember Me video

2006-03-16T12:41:00.000-05:00

I have the new video for Carrie's Dont Forget to Remember Me up! thanks vinman of carriefans!

its a great video! carrie looks absolutely sweet and beautiful in it. i also love the end where it transitions from the phonebooth to the house to the stage. awesome! also carries smile at the end totally melted me!

Carrie at the press conference for the ACM nominations

2006-03-09T19:23:00.000-05:00

Carrie, together with Rascal Flatts, announced the nominees for the 2006 ACM awards. The girl was really really delighted! Her smile said it all. I was absolutely overjoyed seeing her so happy. Smile Carrie!
Indeed the song "Happy Girl" by Martina McBride comes to my mind.

"Oh watch me go
I`m a happy girl
Everbody knows
That the sweetest thing you`ll ever see
In the whole wide world
Is a happy girl"

Carrie gets 4 nominations at the upcoming ACMs!!!

2006-03-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

Carrie received 4 nominations at this years ACM awards. Congrats girl! The industry has really fallen in love with her talent, personality and work ethic!

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
SARA EVANS
MARTINA McBRIDE
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
GRETCHEN WILSON
LEE ANN WOMACK

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
MIRANDA LAMBERT
JULIE ROBERTS
CARRIE UNDERWOOD

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
ALCOHOL
BRAD PAISLEY
PRODUCERS: CHRIS DuBOIS, FRANK ROGERS
ARISTA

BABY GIRL
SUGARLAND
PRODUCER: GARTH FUNDIS
MERCURY RECORDS

BELIEVE
BROOKS & DUNN
PRODUCERS: TONY BROWN, RONNIE DUNN, KIX BROOKS
ARISTA

BEST I EVER HAD
GARY ALLAN
PRODUCERS: MARK WRIGHT, GARY ALLAN
MCA NASHVILLE

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
PRODUCER: MARK BRIGHT
ARISTA

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
BABY GIRL
WRITERS: KRISTAIN BUSH (BMI), KRISTEN HALL (ASCAP), JENNIFER NETTLES (ASCAP),
LISA SIMONTON (ASCAP), ROBERT HARTLEY (ASCAP), TROY BIESER (ASCAP)
DIRKPIT MUSIC (BMI), GREATERGOOD SONGS (ASCAP), JENNIFER NETTLES PUBLISHING
(ASCAP), TELEGRAMMUSIC (ASCAP), DRUMBUM MUSIC (ASCAP), TREMOLO BLUE
(ASCAP), THE WORLD ASLEEP (ASCAP), SIMONTON MUSIC (ASCAP)
SUGARLAND

BELIEVE
WRITERS: RONNIE DUNN (BMI), CRAIG WISEMAN (ASCAP)
SONY / ATV TREE PUBLISHING CO. (BMI), SHOWBILLY MUSIC (BMI), BIG LOUD SHIRT
INDUSTRIES (ASCAP)
BROOKS & DUNN

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL
WRITERS: BRETT JAMES (ASCAP), HILLARY LINDSEY (ASCAP), GORDON SAMPSON
(SOCAN)
SONY / ATV CROSS KEYS PUBLISHING (ASCAP), ONALY MUSIC / RAYLENE MUSIC
(ASCAP), NO SUCH MUSIC (SOCAN), PASSING STRANGER MUSIC (ASCAP), 1609 SONGS
(ASCAP), MUSIC OF WINDSWEPT (ASCAP)
CARRIE UNDERWOOD

SKIN (SARABETH)
WRITERS: DOUG JOHNSON (BMI), JOE HENRY (ASCAP)
COOL HAND MUSIC 2004 (ASCAP), MIKE CURB MUSIC / SWEET RADICAL MUSIC (BMI)
ADMIN BY MIKE CURB MUSIC C/O KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION
RASCAL FLATTS

WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING
WRITERS: RIVERS RUTHERFORD (ASCAP), GEORGE TEREN (BMI)
UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP. (ASCAP), MEMPHERSFIELD MUSIC (ASCAP), HOUSE OF FULL
CIRCLE MUSIC PUBLISHING (BMI)
BRAD PAISLEY AND DOLLY PARTON

comments: honestly, i am totally shocked that Carrie got nominated for Best Female Vocalist. Its great seeing her name up with Martina and Co, but this is a year too early. Next year will be her chance.
I think she is a shoo-in for New Female vocalist. Miranda Lambert stands a chance if the voters decide to put more weight on her song-writing ability. Poor Julie Roberts stands no chance.
I also think her song Jesus Take the Wheel stands a great chance getting one of the awards.

i don't think i have posted this stunning pic before

2006-03-06T22:34:00.000-05:00

wow carrie wow! breathtakingly gorgeous! lol im just bored during the commercial break during law and order so i decided to upload this pic. its from allure magazine a month or two back

Carrie Returns to AI5

2006-03-06T22:30:00.000-05:00

wow! Carrie never ceases to amaze me. I have watched all her live performances on tv and this has to be the best rendition of JTTW ever! She connected emotionally with the song and her vocals were spot on! a PERFECT performance. and she looked absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. and she was so funny in her banter with ryan seacrest! rent-a-mom!

My favorite Carrie Quote thus far

2006-02-25T17:31:00.000-05:00

She was interviewed by a Singapore Newspaper "Today". When asked about the Brittenum twins who called her average, and felt they were better than her, this was Carrie's response:

"I'm amazed at the things people say when they think they're talented. I guess everybody is entitled to their opinion but they got arrested so I guess karma didn't work out too well for them."

Go Carrie!!! Shut them twins up. Haha, seriously, I didn't quite see this in her. Love her caustic sense of humor here!

Lets see Carrie's achievements thus far:

double-platinum debut album (def triple soon, maybe quadruple)
highest selling debut album in first week in country
highest debut position in country singles chart with "Jesus Take the Wheel"
longest run at #1 in country singles chart for a female artist in Nielsen BDS era (tied with Faith Hill's "Breathe") with "Jesus Take the Wheel"
longest run at #1 in country singles chart for a debut single in Nielsen BDS era with "Jesus Take the Wheel"
tied for fastest climb to the top of the country singles charts

Announcement

2006-02-25T17:28:00.000-05:00

I have added a new page "Carrie Concert Events" on the left (above the playlist). Do check it as I will updating Carrie's concert appearances

Carrie Underwood Shocked by Work Load

2006-02-23T16:09:00.000-05:00

(from gactv.com)

Ever wonder what's going through Carrie Underwood’s head when she's in the spotlight, bombarded by fans and the media? Her recent chat with AOL Aim Music revealed that the instant star is pretty overwhelmed. The American Idol winner says she honestly didn’t realize the hard work that goes into being an artist. “I thought the performers just showed up and sang," she admits. "I didn't know about all of the things that go on behind the scenes. But, I'm handling it alright and things are great.” What's Carrie's advice for other new singers who are just making it on the scene? "Just get ready for your life to change dramatically," she states. "Things will all work out in the end, so hold on and keep trying.”
Looks like that plan is working for Carrie. Her debut album, Some Hearts, remains at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. She tells aolmusic.com that she is “really surprised that people have taken to it like they have. So many wonderful people have worked so hard to make the album great, so I am most glad for them...Their hard work is realized. I really didn't want to let anyone down.” She explains, “If the album didn't do well, I would have felt that all those people spent all of their time and energy into something that might not have turned out to be worth it. It makes me feel good, that everyone is so excited about the album and it has done so well because all of that work was not done for nothing.”

_________________________________________________________
she really is a girl after my heart! "Things will all work out in the end, so hold on and keep trying" --- thats my own personal motto in life!
and what an awesome team player... no wonder her producers absolutely loved working with her! what a girl!

Carrie Underwood Takes the High Road with Grace

2006-02-21T23:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.andpop.com/article/5570

(andPOP) - There are two approaches artists can take after winning American Idol: embracing the victory or trying to distance themselves from the show.

Kelly Clarkson chose the latter, and would love if nobody ever mentioned her name and the show's title in the same sentence. Clarkson, the show's first winner four years ago, put up a fuss when producers asked if they could use her music in this, its fifth season, and prefers not to talk about the show in interviews. There's more to me than winning a talent contest, she might explain. And while she has a point, there's no way anyone outside of Fort Worth, Texas, would ever know the name Kelly Clarkson had it not been for the hit show.

Then there's Carrie Underwood. She has "handled" her win with grace, never shying away from that fact that she is now one of country's hottest artists because of her success on American Idol. Does winning the show take away form her credibility? Absolutely not. People aren't buying her album because they like the show. They buy her album because they love her music. The show was just a gateway into their homes, and Underwood appreciates the opportunity.

"The country world seems so grateful that America voted in one of their own," Underwood tells andPOP. "They're proud to call me the American Idol and I'm proud to be called that. I don’t see myself trying to detach myself from [the show] any time soon."

Underwood's debut album, "Some Hearts," is still the top country album on Billboard, three months after its release. "Jesus, Take the Wheel" is the most played song on radio, and "Inside Your Heaven/Independence Day" is the highest selling single in stores. To sum it up: there is no bigger country artist in North America at the time of this article posting.

Her fan base is different than any other American Idol winner before her because she's not a pop artist—she bleeds country. Some songs on the album – like the first single, "Some Hearts" – are being played on mainstream radio.

The Oklahoma-native, who turns 23 in March, says nobody at her record label tried to influence the sound of the music or asked her to produce crossover hits.

"All the people that were around me knew what I wanted to do. It wouldn’t make sense to make me sing strictly pop music. That’s not me. Country music is where I feel comfortable. I think everyone knew that and not to mess with it," she says.

Underwood is aware that she has a "girl next door" image, but she says she's not deliberately trying to commodify any type of image. However, she understands, as a celebrity, people will look to her to be a role model—like people look to all celebrities not named Dick Cheney.

"A lot of times people tell me, 'you're such a good role model,' but that’s not what I'm trying to do. I think its great people can look up to people but I'm not perfect."

Rest assured however that Underwood has never keyed an ex-boyfriend's car. Odd transition between paragraphs? Perhaps. But listen to the song "Before He Cheats" and it will make more sense. The song deals with her being cheated on in a relationship, and then retaliating by unloading her frustration on a car.

"It's fun to step out of the box for a second and be crazy," Underwood says, on the line from Nashville. "If somebody does you wrong, you just want to hurt them. But I've never done anything like that. I wouldn’t recommend that."

What does Underwood – who admits to being cheated on a "time or two" – recommend?

"The worst thing you can do is just move on and not let it bother you. That will make the other person go crazy more than any thing else you can do."

Those people who cheated on Underwood are probably going crazy every time they see her music videos being played, or when they think about how famous she has become so quickly. That fame, Underwood says, still hasn't sunk in.

"Everything that has happened to me has been Cinderella story-ish. I'm just lucky," she says. "I feel like the outsider in the music business. I'm just a fan myself."

___________________________________________________________

another reason why we love carrie so much... what an awesome young lady... level headed, mature... no need to shoot her mouth off too much... but when she says something, its something good...

JTTW finally knocked off from top spot! But what a run!

2006-02-21T15:27:00.000-05:00

Sadly, JTTW's amazing run at the top of the country charts came to an end when Brad Paisley's When I Get Where I'm Going overtook it. This means that JTTW had an astounding 6 weeks at the top for the Billboard country singles charts, and 5 weeks for R&R country charts.

The 6 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts ties Faith Hill's "Breathe" for the longest at the peak for a female country singer in the Nielsen BDS era.

In fact, she broke Gretchen Wilson's record of 5 weeks for a debut single by a female artist ("Redneck Woman"). (Technically, Connie Smith's debut "Once A Day" lasted 8 weeks at the top, but charts worked differently back then so...)

JTTW also had the higest debut chart position (39), and also tied for the fastest to reach the pinnacle.

Congrats Carrie!!! You did this great song justice! A run like this happens once in a few years!

Pics of Carrie shooting the video for Don't Forget to Remember Me!

