Winner of the fourth series of American Idol, Carrie Marie Underwood was born in Oklahoma in 1983, the youngest of three sisters. Carrie grew up on her parents’ farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma. Carrie began performing at an early age, singing at her local Baptist church and at local events. Age 14 Carrie auditioned for Capitol Records but the contract was later cancelled. Underwood graduated from high school as a salutatorian having been an Honor Society member and cheerleader.
Carrie auditioned for American Idol in the summer of 2004, winning over the judges with her rendition of Bonnie Raite’s ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’. Her performances over the following weeks earned her a devoted fan following dubbed, ‘Carrie’s Care Bears’. She was crowned winner of the show in May 2005, winning a million dollar contract.
Debut single, ‘Inside Your Heaven’ was released a month later and went straight to the top spot on Billboard Hot 100. Her album, ‘Some Hearts’ followed in November 2005. The seven-times Platinum album became the best selling album of 2006 in the US. Second and third albums, ‘Carnival Ride’ and ‘Play On,’ released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, firmly established Underwood as a country singer-songwriter.
2012 saw the release of Carrie’s fourth studio album, ‘Blown Away.’ Third single from the album, ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ was certified Gold in March 2013. Carries’ fifth album, ‘Storyteller’, will be released in October 2015.
After being linked to Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Carrie married hockey player Mike Fisher in July 2010. Underwood is a practising vegan and was named ‘Worlds Sexiest Vegetarian’ for a second time in 2007. Carrie has won four Grammy awards for 'Best Female Country Performance', scooping the title three years in a row from 2007-09 and again in 2013.
