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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood exploded into the national spotlight during the 4th season of American Idol, FOX’s popular music talent show. Notoriously difficult judge Simon Cowell predicted that Carrie would both win the competition and sell more records than any other American Idol alumni ever has - and he was right. The stunning blonde beauty wowed audiences with her enthusiasm, sincerity, and charisma, taking the first place title and jumpstarting a multi-platinum musical career that continues to this day.

A small town girl, Carrie grew up on her parents’ farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma, where she developed a lifelong love for animals. A vegetarian and prominent member of many animal rights groups, Carrie went on to discover another important passion during her childhood - one for music. Performing at local fairs and festivals, Carrie honed her musical talents from the early age of thirteen. Though a preteen recording contract with Capitol Records fell through in the late 1990’s, Carrie continued singing after graduating second in her class during high school, eventually attending Northeastern State University. She graduated with a degree in mass communication in 2006, right in the middle of her recording career.

After winning American Idol in 2004, Carrie entered into a recording contract with Arista Nashville, a prominent country music label home to greats like Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley. She released her first album Some Hearts in 2005. Hugely successful, the chart-topping album sold over nine million units worldwide and has produced a number of hit singles, among them "Before He Cheats", "Don’t Forget to Remember Me", and "Jesus, Take the Wheel". In the wake of Some Hearts Carrie won countless awards, among them three Academy of Country Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, and one American Music Award.

She followed up the success of Some Hearts by releasing Carnival Ride, her second album, in late 2007. The album sold a whopping 527,000 units in its first week, making it the most successful album to be released by a female solo country artist since Shania Twain released her Greatest Hits album in 2004. Underwood’s wholesome image, uplifting lyrics, and throaty voice shines throughout the album, especially on standout tracks "So Small" and "All-American Girl".

From Discogs:

Winner of American Idol season 4 2005

From Lastfm:

Carrie Marie Underwood, born March 10, 1983, is a country music singer-songwriter from Checotah, Oklahoma. She gained fame after winning the 4th season of American Idol in 2005. Besides singing, she can also yodel and play both guitar and piano.

Prior to appearing on Idol, she released three independent albums between 1996 and 2002, featuring mostly country songs, but also a few pop classics. She also appeared as an opening act for such artists as Diamond Rio, The Wilkinson's, Exile, Gene Watson, Billy Hoffman and Earl Thomas Conley. At 13 she almost signed with Capital Records but the deal fell through at the last moment.

Her first major-label album release, entitled Some Hearts, hit store shelves on November 15, 2005. It was the largest selling album of the year on any of the US charts. It was also the best selling debut album by a solo female country music artist in history and the best selling album by an American Idol contestant in the United States. The album was released on November 15th 2005 and went straight to #1 on the Country music charts. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200, going 7x Platinum to date, and #11 on the Canadian album chart, going 3x Platinum. It has sold over 6.8 million copies in the US to date. Her first single, the coronation song of American Idol season 4, was Inside Your Heaven, which was released on June 14th 2005. It went straight to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard Pop 100 and the Canadian singles chart. The second single, Jesus, Take The Wheel, was released in October 2005 and reached #1 on the Country charts and #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Some Hearts, the third single, was released, also in October 2005, for adult contemporary radio. It reached #12 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Radio chart. The fourth single, Don't Forget to Remember Me was released in March 2006 and peaked at #2 on the Country chart, also peaked #49 on the Billboard Hot 100. In August 2006, Before He Cheats was released, peaking in the top 10 in 12 charts across the US and Canada including #1 on the Country charts in both the US and Canada, #4 on the Canadian Hot 100 and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wasted was the sixth and final single from Some Hearts. It was released on February 6th 2007 and reached #1 on the Country charts in the US and Canada, and made it to #35 on the Canadian Hot 100 and #37 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In April 2007, Underwood recorded I'll Stand By You as a charity single for the show Idol Gives Back. It sold 124,000 on the first days of it's release, taking it to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Carrie's second studio album, entitled Carnival Ride, was released October 23rd 2007 and debuted on the Billboard 200 at #1, selling 527,000 copies, giving Underwood her first #1 album. It also peaked at #1 on the Candian and American Country album charts and on the Canadian album chart. It has sold nearly 3 million copies in the US to date and was certified double Platinum. The first single, So Small, was released on August 14th and made it to #1 on the US Country singles chart. It also made it to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on the Canadian Hot 100. The second single, All-American Girl, was released on December 18th 2007 and went to #1 on both American and Candian country charts. It also reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Last Name was released on April 8th 2008 and it also went to #1 on the US country chart and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her 6th top 20 hit on the Billboard. In April 2008, Underwood recorded Praying For Time for the show Idol Gives Back, which reached #10 on the Hot Digital Songs chart and peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fourth single from Carnival Ride was Just a Dream and was released on July 21st 2008. It went to #1 on the Country chart in the US and #2 on the Canadian country chart. It also peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fifth and final single, I Told You So, was released on February 2nd 2009 and peaked at #2 on the US country charts. It reached #1 on the Canadian country charts and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Carrie recorded a cover version of Home Sweet Home by Mötley Crüe. It was released on iTunes, where it went straight to #1. It also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #21.

Cowboy Casanova is the lead-off single to Underwood's third studio album, Play On. The single was released on September 14th 2009. It reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs, #2 on the Canadian Radio & Record Country Singles, #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #16 on the Canadian Hot 100. The second single, Temporary Home, was released as a single on December 14th 2009 and has peaked at #21 on the Country Radio & Record Singles in the US and #37 in Canada. Play On was released on November 3rd 2009. It peaked at #1 on the US Billboard 200, US Billboard Top Country Albums and Canadian Top Country Albums charts, while just missing the top spot at #2 in the Canadian Albums chart. Play On also made a surprising entrance to the UK album charts, at #93.

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From Wikipedia:

Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol.

Underwood has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, a Grand Ole Opry inductee, a three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, and the current ACM Entertainer of the Year. She is the first ever female artist to win back-to-back Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards for Entertainer of the Year (2009/2010).

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum, and as of February 2006, was the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history. It was also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, as of February 2008. Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has sold over 3 million copies as of January 2010, and produced four number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs.

Underwood released her third album, Play On, on November 3, 2009. It has been certified Platinum by the RIAA and has produced three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs so far.