2006-02-14T17:57:00.000-05:00

These pictures were taken by Mike (Enclave: Downtown's Small Celebrity Spaces Click to visit Mike's page) DO NOT repost the pictures anywhere without Mike's permission.

does the girl look hot or what? woohoo! I am looking forward to theh release of this video!

Carrie's Jesus Take The Wheel ties records!

2006-02-12T14:46:00.000-05:00

From Billboard: Carrie Underwood becomes the second solo female in the Nielsen BDS era to top the chart for six weeks as "Jesus, Take The Wheel" continues its reign. It is the format's first six-week run since Keith Urban's "Better Life" which inked a sixth week in the issue dated Nov. 18, 2005. Faith Hill's "Breathe" is the only other song by a solo female to lead for six weeks. It started its No. 1 run in the Billboard Radio Monitor dated Dec. 17, 1999.

Have you ever wondered...

2006-01-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

Last evening, everyone who tuned in to watch the NFC championship game in Seattle had the wonderful privilege of watching our Carrie perform the Star Spangled Banner so beautifully. Indeed I was with you all posting our excitement and awe for our girl! (some even wanted to mop up after me, but…) I did mention this to some people here: Have you ever wondered what it’ll be like since Carrie was this close to becoming a broadcast journalist? Seeing Carrie grow as a vocalist has brought joy to our lives, yet things could so easily not be like this. Imagine Carrie’s wonderful talent hidden from the world, only for her family and friends to enjoy.

I wonder that sometimes, but I thought a lot about this last night and this morning while walking to classes. (It was crazy. 25 degrees, windy in Michigan everyone was rushing to go indoors while I was taking a slow walk thinking about this) I truly believe now that Carrie brings to us a very important message about life. She always had a dream of becoming a singer since young, and there was never a doubt among those who knew her that she had the talent to make it. Indeed, she went about pursuing that dream, performing at church, various shows, and even recording some cover albums; praying and hoping for her break, and we all know about her picking four-leaf clovers as a kid, wishing to become a singer one day.

Indeed, she even tried to get signed up with a recording label (at 15 I believe). No doubt she had the looks and talent, yet she was not granted her wish. Why was that so? We will never really know for sure. She must have been extremely disappointed, with the answer to her dreams apparently being an emphatic “NO”.

Yet, the amazing thing about this girl was how she responded to her “shattered” dreams. Yes, she continued to perform at fairs and all that, but she decided to pick herself up and adapt to a situation that wasn’t what she had envisioned. She became realistic and worked hard in school to make something of her. Meanwhile, I believe she still prayed and picked those four-leaf clovers, still hoping for the slightest of chances for her dream to come through.

Many of us would have given up when the answer “NO” is given to us. Often, we pray and hope for things in life and expect an immediate answer, hopefully a “YES”. Yet, 99% of the time, the answer to our prayers and hopes is actually a “WAIT”. We are so impatient that we’d actually rather an answer immediately (even a “NO”), than having to wait days, months, or even years for an answer.

As I was thinking about Carrie’s life this morning, it’s amazing as well as a great example for those who are willing to “WAIT” for the answer. We shouldn’t make demands for immediate answers. She was willing to “WAIT”, and I truly believe that it is because of this willingness to “WAIT” that has helped her grow and mature into becoming the amazing young lady who we love not just for her voice, but also for her as a person.

Indeed, because Carrie is so mature and level-headed, I think sometimes she doesn’t realize the impact she is having on all those who listen to her. Watching the national anthem for the millionth time, I really like the part at the end where she turns around to look at the crowd and their response where she goes “wow!” She looked truly amazed with that experience, and it seemed, to me at least, that she took some time to take in everything and be grateful for what she has now.

Carrie’s life story thus far can really be a great example to teach us the importance of patience when pursuing our goals. Life will hardly give you the answers you initially want. There will be bumps along the road and curveballs thrown at you; yet things have a funny way of working out in the end if you don’t give up hope!

Have you wondered… Yes, I have wondered many times what would it be like if Carrie became a journalists instead of displaying her talents for us. Have you wondered… when the answers to your hopes and dreams, or just simple little prayers, will come true. Wait and don’t give up hope. Life will give you a truly amazing answer; much better than you had hoped if you keep the faith!

Carrie singing the Star Spangled Banner at the NFC championship game

2006-01-23T22:07:00.000-05:00

Wow! Did you catch Carrie sing the national anthem at the NFC Championship game in Seattle? Boy did that girl knock it out of the park! An absolutely beautiful and stunning rendition of the anthem. What a talent! I was so excited about this performance the whole of last night! Woohoo this girl is just so talented! President Bush should pass a legislation premitting only Carrie, Martina and Leann to sing the national anthem at public events!

Announcements!

2006-01-21T17:18:00.000-05:00

Firstly, I have uploaded my Carrie pics from the Michigan and Maine concerts. I decided to create new blogs solely to host them. Links on the sidebar above th evideo playlist.

Secondly, Carrie will be singing the Star Spangled Banner at the NFC championship game this Sunday at 630pm on FOX. For those who missed Carrie's awesome rendition in the NBA finals last June, don't miss this one! Carrie does a wicked rendition! Enjoy!!!

2006-01-16T02:16:00.000-05:00

Carrie's Jesus Take the Wheel will be top of the Mediabase Radio & Records country charts! Congrats Carrie, the new Goddess of Country!
I am so happy that such an awesome song like Jesus Take the Wheel tops the charts, and Carrie certainly sang the daylights out fo the song.

Jeff's Portland concert review (01/14)

2006-01-16T00:35:00.000-05:00

OK first off, wow! Carrie is simply amazing live!

so the concert starts at three, and i met up with 2 other CFers, dorothy and robin at my hotel and we walked to the civic center... and lo and behold the place was packed! i was glad to see the place packed, cos to be honest, i wasnt sure if the place would have a good attendence, but whaddya know, never doubt Carrie and her fans! so we were waiting for the place to be opened and we saw a few other CFers! erin, ashley and don!

so we get to our seats, and im seated next to Don! (well i knew this before the concert started) guys, this guy is truly as funny in real life as he is on his posts here he constantly had me in stitches with all his adventures with the blue hair! seated next to don were Jamie (musicali) and jen.

don campbell was an amazing opener! that guy and his band are really talented. go check out his band. don and i bought his cd. the song "mr bill gates" is really funny

after don campbell performed for about 35 minutes, jeff gordon came out and thanked us for supporting his foundation and then introduced carrie!

for those who havent seen carrie in concert, she truly is amazing live! even better than her CD, if that is possible! she sang every song + independence day (with the exception of whenever you remember).

i wont say too much about the songs, except for "thats where it is". i mean on her CD that song, to me, is like low on my list, but wow she totally nailed that song!

(on a side note, when carrie came over to my side of the stage, i did a little wave at her, and i think she waved back )

so carrie ran off the stage, and don turned to me and was like did she sing all the songs? my brain froze! the crowd gave carrie a standing ovation and continued clapping nonstop... and out bounced our cute miss underwood and she sand I aint in Checotah Anymore! and at the end i believe it was Katie and her friends who ran up and passed carrie some carebears!

the meet and greet started out crazy... they ushered us to a section of the arena, and ushered us to another place after that... so we were like near the end of the line (all the CFers were it seemed! all together!), where i met another CFer michelle (lilbit). so don remembers my story how i nearly missed meeting carrie at the country cares concert in michigan, so he was like "hey jeff, is it something with you that always gets you last to meet carrie?" lol, and the event staff announced that carrie had another engagement to attend to so we needed to speed things up! i was like hell no not again!

anyhow, everyone managed to meet carrie so that was good. what wasnt so cool, at least for me personally, was that i was soooo freakin nervous!!! i wanted to congratulate her on JTTW being #1 i couldnt say that! i just babbled some crap, and basically was such a wreck i didnt make any sense haha... i shall spare myself further embarassment by not revealing the details. i did give her some presents (again) and she thanked me for them. A couple of tshirts and a brooch.

all in all, i really enjoyed everything! carries performance, getting to meet carrie even though i was a complete mess, and meeting the great CFers here!

Congrats Carrie on your first Billboard Country #1

2006-01-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

Carrie's Jesus Take the Wheel will be top of the Billboard Country Radio charts when last weeks rankings will be published tomorrow! Congrats Carrie, the new Goddess of Country!
I am so happy that such an awesome song like Jesus Take the Wheel tops the charts, and Carrie certainly sang the daylights out fo the song. Congrats again to our girl!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SAYS JESUS DID TAKE THE WHEEL IN '05

2006-01-03T23:06:00.000-05:00

(from gactv.com)

Carrie Underwood got off to a miraculous start last year, scoring a big debut hit with "Jesus Take The Wheel," and she's on the road to selling two million copies of her debut album Some Hearts. Carrie tells Nashville IQ that she really identifies with the song.

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world the way everything worked out,” she says.“Everything worked out so perfectly that the song means so much to me, because I feel like Jesus was taking the wheel and leading me through everything that was going on."

--- no wonder I love, admire and respect Carrie so much!

Carrie Underwood: Chasing Faith (article from the music edge)

2005-12-31T13:20:00.000-05:00

http://www.themusicedge.com/moxie/news/featartist/carrie-underwood-letting-.shtml

On the road and away from home, soft-spoken Carrie Underwood laughs as she recalls her embarrassing moment of the day: falling off the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float in front of The Click Five during rehearsal. “I felt really dumb, but I laughed really hard about it, and so did they, so it all turned out fine,” she says. Discussing life in the fast lane, superstardom, and the roller-coaster ride of emotions and experiences taking hold of her in the aftermath of American Idol, she celebrates the release of her debut album, Some Hearts, and graciously thanks everyone for the opportunities she’s been given. Anticipating spending time with her family for the holidays and enjoying the Thanksgiving feast waiting for her at home, we casually chat over the phone as she looks forward to her performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

After high school Carrie, a Checotah, Okla. native, traveled from her humble upbringing to Northeastern University where she studied Mass Communications. With her plans carved out in one direction and hopes of a career in media looming on the horizon, fate quickly revealed a different path for Carrie in music. Armed with her mom and a beautiful voice, she hopped on a plane to tryout for American Idol. Carrie quickly captured the hearts of the judges and of America, as the down-to-earth, country young woman won American Idol in May of 2005, and began the next step of her career as a pop/country singer.

Signed to Arista Records, Some Hearts, featuring the hits “Jesus Take the Wheel,” “Some Hearts” and “Inside Your Heaven” collectively creates a warm blend of ballads built on country influences and life themes, with a healthy mix of catchy pop and radio-friendly songs. Carrie’s song compilation ranges from her experiences in love, her transformation from the country to the city, and the pangs and rewards of discovering herself. Some Hearts lays it all on the table and showcases a compassionate Carrie wearing her heart on her sleeve. With Some Hearts debuting at #2 on the charts (falling #2 to Madonna’s latest release) and selling close to 315,000 copies within the first week, clearly Carrie has touched more than just “some hearts.”

As for the songs on the album itself, listening to “Jesus Take the Wheel,” is enough to bring a tear to your eye and cause you to reconsider if what you do in life truly counts. “Lessons Learned” hits home for anyone who has experienced tough “growing pains” and been grateful for the hand life has dealt them (taking in the bad with the good), whereas the slightly more twangy and backup-vocal influenced “Before He Cheats” gives the listener a glimpse at the side of Carrie you would never want to cross, as the lyrics are laced with revenge and satisfaction. In the end, Some Hearts is a keepsake album for any music lover. Sure, some of the piano sequences sound a little formulaic, and for a moment it may feel predictable, but it might surprise you, as it gives the “American Dream” tangibility. As a fan of country music, I was taken aback and fell in love with the album. As a skeptic of American Idol, I was proven wrong, as now both Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson have already hit mainstream music full-steam ahead; the two female artists are attesting to be some of the purest and most talented female vocalists in the music scene today. Full of unifying stories and common emotions that bind humanity together, Some Hearts has definitely made its home in my CD player and won’t be leaving there anytime soon.

With her post-Idol resume continuing to grow, and a Skecher’s ad campaign under her belt, Carrie recently made it home with three Billboard Awards for 2005. She continues to generate buzz with her latest performance at the two-time Emmy nominated program “Christmas in Washington,” performing with Ciara and Rascall Flatts for the President, First Lady and other Washington, D.C., VIPs. As 2005 comes to a close, Carrie relays that she is just as pumped up about 2006 as she was about 2005, and looks forward to more success, more fun and more fans.

The Music Edge: So you started singing in church as a young child; how has your experience as a singer changed throughout the years?
Carrie: I mean, I did stuff like talent shows when I was younger; it was mostly a lot of local events, fairs and stuff like that, but it didn’t really go anywhere until I found American Idol.

TME: In addition to singing, you can also play the guitar. How old were you when you learned how to play?
Carrie: Right, I think I was a junior in high school when I started playing the guitar, and I’ve been playing ever since.

TME: Did you take lessons at school, or just learn on your own?
Carrie: I learned some on my own, and then I had a teacher for a couple of months that taught me the basics, and then it just developed into a hobby from there on out.

TME: I remember reading that you know how to yodel. That’s not a talent you hear of everyday—how did you learn how to yodel?
Carrie: I was in a musical group during college, and we did different-style shows over the summer, and for my first show they had me do “Cowboy Sweetheart,” which has yodeling in it, and I was like, “Oh, well guys, I don’t know if I can do that,” but I did, and I learned how to yodel, and it was a great experience.

TME: Sounds fun. So your favorite singer is Martina McBride—do you have any other favorites?
Carrie: Yeah, of course, I love Trisha Yearwood and Reba McIntire. I like Garth Brooks, and Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley—

TME: Oh I love Brad Paisley—
Carrie: (Giggles.) I know, isn’t he great?

TME: He sure is. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Carrie: I have a lot of those. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family that listens to all different kinds of music, so I listen to oldies from my parents and people like the Bee Gees, and Creedance Clearwater Revival and the Rolling Stones. And then my sisters were quite a bit older than me, they were teenagers when I was little, so I caught the whole eighties hair band thing too. I mean, for myself, I of course listen to country music and everything that is popular now, and lots of rock music. I have a lot of influences—there are just too many to name off right now.

TME: What was the defining moment that made you decide to audition for American Idol?
Carrie: It was pretty much on a whim, kind of like why not? I even told my mom, “No, I don’t know, it’s too far away, it’s stupid, I won’t make it anyway,” and she was just like, “Carrie, seriously, if you want to go I’ll take you.” So we did it, and here we are.

TME: Wow. What was the selection process like?
Carrie: Long, very long. At first it was thousands of people, so we were just pretty much hauled everywhere like cattle, and as things got narrowed down it got a little more nerve-wracking, but it all turned out well in the end.

TME: I’d say so.
Carrie: Yeah, me too.

TME: Where do you find inspiration for your songs?
Carrie: Anywhere I can. Pretty much when I’m picking out songs, I’ll listen to one, and if it makes me feel something, then chances are it’s a good song.

TME: Do you have a specific song-writing process?
Carrie: Honestly, I don’t write that much myself. It’s definitely something I want to explore more and do more of in the near future, but things just kind of hit you, I think. I mean, you might be in a conversation and say something and be like, “Oh, that would be a good idea for a song.” I really think inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere.

TME: What was your recording experience for Some Hearts like?
Carrie: It was fun; I really like being in the studio. I feel at home there. It’s a really intimate experience, just because it’s just you in a studio singing, closed off from everyone.

TME: What advice would you give to aspiring young musicians?
Carrie: Most definitely take chances and risks, and follow your dreams. But also have a back-up plan. Make sure not to cheat yourself of an education because having an education is important. Have other things that you can do as well because that’s just a smart thing to do.
(this is an awesome piece of advice!)

TME: Sounds like good advice. What does making music mean to you?
Carrie: It’s really great; it’s a fulfilling way to express myself. I’ve got a pretty cool job. I love what I do.

TME: What did you want to grow up to be when you were little? Did you want to be a rock star when you were little?
Carrie: Probably if you had asked me what I had wanted to be, that’s what I would have said. As I got older though, my practical side told me everyone wants to do that, and very few people actually get the chance. So I did prepare for another future, which I don’t regret at all.

TME: Has American Idol changed you?
Carrie: I hope it hasn’t changed me too much. Of course my daily activities are different, but I still hope I’m the same friend, the same daughter and the same sister that I always was.

TME: Has your success changed your relationships at all with your friends and family?
Carrie: Yeah, I mean, it is difficult to be a good friend when you’re on the go so much, and my parents are constantly wondering what I’m up to. I think it’s been hard on my mom for me to be so far away, but we’re all coping.

TME: What was the most rewarding part of the experience?
Carrie: I found out a lot about myself throughout the experience. Especially being out now, I’m not ever alone; there are always people around me, people helping me. But I mean as far as being away from family, I’ve learned that I can be an independent person.

TME: Of course. Was there a most challenging part that came along with that?
Carrie: Same thing. Being away from home. Things are scary, especially being out and going so many places; you never know what is going to happen. I don’t know what’s going to happen next year, and I’m the type of person that likes to plan things out, so it’s been kind of difficult to just let go and go with the flow.

TME: What is in store for you next?
Carrie: There are a lot of different events coming up. We want to make sure people go out and buy my album, so we’re going out everywhere, and I’ve been on a lot of T.V. shows and stuff like that. Next spring we’re looking at who else is going on tour, to see who I could possibly be on a bill with. So, there’s a lot to look forward to, no time for slowing down now.

TME: What did you learn most from the experience?
Carrie: That I am the luckiest person ever. I mean cool things happen, and it’s all about taking chances and not being scared of what the future could hold. If you do that and follow your heart then everything can just fall into place just right, and you’ll be surprised at how things can turn out.

Carrie wins "Oklahoman of the Year" in Oklahoma Today

2005-12-30T16:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks Lisa (OUcultjam) from pulse music boards for typing out this entire article, making it easy for people like me to copy and paste.

Article form Oklahoma Today

CARRIE ME HOME

Carrie Underwood of Checotah, Oklahoma’s favorite good girl, wins the nation’s modern-day equivalent of the Miss America pageant, American Idol, and becomes our 2005 Oklahoman of the Year.
By Kathryn Jenson White

When that cyclone swirled Kansan Dorothy Gale up, then plopped her down in Oz, she held trusty Toto in her arms. When Oklahoman Carrie Underwood threw herself into the whirlwind that landed her in the winner’s circle of American Idol, the then-twenty-one-year-old from just outside Checotah twirled alone, having left her cocker spaniel, Boston terrier, stray mutt, and two cats at home. Like fellow animal-lover Dorothy before her, Underwood had never – before becoming a contender – flown even in the more conventional way, on a plane.
The Northeastern State University mass communication senior soared above the other twenty-three vying vocalists on season four, brought down the house with “Inside Your Heaven,” “Angels Brought Me Here,” and “Independence Day,” and flattened the last man standing, Alabama native Bo Bice, in front of 30.0 million viewers on May 25, 2005.
Underwood never once landed in the voting bottom three, the first winner since Kelly Clarkson to achieve that. She never even walked close to the field of poppies that could have knocked her out during any of her fourteen televised competitions that began February 22, 2005.
While Underwood has had no Glinda to watch over her on the golden brick road, Judge Simon Cowell did wave his magic wand over her on March 22 by saying she was the one to beat and predicting she would sell more records than any previous winner. On March 30, he told her she had what it took to be a star. On May 25, the night she won, she proved him prescient. (The other judges actually were kind of witchy: Paula Abdul seemed consistently underwhelmed, and Randy Jackson called one of Underwood’s songs “pitchy.”)
Underwood’s first album, Some Hearts, released on November 15, 2005, to favorable feedback. Her first single, “Inside Your Heaven,” had debuted June 14, 2005, at number one on the Billboard hot 100, the first country song ever to do that, and sold 170,000 copies in its first week.
By mid-September, Carrie had sung to hundreds of fans during the summer 2005 forty-four-city American Idols Live! Tour; been hired by Hershey’s candy company and Skechers shoes as a spokesperson; yodeled on Jay Leno and appeared on The Today Show, The View, and Dr. Phil; performed her album’s first single at the CMA Awards show; been featured in People; and been booked to sing during Broadway Meets Country show at New York’s Lincoln Center.
George Lang, music critic and assistant entertainment editor at The Oklahoman, says if Underwood can survive the American Idol whirlwind, she could emulate Clarkson’s pop success in the country world.
“When the Hershey’s commercials come on, you watch them,” Lang says. “She has the kind of star magnetism to pull it off. She owns it. If you can shill for a company and make it look good, that’s pretty impressive. She also continues to win fans. She made a surprise appearance at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame awards in Muskogee to accept her Rising Star award in October. She knocked out the crowd by being down to earth and heartfelt in her acceptance.”
Kelli Doolen, an NSU faculty member and director of Downtown Country, the university’s Branson-style country music review in which Underwood sang and danced for two years, has been a fan since Underwood first appeared as a guest performer while in high school. She says Underwood had stashed away an early dream of going to Nashville.
“She decided, I think, that it was overwhelming and just too difficult, so she decided to focus on getting a degree, making a career she could count on,” Doolen says. “The perfect Carrie story is that when she passed the second round of American Idol auditions, they told her she could do nothing else: ‘You can’t perform anymore,’ they said. ‘You are ours until this is over.’ We had our final show the next Saturday. She told them, ‘I have one more show. I can’t let these people down.’ A lot of people would have said American Idol was more important than our show. They finally told her, ‘What we don’t know won’t hurt us.’ She performed.”
Youngest of three sisters and daughter of a retired Georgia-Pacific employee and rancher, Steve, and a retired elementary school teacher, Carole, the beautiful blond has gone from singing “Jesus Loves Me” in Bible school to seeing her second single, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” enter the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number thirty-nine and climb to number twenty-three in three weeks. Both literally and figuratively, Carrie is not in Oklahoma anymore.
“It’s crazy, and it’s wonderful, and it’s exciting,” Underwood says. “There are a whole lot of adjectives I could use. The way I cope with everything is to have people around me who know what I’m doing a lot better than I do. Being away from my family and my friends and my animals, that’s hard. I get as much sleep as possible and try to take care of myself. You know, I’m twenty-two years old, so that helps.”
What also helps is a statewide support system spreading from the capital to Checotah to the college. In Oklahoma City, Governor Brad Henry declared May 18, 2005, Carried Underwood Day across Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation posted four roadside signs touting Checotah as Underwood’s hometown in August 2005.
“That month, I had the pleasure of presenting her with a replica of one of the signs in a ceremony at the Capitol,” Henry says. “Carrie’s parents were on hand for the event, as were many of her fans. It was a very touching moment. Carrie’s eyes filled with tears as she accepted the sign, and she talked about how much she loved Oklahoma and how glad she was to be home.”
Oklahoma City’s Magic 104.1 morning disc jockey Stacy Barton drove her listeners nuts, she says, with her obsessive Underwood support.
“The producers at American Idol probably have a checklist,” Barton says. “When they read Carrie’s bio, they probably felt the first tingle. Here’s a girl from rural Oklahoma who has never even been on a plane. Then they look up at the auditions and see her. ‘Holy cow,’ they’re thinking. ‘She’s as pretty as Faith Hill.’ Then she starts to sing, and they hear Martina McBride-level talent. She’s college educated. She knows how to work a camera because she’s majoring in broadcast. I bet they had to go outside and get air at one point. From a marketing standpoint, to have it all in one person is very rare.”
Meanwhile, back near the ranch, Checotah put up a billboard featuring its native daughter’s picture that said, “Checotah Says Reach for the Stars Like Our Own Carrie Underwood.” On May 13, 2005, when the competition was down to Underwood, Bice and Vonzell Solomon, the town with a population of 3,500 threw a winding of a parade. Mayor James Hayes estimates the crowd at anywhere from eight to ten thousand.
At the college, Underwood may have been gone, but she was out. When she became one of 100,000 hopefuls auditioning for American Idol in summer 2004, Underwood was about to enter her senior year. She made it through fall semester before fame whirled her away.
“Working with Northeastern, I’m finishing my degree,” Underwood says. “That is really important to me. I worked for three-and-a-half years to get that, and you never know what could happen tomorrow. I could, for some reason, never be able to sing again. Every parent wants to see their kid walk across that stage, especially when all their money has been going to put them through college.”
Northeastern president Larry Williams says Underwood’s professors have worked with her to create a degree completion program that will accommodate Underwood while meeting university requirements.
“Carrie will finish her last class and graduate in May 2006,” Williams says. “There was pressure to give her a degree. In fact, American idol demanded I do that. I said we would not. We are an academic institution, and we’re going to protect our academic integrity. More importantly, Carrie would never allow us to do that. She wanted to fulfill the requirements for graduation in all respects.”
The school held a Carrie watch-and-voting party each week of the competition with hundreds of fans from on and off campus attending, Williams says. On finale night, thousands of supporters gathered in the Civic Center in Muskogee, the city closest to Checotah and Tahlequah, to join the shout heard ‘round the state when Underwood won.
“She captured the hearts of all the people watching, just as she had done here,” Williams says. “When I first met her, she was coming off the farm. She was shy, but you looked at her, heard that voice, and knew she was going to be great.”
Williams knows the last verse in his song of praise in a profound way. When his mother-in-law was dying in 2003, Underwood, a hospice volunteer, spent many hours in the Williams home. Larry’s wife, Pam, thinks of Underwood not as the American Idol but as an American Ideal – someone who gives generously of herself.
“She came every Tuesday, faithfully, to let me go grocery shopping or perform my university duties,” Pam Williams says. “She did that for a whole year, two hours each week. That day was a gift not only to my parents – both of them loved her – but to me because it gave me breathing room.
“We were with her recently when she came into town. She’s the same Carrie, and we’re thrilled with that. She just wants everything to be the same. I said, ‘Carrie, you know, that’s probably not going to be possible ever again,’ She said, ‘Well, I’m going to do the best I can for it to.”
Underwood says she is enjoying all the magic of this storybook experience. However, she says she can’t help pining a bit for her four-legged and two-legged Oklahomies.
“I miss them all very much, and any opportunity I have to go home, I take it to see all of them,” she says. “Being from a small town, there was always this exciting world that’s happening everywhere, and I wanted to be a part of it. I always swore, honestly, ‘All right, I’m going to do all that stuff. I’m going to move out of Oklahoma and blah, blah, blah.’ Now that I am out of it, I want to go home. I guess the grass really is always greener. I learned how much I love it by being away.”
The first click of the ruby slippers is faintly audible as Underwood speaks.
Although her life is now controlled in large part by American Idol creator Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment and Arusta Records, even in a telephone interview monitored by her publicist and a representative of her label, Underwood’s sense of humor peeks through.
“For some reason, in Oklahoma, everybody waves when they’re driving down the road,” she says. “You know, they do the little you’ve-got-your-hand-on-the-steering-wheel-lift-your-finger thing.
Sometimes when I’m in some of these other places, I feel that is I smile at somebody, they are going to think, ‘What does she want?’ It’s not a bad thing. It’s just different. I’m sure if they came to Oklahoma, they would think, ‘Wow. These people are weird. They’re all talking to me. What’s up? Did that guy just flip me off?’”
Even with the lighter tone, is that a second heel click in the background?
Carole Underwood says family and friends have reveled in watching Underwood prove dreams that some dare to dream really do come true but never imagined anything like their current world. Underwood had local renown as a runner-up in two Miss NSU pageants and as a singer in church, talent shows, and Downtown Country, but not even the Great Wizard himself could have foreseen today’s Idol-atry.
“She’s always been very talented, and we’ve always believed in that talent, but when we made that trip to St. Louis to audition, none of us expected that this would happen,” Carole says. “She looked the audition schedule up on the Internet. I tried to talk her out of it. I was leery. I said, ‘Let’s wait until next year.’ She said, ‘No, by this time next year, I’ll have to have a real job.’”
A good sense of humor characterizes Carole Underwood and her other two daughters. Stephanie Shelton, ten years older than Carrie, and Shanna Means, thirteen years older, also laugh as they talk about what both called the “roller-coaster ride” of joys and challenges resulting from Underwood’s success.
“My parents had to have their phone number changed after thirty years at the same address,” Means says. “That was a major thing, actually. People would call in the middle of the night to tell Mother they had voted for Carrie. You want to be grateful because the audience put her where she is, but two o’clock in the morning is not an easy time for gratitude.”
The down-to-earth Underwoods try to take all the changes in stride, but that’s not always easy.
“We’re just small-town people,” Carole Underwood says. “We mow our yard and fill the holes the dogs digs. Sometimes when people are driving by my house and pointing and saying ‘That’s her house,’ I feel a little weird being out there filling in those holes.”
Steve Underwood is the stay-at-home dad who tends to the animals, while Carole has flown repeatedly to Los Angeles and Nashville – where Carrie was in the process of buying a house in November – to carve out small pockets of time with her daughter. Underwood says her heart still lives in Oklahoma, despite the title of another album song, “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore,” on which she worked with writers Trey Bruce and Angelo to craft lyrics that specifically celebrate her roots.
“I want to say thank you to everyone,” she says. “Me being from where I’m from is a big part of my success. I think it’s so cool that I have this much support from ym home state. When I got to the top twenty-four, billboards went up, and people were writing on their car windows and sending me things for good luck.”
After considering for a moment what she would most want her fellow Oklahomans to say of her, she decides on “Carrie Underwood lives here.”
Did that soft click come from Underwood hanging up the phone, or was it the third touch of her ruby slippers’ heels? Underwood clearly has the heart, brain, and courage to go as far as she wants, but it seems no matter how beautiful Emerald, sorry, Music City is, there’s no place like Oklahoma.

SOME HEARTS WINS HEARTS
On November 15, 2005, Carrie Underwood’s first solo album, Some Hearts, dropped worldwide. On one memorable song, America’s newest country sweetheart sings about all the standards: love, cheatin’, and pool.
No. 1 with a bullet – actually, a key, a knife, and a Louisville Slugger – on Some Hearts is “Before He Cheats,” a revenge fantasy in which the singer keys and generally destructs the “little souped-up 4-wheel drive” of a boyfriend she imagines is doing’ her wrong.
The lyrics capture jealousy and honky-tonk cheatin’ behavior, from “Right now, he’s probably behind her with a pool stick, showing her how to shoot a combo,” to “Right now he’s probably dabbing on $3 worth of that bathroom Polo.”
Underwood sings the song convincingly. In her official bio, she includes this disclaimer: “I would like to say, however, that I do not condone the destruction of anyone’s property, and I have never, at any time, keyed anyone’s car.” When I asked Carrie to name the meanest thing she had ever done, she thought for a minute and then answered almost a little ruefully, “Nothin’.”

CARRIE MANIA
Emerging star Carrie Underwood has millions of fans. Keeping them satisfied is the aim of carrieunderwoodofficial.com, a label-sponsored site with Underwood media, ring tones, news, photos, and Carrie’s dulcet voice in the background.

THE PRICE OF FAME
Celebrity brings its own brand of chores.
In a matter of weeks, Carrie Underwood transformed from a fresh-faced farm girl in her senior year at a university close to home to the newest American Idol, instantly recognizable to millions of fans worldwide. Like all life-changing events, this one hasn’t come without a cost.
Celebrity has its pitfalls, and Checotah’s Carrie Underwood is well aware of what it can do to a girl’s attitude.
Underwood’s sisters, Shanna Means and Stephanie Shelton, both say the many Internet message boards in which adulation of Underwood is interspersed with acidic asides about her can get to them, too.
“While people can be supportive, they can also be downright mean,” Shelton says. “It made me mad many times last year. I wanted to tell them, ‘Look, you don’t even know her.’ I know they were rooting for someone else, but they might say, ‘She’s overweight.’ I’d think, ‘Overweight? Have you seen her?’ I’m sure everyone who starts out has to get a thicker skin. I don’t think it bothered her as much as it did me. Maybe.”
Underwood’s mom, Carole, says her daughter has a vulnerable side, which became apparent early as she sang competitively.
She did not especially like talent shows,” she says. “She liked the idea that ‘Ooh, I might win fifty dollars,’ but she wasn’t a big fan because criticism hurt her. She’s never been a person to take criticism, but it’s because she tries so hard to please. She even told me just before she got ready to go into the audition that maybe she might not go.”
Even Carole Underwood felt the pressure of her daughter’s high-profile performances.
“During the show, I learned to fear Tuesdays [performance night] and hate Wednesdays [results night]. All day Tuesday I would be very nervous. I worried, ‘Oh, I hope she sings it well. I hope she hits the high notes. I hope she looks good. What are the judges going to say?’”
About the starlet, Underwood’s sorority little sister Ashlee Smith says, “She is very tenderhearted, so when people would say mean things, it would hurt. When she sounded sad, I would ask why and she would say she had been reading the forums. I told her she just had to stop.”
Smith says she was outraged when a tabloid ran a story about Underwood’s breakup with her Northeastern boyfriend.
“Some people in the media hounded her former boyfriend,” she says. “They turned the words around to make them hurtful. One lady from some magazine that gives the dirt on celebrities called me constantly. I finally told her, ‘Look, there’s nothing bad about Carrie you’re going to get me to say.’ Carrie definitely realizes you have to pay a price for fame.”
What worries Underwood is that her family and friends have to pay the price, too.
“We’re just normal people,” she says. “I started wising up, and I did quit reading stuff. I told myself, ‘I signed up for this.’ I put myself out there, so I guess I have to expect people to be highly flattering but also horribly rude. They said mean things about my sisters. I thought, ‘They didn’t sign up for this.’ There’s also a lot more for my mom to worry about now. I worry when people drive by my parents’ house. That freaks me out a bit. Dealing with all the changes can be hard. Everything changed so suddenly.”

GRRL-ANIMAL
Carrie Underwood’s Four-Legged Friends
Underwood is so sweet-natured that next to her singing, she is best known by friends and family for her abiding love of all creatures great and small.
She has recorded a public service announcement for the Humane Society of the United States and donated proceeds for animal rescue to the organization from her merchandise sales at the final concert of the American Idol tour, a benefit for Hurricane Katrina relief.
“Carrie made a significant personal donation, though we don’t comment on specific amounts of private donations,” says Kathy Bauch, senior director of corporate relations and promotions for the Humane Society of the United States. “Carrie is using her celebrity and her connection with millions of people to bring attention to animal issues. Her love of animals certainly makes her our American Idol.”
Although her family raises Limousin cattle, Underwood no longer eats meat. PETA named her – along with Coldplay’s Chris Martin – the 2005 World’s Sexiest Vegetarian. She even wore a ‘V is for Vegetarian’ T-shirt on one episode of American Idol. Carrie’s Sigma Sigma Sigma little sister, Northeastern junior Ashlee Smith, has seen Underwood’s compassion for animals firsthand.
“When we were living on the Tri-Sigma floor in the dorm, she found this stray cat on the side of the road,” Smith says. “We are not supposed to have animals, but she kept it there to raise it. We hid Mason from everyone.”

THE BIG WIN
In two words, host Ryan Seacrest announced the winner of the fourth American Idol competition. Carrie Underwood wondered, “Did he just call my name?” He did, and as it all began to sink in, she said, “Thank you. Thank you, America.”

Jeff's Top 5 BEST & WORST country had to offer in '05

2005-12-27T16:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, I am listing my personal opinions here, and Im sorry if you disagree with my choices, but here goes:

Worst:

5. Tequila Makes her Clothes Fall Off --- Joe Nichols
4. Honky Tonk Badonkadonk --- Trace Adkins
3. Coming to Your City --- Big and Rich
2. Redneck Yachtclub --- Craig Morgan
1. All Jacked Up --- Gretchen Wilson

Generally i cant stand the beer and party country songs... they give the genre a bad image

Best

5. Miss Me Baby --- Chris Cagle (nice sentimental song)
4. Probably Wouldn't be this Way --- LeAnn Rimes (Ive never really followed LeAnn too much but this is amazingly emotional! I saw her do this live when she came to Michigan with Martina and Carrie)
3. Tonight I Wanna Cry --- Keith Urban (a great emotional weepy song that i really like. A good change from his usual style)
1. Believe --- Brooks and Dunn (wow! the emotion Ronnie Dunn puts in this is amazing! I have this together with Jesus take the Wheel [see below] as joint tops!)
1. Jesus Take the Wheel --- Carrie Underwood (amazing message, beautiful voice. this song has helped me a lot when i was going through rough patches late in the year)

if this looks familiar, i have posted this on pulse music boards as well

20 Questions With Carrie Underwood (CMT.com)

2005-12-16T16:54:00.000-05:00

from http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1518424/20051216/underwood__carrie.jhtml?headlines=true

1. What gave you the courage to stick with your country roots? It had to take courage when competing on American Idol.

I was a little worried in the beginning about maybe possibly singing country music to people who might not really understand it. I thought it may be a little detrimental to me, but I knew that that's the kind of record deal I wanted afterwards, whether I won or not. I figured it would be silly to stray because then I'd end up with possibly nothing.

2. I know it is important for you to be in Nashville to further your career. Are you going to live there? I am an Oklahoman, and we are hoping you'll keep your ties here.

My parents do still live in Oklahoma, so if I ever have a couple of days off, I'm definitely going to Oklahoma. It really makes sense for me to have a house here in Nashville just because everything and everybody I work with is here in Nashville. It just makes sense, instead of me living in a hotel, like I'm doing right now, to get a house. Hopefully that will happen very soon. But also Oklahoma is home -- home-home.

3. How much input did you actually have in choosing songs for your new CD?

There were so many wonderful songs from wonderful, wonderful songwriters here in Nashville -- and everywhere else -- that were sending us great songs. It was really just a matter of several of us sitting down and picking ones that would definitely work for me and definitely work for everything. I've never done this before, obviously, so I don't know what the best songs are. It's ultimately my decision about everything, so I definitely had people around helping me figure things out. I could have never done that alone. People would send me songs here and there, and we'd weed them out.

4. What was the first thing that came to your mind when your name was called as the new American Idol?

I honestly don't think I was thinking anything. I think it was all just kind of a shocked, emotional time. I mean, I was just waiting for my name to be called --and it was -- so it was like exciting and shocking and happy all at the same time.

5. You and Bo Bice seemed very close on the show. Have you spoken to him outside the American Idol tour? Is there any thought to doing a duet together?

I have seen him since the tour was over, and he is doing very well. He's definitely got his own stuff going on right now, so if we did do something, it would definitely be later on in the future. We're both kind of trying to work on getting ourselves established first and then possibly branching out into duets and whatnot. I wish him the best, and I know he wishes me the best.

6. Was there ever a time on American Idol where you just didn't want to be in the competition anymore?

There were times when I was really scared, but that was about the only reason. I thought, "I gotta quit" or just thoughts running through my head like, "What if I can't? What if I fail?" But I knew I had to keep going, or I'd regret it forever.

7. Are you considering cutting a full-length version of Heart's "Alone" for an album? Lots of us thought it was your best performance on the show and really propelled you to victory. We also liked your version of Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield" and Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All."

Heart and Pat Benatar, they are definitely such amazing people. I was just trying not to screw the songs up. I really like Air Supply. I think it would be really fun to have a female do some of their songs. I love them to death, and I think that would work. But me trying to do Heart or Pat Benatar as my own, I don't think it would work out so well. It was fun, like kind of pretend or try my best to try to do them, but that's not really so much my style. They are awesome. They're amazing.

8. What are your plans for promoting your new album? When can we expect to see you on a solo tour?

There are a lot of talk shows and things like that. A lot of press that I'm going to be doing. ... As far as the tour goes, you know, we're shooting for next spring, so it depends on who's going to be on tour then and who I can go sing with. So, whoever it is, I'm excited. I would rather tour with somebody because I think I need to work up to [headlining shows]. I don't think I'm there yet, to be able to do my own, personally. I think I would feel much more comfortable if I were a special guest with somebody.

9. Do you have special requests when you go on tour? What are the requirements for your dressing room?

Whenever we were on tour, I didn't even turn in my riders sheet, just because all I pretty much need is water, and I'm good. Maybe if they have fruit or a vegetable tray or whatever, I'm good with that, too. But as far as any requirements, I don't have any.

10. Is there anyone else in your family who's musical? Who taught you guitar?

Nobody else in my family is really musical. My oldest sister has a nice voice, but she is definitely not an entertainer. She does not like to be in front of people, and she gets really nervous. As far as me learning the guitar, I actually learned the piano first, and I think that really helped me out. I could kind of teach myself some stuff on the guitar, and I took lessons my junior year of high school.

11. Do you carry any particular CDs from your music collection around with you when you're traveling away from home? If so, which ones?

I keep my iPod with me -- which has every CD I have, ranging from everything from country to oldies to hard rock to R&B to whatever you can think of. I think I'd go crazy if I didn't have that with me. I love Randy Travis. He's a good calm-me-down guy. Pretty much anything. I just keep it on shuffle. You never know. It's fun that way. It's fun guessing what's gonna be next.

12. Can you read sheet music or do you play by ear or by listening to a song?

I can read sheet music. It takes me a bit longer if I don't hear the song first. It's a kind of a mixture of both. If I hear it, I definitely know when something sounds wrong, but I think it helps me to do both.

13. With all these "pinch me" moments, even before your debut album, are you able to take a break? And what do you do to relax?

I've got to go home a couple of times since May. Breaks are pretty much about doing nothing, and I think that's the most important thing I can do. When I don't have to do anything, I get to do absolutely nothing ... if that makes any sense at all. I like to stay in my pajamas. I don't want to put makeup on. I just want to watch TV. That's all I want to do.

14. What has been the toughest piece of criticism to take from someone who may be interviewing you or from someone you run across in public?

I'd say the worst criticism doesn't happen in interviews because usually people are very nice in the interviews. The worst criticism is things people say on the Internet or on different kind of picky shows, like critiquing what's she wearing or how she looks or how she sounds. Those things are really hard to take because ... I don't feel like I've worked my way up to that yet. A lot of people have more time to get used to that. One day we're normal people, who nobody talks about. And the next day, I'm the American Idol who everybody thinks is short or too blonde or not as good as everybody thinks. That's really hard to take, just people talking. I don't get on fan sites anymore. I used to, especially when we were on the show. We all did. I saw so many people get broken because of it. They'd go out there with a "this is me, this is who I am" attitude. Then they'd start reading what people thought about that -- what people who don't matter thought about that -- and it would break them. Eventually, I kind of trained myself not to look at them anymore. It's just better that way.

15. How can you be associated with PETA since you grew up in rural Oklahoma? They do not like livestock shows, rodeos, hunting and fishing. These are the activities that define us as Oklahomans.

That's a good question. I don't think those things define us as Oklahomans. I think that the way that we are in our personality and in the morals that we have, I think that defines us Oklahomans. Livestock is definitely a big deal in Oklahoma. A lot of my friends were in FFA and stuff like that growing up. ... I just choose not to eat animals. That's it. I'm not really associated with PETA. If they're doing a spay-or-neuter campaign, I'm all for it. I'm not really for so many radical things. I think there's just an easier way. I don't preach to others about it. This is just the way I am. If you were sitting there next to me, eating a steak right now, I wouldn't say anything about it because that's your choice, just like it's my choice not to eat it.

16. When did you become a vegetarian?

I quit eating beef when I was somewhere between 10 and 13 because we do have cows and I did bottle feed them and stuff like that. They were like my pets. I had an incident one day that made me refuse to eat beef ever, ever again. Later on, my neighbor had pigs, and I thought they were cute, and it just kind of went on and on from there. I phased it out over a period of time. My parents were actually banding calves. I don't know if you know what that means. I'm not going to explain it to you. ... Basically, it was to make them grow bigger so people could eat them, and they were so cute, and it just made me sad.

17. You seem so quiet and reserved. Is there a wild side to Carrie Underwood?

I think everybody has got a little wild streak no matter how quiet they are. It's always the quiet ones you gotta worry about, right? I've never, ever, ever done anything remotely, like, bad at all. I've never so much as been pulled over, knock on wood. But everybody's got a little wild streak in them, even if it's small. It's pretty rare for wild Carrie to come out, but if it does, I'm usually with my friends, so you know, I would just get a little rowdy.

18. In fashion, how would you describe your style? Where do you shop?

What style? If I'm forced to look nice, I think I do OK with it. I think I do a pretty decent job, but usually you'll see me walking around in what looks like PJs, like flannel pants and T-shirts. That's what I feel comfortable in. If I am having to dress up, I like to go to places like Bebe. I think their clothes are cute. I love to shop, but usually ... I don't really go for expensive things. I still shop like I did before, so I love Abercrombie and American Eagle and places like that. Just normal people places.

19. You have expressed numerous times your everlasting love for animals. You've also mentioned that you haven't found Mr. Right. If you had to choose between animals and men, what would you choose?

I would choose animals all the way. I know that's the one thing in life I cannot live without. I would be so amazingly unhappy if I didn't have my puppies and my kitties. I haven't found a good man, yet. I've found lots of good animals, so I'd go with animals.

20. What do you think are the most important qualities in any person?
I think honesty is very important in people. Just basically having a good heart -- and you can take that however you want to. I'm not talking like sainthood or anything. I'm just saying being a good person, having good morals and growing up, similar to the way I did -- good family, good values and stuff like that. Good wholesome stuff.

Note: The last question was asked by yours truly :)

My Country Cares For Hurricane Relief Concert @ Auburn Hills review

2005-12-09T03:50:00.000-05:00

Some thoughts about the concert overall:
1)is it legal to have 3 awesome voices in the same venue at the same time?
2)I do think that LeAnns arrangement was awesome, and martinas band was better than carries (kinda expected since carries band is less experienced; for those wondering about the backups, their volume was perfect!)
3)Im still scratching my head how the mic and sound system in general survived Carrie’s, LeAnn’s and Martina’s voices. How on earth did they not crack?
4)I was disappointed that the 3 of them did not have a song together.

Since I got the $275 ticket, I was part of the pre-concert party. We (I went with my friend Charlie and his mom) were like queuing outside the VIP lounge waiting to enter then saw a cute little blonde girl walk past the line into the lounge! It was Carrie!!! AHHHH!!! But we had to wait like another 30 minutes before entering the lounge for the pre-show party! I went in and LeAnn was there! She was really sweet I gave her my present ( I got all of em presents) she was like “thank ewe!”, and I gave her my concert tshirt to sign on, and then had a pic taken with her!
OK, now we were like hanging around the lounge, not wanting to eat any of the food… haha, then we saw 2 lines being formed! One for martina and one for carrie. Guess whos line we picked lol! (I love martina a lot but carries number 1 in my heart ;) ). So we queued up the darn queue was soooo long!!! So we waited and waited until it was the turn for the group in front of us to take pics with carrie. The darn security said “that’s all! Carrie has to go NOW!” I was like OMG OMG noooooooo!!! Charlie’s mom managed to “grab” Carrie and I took a pic of them. Then the darn security guy said “OK she really has to go now!” and carrie started walking away. I was like noooooo! So I said her name out (she was like 4 feet away from me) “please Carrie just one more pic for me?” she turned around and walked (ok 4 feet lol) to me and was something like “OK! Gotta be quick!” (cant remember the exact words my mind was in a whirlwind) She was really pretty in her black skull tshirt, jeans and boots and she looked really really fresh! haha so I put my arm round her and she put hers round me! I couldn’t get her autograph though… And in all that madness I forgot to give her my present! So I had to get one of the event staff to pass Carrie and Martina’s presents to them for me. (I got carrie a cute teddy bear with the words “I Love You Carrie” on the thsirt of the bear haha) hope they got their presents!
I was really disappointed at the way the pre-party was run… I mean there was no way to get both martina and carrie cos there were separate lines for the 2 of them… I thought they would all be sitting by tables and everyone would queue up to get all their pics and autographs but it was really disorganized. The lounge was also too small to hold everyone.

Now onto the concert! I got like a seat in the fourth row near the center of the stage (was seated with Charlie and Ashley (NCcarriefan))! Carrie sang 7 songs! She was superb and I was like jumping up and down and screaming throughout her songs, even during HYMLC lol I was the only nut standing up for that song… (for those who were there if you saw a guy in a white tshirt bobbing up and down during HYMLC, that’s most likely me!) She was moving all over the stage and was really really cute! She really is awesome to listen to live omg omg better than her album! (the volume for the backup was also perfect ;) ) She thanked the crowd for supporting the benefit concert, for helping make JTTW the success it is, and wished everyone happy holidays (at different times). The crowd really appreciated her a lot and she got awesome applauses whenever she hit all the glory notes! Awesome awesome!

Carries songs (in order):
Some Hearts
Before He Cheats
Night Before (Life Goes On)
Inside Your Heaven
Jesus Take the Wheel
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Wasted

Next up was LeAnn Rimes! I must admit I haven’t really followed her songs as much as Carrie and Martina, but she too was awesome! She really worked the crowd superbly and I really liked the acoustic arrangement she had (she had 2 guitarist and a guy on a dobro that’s all! Apparently she flew in from Vegas the day before). I really liked the arrangement! She got standing ovations for “Probably Wouldn’t be this way” and “How do I live”.

LeAnns songs (I cant remember all, in no order):
Cant Fight the Moonlight
Probably Wouldn’t be This Way
Commitment
How Do I Live
Me and Bobby McGee
Blue
One Way Ticket
This Love
Nothing About Love Makes Sense

Finally last up was Martina!!! I went crazy as well for her (she is my fav after carrie). She came out rocking with God Fearin women (one slight complaint was that her band was a little loud during her upbeat songs). Wow martina is also truly amazing live! She sang 18 songs ( I may have forgotten some lol). Also in between Martina’s songs, the sponsors presented a family who lost their home due to Katrina with the keys to their new home! And Carrie and LeAnn came up to sign one of the wooden blocks that would go onto the house! Martinas vocal power and range is unbelievable I was just in awe throughout all her performances!!! She got at least 3 standing ovations.

Martinas songs (in no order):
God Fearin Women
Wild Angels
Concrete Angel
Happy Girl
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
You Ain’t Woman Enough
Heartaches by the Number
Help me Make it through the nite
Broken Wing
My Baby Loves Me
In My Daughters Eyes
This Ones for the Girls
Valentine
ID
Hit Me with Your Best Shot
O Holy Night
Somewhere over the Rainbow
Where would You be

I hardly attend concerts, and after this experience I don’t think I can listen to many other singers after the amazingly high standards these 3 ladies have set. Their voices were so powerful, my ears are still deaf as im typing this out, but im happily deaf lol!

I will put my pics up after my friend is done fixing them!

Carrie @ Rockefeller

2005-11-30T23:55:00.000-05:00

WOW CARRIE SUNG HAVE A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS SO BRILLIANTLY! I NEVER LIKED CHRISTMAS SONGS BEFORE BUT THIS IS THE BEST CARRIE VOCAL EVER! WOW WOW WOW

Carrie at Macy's Thanksgiving parade!

2005-11-25T02:13:00.000-05:00

Here are the screencaps (credit Mariah of carriefans.com)

Carrie was absolutely adorable at the parade! She certainly looked like she enjoyed being bundled up in the winter clothes! I cant believe how this girl can look hot (at the CMAs red carpet) and then look so cute like this! I think I prefer the cute look!

Carrie on the Today Show!

2005-11-22T20:54:00.000-05:00

First of all, let me rant about the today show... its a mind-numbing 3 hour crap show that airs every weekday from 7-10 on NBC. Heres the 2 biggest sections of the show: the ads, which take up at least an hour of the program, and the weather, which takes up 30 mins IMO. Other 'memorable' parts of todays today show included how to cook a turkey and make picture frames.

Now onto the real (and only) highlight, the amazingly talented Miss Carrie Underwood. They did a short interview with her and she performed Jesus take the Wheel at around the 1.5 hour mark. The band today was awesome, and the backup singers for once complemented her excellently.

Then, to end the show, Carrie sang Some Hearts. Ok, if u check my reviews, Im not the biggest fan of Some Hearts. However, carrie continues to amaze me as i was totally blown away by her performance, even better than Jesus take the Wheel! She really is a hundred times better live than recorded. She hit all the glory notes superbly, Im just simply out of superlatives to describe this amazing girl. And she is suffering from a sinus! WOW!

Some Hearts Album Review!

2005-11-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

OK, the eagerly anticapted album is out... and its an awesome production! Carrie sung her heart out, and her awesome, sweet, powerful voice is showcased in these songs. Most of the songs are also beautifully written. Kudos to the production team. To be honest, Carrie exceeded my expectations. Most of the songs are really contemporary and anyone who doesnt like country would not have any problems loving this.

Stand out tracks:
- Don't Forget to Remember Me: OMG when i first heard this song, the lyrics really struck my heart as it reminded me much of my own experience when I left home for college. 3 lines really hit me:
1)"Momma kept on talkin’ puttin’ off goodbye". Yes my mom kept talking and never really was ready to say goodbye.
2)"here’s a Bible if you ever lose your way". my mom is a great Christian woman, and she was definitely most concerned about my spiritual life away from home. its amazing that these were the exact words she used when she handed me a bible when i was packing
3)"Just like every Sunday I called Mama up last night. And even when it’s not I tell her everything’s all right". yea i dun call her on sundays, but its true that i dun really burden her with my problems. whats the point making her worry? everytime when she asks me how are things going, i'll say theyre going pretty good, even when they ARENT.
This song will forever have special place in my heart. I feel as if Carrie performed it for me.

- Jesus Take the Wheel: the first single to be released to country radio and wow what a message. It's about a woman who is losing control of her vehicle and doesnt know what to do and ends up leaving her life in God's hands. Amazing message for everyone, Christian or non-Christian. This is the kind of song that will help people when they are facing difficult times. I know it has for me. Whenver things go rough for me and i hear Carrie's angelic voice singing this wonderfully written song, I feel serene.

- Wasted: Another great song with a great message. its about leavings one's demons behind and starting life anew. Im not sure if the song writers meant it this way, but looking deeper into it, I find this also has a great Christian message; about accepting Christ and thus leaving the demons of the past behind and starting life with Jesus when you accept him as your saviour. Amazing, rangy song; reminds me of the type that Martina McBride would do. Great powerful chorus. Super.

- Before he Cheats: this one, I believe will be a great radio hit! its a real sassy song about a girl wrecking her boyfriends car because she thinks he is cheating on her. i never imagined Carrie would ever say the words "bleached blonde tramp", "white trash version of shania karaoke" i had a good laugh. Do read Carrie's disclaimer on her bio on the arista nashville website. She doesnt condone these actions! Although this is a fun song, i cant place it higher than the previous 3.

- I ain't in Checotah Anymore: this is the most country of all the songs. I like the fiddle in it! its a great bouncy song about her living in NYC and missing her home. Cute lines like "My hotel in Manhattan Holds more people than our town" and "what I just paid for dinner Would be a down payment on a house" make it such a cute song. It reminds me of a song by the great Alan Jackson "Where i come from".

OK. these are my top 5. Most of the other tracks are awesome as well. They chose songs that would be able to showcase her wonderful vocals.
If i had to name my bottom 3 tracks, they would be "Inside Your Heaven", "We're Young and Beautiful" and "Some Hearts".

Carrie at the Red Carpet @ the CMAs

2005-11-16T17:46:00.000-05:00

i dun think i have to say much... the pics say for themselves.

heck i have to say these:
these are the most awesomely hottest pictures of carrie ever! WOW! i mean ive never thought of her as "hot", just a sweet country girl, but wow im not kidding, my temperature rose when i first saw these pics... i had to take a cold shower to cool myself down... and i keep staring at these pics now until my eyes are dry most of the time... thankfully i have my eye drops on my table

still have to love that smile!

upcoming TV schedule for Carrie

2005-11-12T03:10:00.000-05:00

ok ive looked through the tv listings and based on the times for the programs this is the timings i think:

14 nov: larry king live (CNN) @ 9pm
15 nov: CMAs (CBS) @ 8pm
17 nov: tonite with leno (NBC) @ 1135pm
19 nov: grand ole opry (GAC) @ 8pm
22 nov: today show (NBC) @ 7am
23 nov: the view (ABC) @ 11am
24 nov: macys thanksgiving parade (NBC) @ 9am
28 nov: tony danza (NBC) @ 10am
29 nov: fox and friends news (FOX) @ 7am
30 nov: christmas @ rockefellar (NBC)
2 dec: jimmy kimmel live (ABC) @ 1205am
2 dec: dateline (NBC) @ 8pm
3 dec: dr phil (NBC)
5 dec: ellen degeneres (NBC) @ 4pm
6 dec: billboard awards (FOX) @ 8pm
11 dec: e! true hollywood story
14 dec: christmas at washington (TNT)
16 dec: in the moment (CMT)

wow this is quite a list for our girl!!!

please do not post this info anywhere i just did some looking up these should be the times (dun hold me liable if they are wrong) i just hope they are accurate

Carrie Underwood Fantasizes About Taking A Bat To Her Man's Car

2005-11-09T00:17:00.000-05:00

from http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1513120/20051107/index.jhtml?headlines=true

Carrie Underwood selected songs she could relate to for her debut album ... with one exception.

"I have to add this disclaimer," she said with a chuckle of "Before He Cheats." "It's actually about a girl that is at home and she's thinking about stuff that her boyfriend is probably doing. And she's thinking about him being at some bar with some girl and she gets really angry and she goes outside and destroys his mode of transportation. Which is something I would never do, but it's really fun to sing about. I know it would be so fun. She takes a baseball bat to it and everything. That would be awesome!"

"Before He Cheats" will be included on Some Hearts, due November 15. Underwood, the reigning "American Idol" champ (see "'Did He Just Call My Name?' — Carrie On Her Big Win"), has written her own material before, but recruited pros for the songs on her first album.

In fact, before leaving on the American Idols Live Tour this summer, "Idol" creator Simon Fuller organized a songwriter's retreat in Nashville, where Underwood got to know those who would be writing for her.

"We wanted them to actually write songs for me instead of writing songs and me listening to them," Underwood said. "I just kind of bounced around from room to room and they'd play me what they were coming up with. It was really great just because I got to meet them and hang out with them and they learned a lot about me, so the songs were definitely more treated to me. Writing is something that I'm very interested in doing, and I think it was really good for me to be around them to see the process that they go through to write."

One of the first songs to come out of the retreat was "Jesus, Take the Wheel."

"Everybody was kind of like, 'You gotta hear this song, you gotta hear this song,' and everybody seemed to like it, so when I heard it I was like, 'Oh yeah, I definitely love this song, too,' " Underwood said. "We decided to make that the first one I was gonna record and it turned out so well that we wanted to make it the first single."

"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is straight-up country, but not all of Some Hearts is a boot-skootin' boogie.

"Because of my exposure on the show I can't really help but appeal to other people than just country-music listeners," Underwood explained. "I am a country music artist first and foremost, but we were trying to hopefully appeal to many different people. And some songs turned out more country than we thought they would and some turned out a lot more new contemporary. I think it all sounds good together."

Underwood's been recording the album in Nashville, where "Idol" runner-up Bo Bice is also in the studio (see "Bo Bice Working With Ben Moody, Members Of Nickelback, Bon Jovi, Skynyrd For LP"), although the two are not collaborating as they did on tour this summer.

"He's also trying to get his album done and everything, so right now it's not panning out, but you never know," she said. "I think that would be a good idea."

As for working in Nashville, "I was a little worried at first going there that people might kind of look at me skeptically just because I came from a Hollywood show," Underwood said. "But everybody is so great and working hard to make sure that we really do something big with this."

Underwood is currently shooting a video for "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and will make several promotional appearances later this month.

"I haven't done this before so I'm just trying not to screw up too bad," Underwood said.

Carrie Underwood Scores History-Making Top 40 Country Debut!

2005-10-28T16:11:00.000-04:00

from http://magazine.angrycountry.com/article.php?story=20051028151728470

Carrie Underwood makes history this week as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” the first new single from her debut album, rockets onto the radio airwaves and the country charts.

“Jesus, Take the Wheel” received so much airplay in its first week of release that it debuts at #39 this week on both the Billboard and Radio & Records country singles charts. This marks the first time a newcomer has debuted inside the Top 40 since the start of BDS audience monitoring in 1990.

The chart rankings only begin to tell the 2005 American Idol winner’s out-of-the-box success story. Carrie’s recording gave her the biggest first-week numbers of any new artist this year, as her song was added to the playlists of more than 70 reporting stations-more than double that of any other song this week and a figure so high that only five mega-stars (Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Gretchen Wilson and Toby Keith) have posted better first-week numbers this year.

The newcomer couldn’t be more thrilled by her reception at country radio. “Everybody keeps throwing numbers at me,” she observes. “I don’t know what they mean, but everybody seems pleased, so I am, too!” Throughout the Idol competition that propelled Carrie into the spotlight this spring, she made it clear to producers and viewers that she’s a country music fan and singer. “Every chance I got I wanted to do country music because everybody kept telling us to be ourselves…and that’s the music I love.”

Carrie’s welcome from country radio extends far and wide. In the coming weeks, she’ll be showcased in interviews on hundreds of stations via many syndicated radio shows, an album premiere special (hosted by Carrie) and specially created satellite radio programming…proof that radio programmers at every level are jumping at the chance to introduce Carrie and her music to their listeners.

Carrie’s debut album, Some Hearts-featuring “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (19 Recording/Arista) -arrives in stores November 15, 2005.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SAYS NO TO PRIVATE JET

2005-10-28T16:07:00.000-04:00

from gactv.com

No doubt about it--Carrie Underwood still has the common sense she learned growing up in Checotah, Okla. One of Carrie’s prizes for winning American Idol was the use of a free private jet for a year, which sounds like a great perk. But not according to Carrie, who opted not to take advantage of that perk. “I turned that one down, because you still have to pay the tax bill on what it would’ve cost. And when they showed me what it would cost I turned the jet down.”

Carrie's debut country album, Some Hearts, on 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville, is due in stores on November 15 and her first country single, "Jesus Take the Wheel," is receiving a warm welcome at radio. Additionally, look for Carrie in the "It’s My Drive" column in the November issue of Reader’s Digest. Carrie explains that the 2005 blue Ford Mustang she received as a prize on the American Idol show became her second Ford Mustang car. Her parents bought her a used blue Mustang as a high school graduation gift for doing so well in school (she graduated salutatorian). It also served as Carrie’s stage on wheels as she belted out songs while driving back and forth from home to college.

Thoughts on Some Hearts [song]

2005-10-28T12:26:00.000-04:00

If I compare Some Hearts with Jesus Take the Wheel, there is no contest, JTTW is a better produced song. Lyrically, it's going to be hard to top the message JTTW has to offer.

SH has a real pop sound to it. I don't think it is remotely close to country.

I consider myself a Carrie and country fan. I'm totally in love with country because of Carrie. In fact I had given up listening to pop for a few years now. If you ask me what are the top hits in pop today I will have absolutely no clue.

Back to SH. I think Carrie has really thrown herself onto this album. I mean, I can understand the critics during AI when they said she sang with not enough emotion, but she has definitely handled this aspect well from the 2 singles I've heard so far. Her voice is still amazing. Just give the girl a song to sing, she'll do it brilliantly.

My concerns for this song? This to me is like most pop songs: catchy, but not one that I would like to have on my playlist. If it was say, Kelly Clarkson singing this, I probably wouldn't have this on my playlist. I love Carrie to death, and I will support her.

As a country fan, I am disappointed with the song. As I've said, I have given up on pop for some time now. Indeed the CDs i get / songs I DL these days are mostly country songs. Has anyone ever released a country album with a pop song in it? I'm not sure...

If I'm being entirely honest, I would actually blame Carrie's management team. I think they are just out to make a quick buck out of her. I can see the album selling like hot cakes as Carrie fans, country fans and pop fans flock to buy it. However, I wonder how she will be perceived by country radio. Country radio is known for not liking their artists for crossing over. Carrie is new and needs their support a lot, especially since her heart is in country. But thats not what the AI management cares about. They will make lots of money from her, and come next year they will do the same to the winner of AI5.

Now, some fans are upset and have even accused Carrie of selling out. I disagree. Carrie loves country and she loves her fans, no doubt. However, Carrie is new to the industry, and being the humble girl she is, she is probably taking a lot of her advice from her management. Also, we have been given an impression that she has a lot of say in the production of her album, but who actually knows the truth? I'm sure there are a lot of politics behind the scenes that we don't know of.

On the other side, hopefully, this move will pay off and help Carrie succeed in multiple genres. However, i don't think this has ever been done before thats why Im questioning the move a lot

I'm sure the album will sound great and sell well; I just have a lot of question marks over the long term goals of Carrie's management team. I also hope that SH is the only pop song in the album.

Lyrics to Some Hearts

2005-10-28T12:19:00.000-04:00

Never been the kind that you'd call lucky
always stumbling around in circles
but i must've stumbled into something,
look at me, am i really alone with you

I wake up feeling that my life's worth living,
can't recall when i last felt that way
guess it must be all the love you're giving,
never knew, never knew it could be like this..
but i guess

some hearts always get all the right breaks,
some hearts have the stars on their side
some hearts they just have it so easy
some hearts just get lucky sometimes
some hearts just get lucky, lucky sometimes

i never thought some one like you would love me
you're the last thing my heart expected,
who'd have thought i'd ever find somebody
someone who, someone who makes me feel like this...
well i guess

some hearts always get all the right breaks,
some hearts have the stars on their side
some hearts they just have it so easy
some hearts just get lucky sometimes
some hearts just get lucky, sometimes
even hearts like mine get lucky,
lucky sometimes
even hearts like mine

some hearts always get all the right breaks,
some hearts have the stars on their side
some hearts they just have it so easy
some hearts just get lucky sometimes
some hearts just get lucky, sometimes
(times 2)

Track listing!

2005-10-27T23:50:00.000-04:00

1. Wasted
2. Don't Forget to Remember Me
3. Some Hearts
4. Jesus, Take the Wheel
5. Night Before (Life Goes On)
6. Lessons Learned
7. Before He Cheats
8. Starts With Goodbye
9. I Just Can't Live a Lie
10. We're Young and Beautiful
11. That's Where It Is
12. Whenever You Remember
13. I Ain't in Checotah Anymore
14. Inside Your Heaven

Carrie Arrives Big!

2005-10-26T17:39:00.000-04:00

"American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood blows onto the chart at No. 39 with her first Arista Nashville-promoted single, "Jesus, Take the Wheel." The track is Underwood's third entry on the Country chart since winning the talent find this spring, and starts with 3.6 million audience impressions at 64 monitored stations.

from Billboard Radio Monitor subscribe Newsletter

Carrie news on GACTV.com

2005-10-18T20:27:00.000-04:00

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SINGLE HITS THIS WEEK
Carrie Underwood is gearing up this week for the release of "Jesus, Take the Wheel," (from her upcoming CD SOME HEARTS, due Nov. 15th).

"Everybody's had a point in their life when they realize that they can't control everything about their life," Carrie says about the single. "Everybody's had a point in their life when they've come to some sort of realization like that. And that's what the song's about."

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SINGLE PRELUDE TO NOV. 15 ALBUM RELEASE
Carrie Underwood is in Nashville today interviewing to promote her new single “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” the leadoff single for her just finished debut album, SOME HEARTS, that hits stores November 15th.

Aside from being busy promoting her new single at radio this week, Underwood will also shoot her first-ever music video for "Jesus, Take the Wheel" with acclaimed director Roman White.

Carrie to perform at the Grand Ole Opry!

2005-10-18T20:25:00.000-04:00

from http://www.gactv.com/Opry/index.html

Saturday, November 19th - Grand Ole Opry Live! - Tune in at 8pm ET/PT. Another all-new Opry Live! featuring American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, plus Rascal Flatts and more to be announced!
woohoo! Im going to watch!

Mesmerizing pic of Carrie in the Tennessean

2005-10-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

(from tennessean.com)

OMG... Isn't this a beautiful pic of Carrie? She's just smiling and my heart's melting already!

Lyrics for Jesus Take the Wheel

2005-10-10T00:26:00.000-04:00

I have to put this here:

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It would been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was going way to fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was sooo scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Oh, Jesus take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
Oh, take it, take it from me
Oh, why, oh

Ramblings on "Jesus Take the Wheel"

2005-10-10T00:16:00.000-04:00

I'm totally in love with this song! Carrie is awesome on this song... So full of emotion, and the lyrics are so meaningful!

This is the chorus:

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on

Isn't it amazing that a young girl like Carrie has decided to sing such a meaningful song? It really is gutsy on her part. To be honest, if I were in her position I may have balked at doing such a thing. I'm a Christian and I'm glad that she has decided to share her faith with others in such a great song. It's great that youngsters have someone like Carrie to look up to. Even for people like me who are around Carrie's age, even for those older, its a great message for all.

On American Idol, I rooted for her as she was such a great singer and a beautiful girl.
After American Idol, after reading more about her through carriefans.com, I loved her for being such a genuine, humble and down-to-earth girl.
And now? Seeing she will be releasing a song like Jesus Take the Wheel, she has earned my respect. Kudos to Miss Carrie Underwood. And thank you God for blessing me with this chance to watch and listen to this wonderful angel.

Info on Carrie's tracks (info gathered from carrieunderwoodonline.com)

2005-10-07T23:26:00.000-04:00

Album Title: Some Hearts
Tracks:
1. Jesus Take The Wheel (confirmed song, confirmed single)
2. Inside Your Heaven (confirmed)
3. Before He Cheats (unconfirmed - rumor)
4. Some Hearts (unconfirmed - rumor)
5. Trouble (unconfirmed - rumor)
6. I Ain't In Checotah Anymore (confirmed- EMI PUBLISHING)
7. What Else You Got (confirmed- WARNER CHAPELLE LISTING)

Carrie Co-wrote the last 2 songs

Carrie's thoughts on her album (from GACTV.com)

2005-10-07T23:11:00.000-04:00

Carrie Underwood is looking forward to the November 15 release of her debut album, SOME HEARTS. The first single, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” drives into country radio October 18th.

UNDERWOOD REFLECTS ON HER win as a country performer on American Idol, a bastion of pop music styles. "They listen to hip-hop and rap and pop music, and I think that's a generation we really need to get 'em while they're young and let them know that it's just a wonderful form of music," Carrie says.

On a personal note, Im one of those who has been converted to country! woohoo!

Album pic!

2005-10-05T23:23:00.000-04:00

Apparently, this will be the picture on Carrie's upcoming album! It's a great pic fo her smiling, perhaps slightly different from what I expected but she looks great as usual!

for AIM users, use this AIM icon to support Carrie!

Album News!

2005-10-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

Ok. Some latest news on Carrie's album:

1) It will be titled "Some Hearts"
2) A song "Take the Wheel" will be released to country radio on Oct 18

Man Im so excited! Woo hoo!

I heard a 25s clip of Carrie's new single

2005-09-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

I flipped out when I heard it! Its awesome! It's going to do well, no doubt about it! Great powerful lyrics too! I hardly slept last nite because of it! Now it's building up the anticipation for her album release! Great great great great great!

Carrie at the Emmy's (I almost fainted)

2005-09-20T23:14:00.000-04:00

Carrie was at the Emmy's! E! Fashion Police critiqued her appearance. Isn't she gorgeous, classy and beautiful? (I'm running out of superlatives)

(pic from carriecentral.com)

The fashion police generally had nice things to say. Kathy Griffin was her usual hilarious self. She introduced Carrie as "someone from American Idol who is young and gorgeous and it's not Ryan Seacrest". The only negative comment was that her dress was a little glitzy. They did say she was very pretty and her hair was done beautifully. They also showed her walking on the red carpet and giving a "I-dunno-what-to-do-and-dunno-where-to-go" smile which was so cute! Then some dude had to point her where to go next! Kathy was "oh no! She doesn't know where to go!" It was amazing seeing Carrie so awed by the occasion! God bless the girl!

Inside Your Heaven Review!

2005-09-11T14:46:00.000-04:00

Inside Your Heaven (Single) Review

OK, I've been kinda busy with school and all that stuff.

Anyway, Carrie's single was released like months ago (ok June 14th) and now I'm finally doing a review.

Inside Your Heaven:
Ok, those who frequent CF.com (carriefans.com) will know I never liked this song. I never liked it, although thanks to her considerable talent Carrie saves it somewhat. Not only do I not like IYH (and poor Bo Bice had to record this crap too), Carrie's version is extremely rangy with many key changes which really tests her vocal abilities, which of course she passes with flying colors. I certainly do hope her album will come out soon so this song won't be her "signature".

Independence Day:
I really love Martina's Indenpendece Day. To me, Martina is THE female country singer, no one comes close, except maybe LeAnn Rimes. Carrie has certainly chosen a great singer to look up to. Carrie isnt as flawless as Martina (she does have slight problems with the lower range), but when she hits the big glory notes (LET FREEDOM RING!) I go OMG! Perhaps as good as Martina! I certainly hope she gets some vocal coaching. It's amazing she sounds so great without any formal training. Can you imagine how she'll sound like if she got some professional tips?

All American Idol 4 reviews here

2005-09-05T13:26:00.000-04:00

Archives of all American Idol 4 Episode Reviews here:

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 12 --- 1960s nite

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 11 --- Billboard Number Ones

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 10 --- 1990's nite

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 9 --- Classical Musicals

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 8 --- Songs from the year you were born in

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 7 --- 70's dance

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 6 --- Songs from 2000 on

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 5 --- Leiber and Stoller classics, Week's Billboard charts

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 4 --- Sounds of Nashville and Philly

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 3 --- Clive Davis', singer's own, judges' choice

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Finale

Carrie Underwood: The 2005 American Idol

Top Ten Performances in American Idol 4

Carrie's amazing journey in pictures

Carrie's Amazing Journey in pictures

2005-09-05T08:46:00.000-04:00

(pictures courtesy of carriecentral.com, formerly underwood.watchidol.com, and taod.com. Check tags, and do not remove them)

It all started in St Louis, 8-hour drive from Checotah.
Usually pretty girls cannot sing, but wow Carrie, you proved everyone wrong!

Carrie: "It's been kinda cloudy!"
Welcome to Hollywood Carrie! It must have been a little overwhelming!
It's OK, we all love you!

Yes! You made it!

The famous elevator twirls!

Everyone was mesmerized with "Could've Been"!

YIPPEE! The judges loved it!

Carrie, darling, you are safe! Take it easy girl!

"I have been called the 'sweet innocent farm girl'..."
Gee Carrie, that's what I've been calling ya!

Those dudes didn't like it so much...

Ryan to the rescue with an arm round your shoulder!

You are safe! Relieved!

They all thought you were safe. A rough coupla weeks.

Yes, we love you being old-fashioned!

Right! Country and rap!

Ryan: "Carrie, darling, I'm sorry but I've gotta ask you to stand... and walk over there cos you are safe!"

Carrie: "You're mean! You're so mean!" (my humble attempt to lip-read)
Carrie, please slap Ryan for me!

"When Will I be Loved"

Randy didn't like it. Paula said it was 'safe and boring'

King Tut (aka Simon Cowell) to the rescue!

I know you are confused that it was Simon who saved ya!
But he knows best!

Safe again! Phew!

"Alone"
My word, you blew everyone away!

Randy loved it

As did Paula (probably her only coherent critique the entire season)

Simon proclaims: "Carrie, you are not just the girl to beat, you are the
person to beat. I will make a prediction, not only will you go on to win
this show, you will go on to sell more records than any other idol winner!"

Carrie (in her thick Okie accent, which is so cute): "Somebody pinch me!"

Ryan: "Simon said 'not only will you go on to win this show, you will go
on to sell more records than any other idol winner!'"

"Carrie, you are... safe!" You knew it this week, Carrie, right?

"Had my first date in 1999 when I was 16. I was waiting in the living
room for the guy, and my Dad was in the porch cleaning his shotguns !"

"The guy never asked me out again!"

*shrug* go figure guys!
I bet that guy must be kicking himself now...

"Independence Day"

Randy and Paula loved it

Simon: "You know, Carrie, I do get a hard time sometimes for being
critical, but I think some of the performances I've seen tonight, I've
seen in karaoke bars"
Don't worry Carrie, he wasn't going to criticize you!

"yet you have something different, the 'It' factor!"

Carrie anxious again on Wednesday night

Ryan: "Simon said you have the 'It' factor, and you have 'It'!"

The infamous washing powder comment

"When I was young I'd put on headphones and sing and mess up the
words. I hope I get the words right tonight..."

Rocking out in "Love is a Battlefield"

Darn Randy. Only you noticed she messed up the words!
"But I covered it!" Smart girl!

Simon: "It's like watching a kitten trying to be a tiger."
Don't worry Carrie, we were all as confused as you were!

Fulfilling childhood dreams of being a model.

"Did you all bring your socks? Cos bowling shoes are GR-OSSSSS!!!"

Carrie's probably, like everyone else, still confused about Simon's
comments the night before. Who cares? She's safe!

"Dance night is going to be tough for 2 reasons:
a) I'm born after the 70s
b) There are no dance clubs in Checotah Oklahoma, so the most dancing
I've ever done is in my bedroom, in my pyjamas!"

Simon: "I have to discuss this look. Because it's like Barbie meets the
Stepford Wives."

The safe group!

Having fun in "God Fearing Women get the Blues"

Carrie and Bo in the safe group; Scott and Con wanna join them!

Sassy intro to "Trouble"

"If you're looking for trouble
Just take a look in my face...
I'm evil, my middle name is misery
You know I'm evil, so don't you mess around with me"

Guess the mic stand was messing around with her!

Everyone loved it!

"Bless the Broken Road" --- the key change at the You-ou-ou! Flawless!

Simply a brilliant vocal, and everyone agreed!

Safe yet again!

Having fun with "Sin Wagon"

Randy loved it

Paula didn't know what to say (which is actually the case
most of the time)

Simon: "It's like singing in the shower! Effortless!"

Carrie puts on a brave front after "If You Don't Know Me by Now"
gets poor reviews

Another flawless vocal with "Crying", and she looked absolutely hot!

Smile Carrie! A great job!

"Making Love out of Nothing at All". To me, I was surprised by
her selection here, to pick such a pop-ish song. But she nailed it!

That brilliant "AAA-LLLLLLL" note!

The judges loved it. Although carrie wouldn't have wanted to go after Bo

Mayor: "Tis a great song choice for you Carrie, but Randy, why do you
make me say this dawg. 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' by Shania Twain!"

Having fun with "Man! I Feel Like a Woman'"

Simon proclaims she's done enough to make the final!

Carrie wins the coin toss

The debut of "Inside Your Heaven"!

Which got mixed reviews. Well it's not a well written song

"Angels Brought Me Here"

Getting emotional. The end of the competition! We all felt her emotion here!

"Mom! Don't touch the car!" I guess she must have had a rough ride from
Checotah to St Louis with Mom driving!

Getting giddy with Gary!

The moment of truth... The winner is...

Carrie Underwood! Yea baby!

"Thank you America!"
I say to Carrie: "Thank you! I am truly blessed to see your journey!"
Or rather, the start of her journey! There'll be plenty more to come!

Top Ten Performances in American Idol 4

2005-08-21T23:03:00.000-04:00

After reviewing all the episodes, here are my top ten performances in American Idol 4 (in chronological order and unranked; pics from taod.com):

Alone: Carrie Underwood (Billboard Number Ones)

My Funny Valentine: Constantine Maroulis (Classical Musicals)

Let's Hear it for the Boy: Vonzell Solomon (Songs from year of birth)

Bohemien Rhapsody: Constantine Maroulis (Songs from year of birth)

Vehicle: Bo Bice (70s dance)

I Don't Wanna Be: Bo Bice (Songs from 2000 on)

Trouble: Carrie Underwood (Leiber and Stoller classics)

Bless the Broken Road: Carrie Underwood (Week's Billboard charts)

Crying: Carrie Underwood (Clive Davis' choice)

In a Dream: Bo Bice (Singer's choice)

Carrie Underwood: The 2005 American Idol

2005-08-21T22:57:00.000-04:00

Yea. I'm so glad she won as I have rooted for her since I saw her rendition of Could've Been i the semi-finals. She also had many other great performances throughout the season which showed her ability to appeal to a wider audience, not just with country songs, but pop and rock ones as well. To me, its amazing that she has never had any vocal training. With her sweet smile and personality, and her beautiful looks, she certainly could go a long way in her career. I just hope that her company would get her some vocal training to fine-tune her great voice, which is ready for the recording studios but if improved could become even more brilliant.

saAmerican Idol 4 Episode Review: Finale

2005-08-21T22:39:00.000-04:00

Finale Review
Ok. I am a bit surprised they made Carrie and Bo sing 2 original songs.

Bo Bice: Long Long Road
I actually think this song wasn't as bad as many thought. I got the feeling that he didn't put in too much effort into this song, and kinda gave it up.

Bo Bice: Vehicle
Wow. A great song choice by Bo. This was definitely one of his top-rate performances in 70s dance nite. The arragement for this set was even better. Awesome

Bo Bice: Inside your Heaven
Ok. I never thought this song was ever suited for Bo. Inside your heaven, to me, is not a good pop song. As Bo is, I don;t think he ever felt comfortable doing pop songs, not to mention a poor one. He did a decent job here though.

Carrie Underwood: Inside your Heaven
A couple poor notes. However, this song suits her slightly better than Bo. I can never understand how people can say they prefer Bo's version. But I still think this is a poor song that even Carrie cannot save.

Carrie Underwood: Independence Day
I wasn't too sure about her song choice here. I know she loves Martina, but to me she should have chosen from any of these 4: Alone, Trouble, Bless the Broken Road, or Crying. Indenpendence Day, for me, was just a cut below these four. I preferred her rendition of it in the 90s nite in week 10.

Carrie Underwood: Angels Brought me Here
Wow. Emotionally her best song for the season, even though it sounded a little strained at parts. But with her beautiful vocals and emotion, she won the nite with this performance, promting Simon to annouce those famous words: "Carrie, I think you have done enough to win the show!"

Overall Comments:
I felt somewhat disappointed that the finale did not live up to my expectations. Maybe they were both really nervous, and they was word that both weren't feeling well. I really hope that for next season's finale, they will have them do 3 songs of their own choices instead of doing any original.

Thoughts on Bo:
I must admit I'm not much of a rock guy, but this dude's good. I always prefered when he slowed it down and did the more mellow and sentimental songs, instead of jumping around. Definitely worthy of his place in the finale. Only one criticism I have of him is that I get the feeling that when he doesn't like the genre of the song, he kinda gave up and didn't try. Whenever I compare him doing songs like Vehicle and Great Day to be Alive, to songs from the musicals nite and country theme, there is an obvious difference in effort.