50 facts about Carrie Underwood: rose to fame as winner of fourth season of American Idol in 2005

Singer Carrie Underwood and 50 things from her life and career.

1. Carrie Underwood born as Carrie Marie Underwood on March 10, 1983, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress.

2. Carrie Underwood rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.

3. Carrie Underwood has set and broken several records throughout her career. Her achievements led her to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008 and into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

4. Carrie Underwood has won a vast array of awards, including seven Grammy Awards, seventeen Billboard Music Awards, eleven Academy of Country Music Awards and eight American Music Awards, along with being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

5. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was released in 2005. Bolstered by the huge crossover success of the singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats", it went on to become the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history, the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history and the best-selling country album of the last ten years.

6. Released in 2007, her second album, Carnival Ride, had one of the biggest ever opening weeks by a female artist and earned Underwood two Grammy Awards.

7. Underwood's fourth album, Blown Away (2012), earned her a Grammy Award and was that year's second best-selling release by a female artist.

8. In 2014, she released her first compilation album, winning a Grammy Award for its crossover single "Something in the Water". With more than 65 million records sold globally, her tour revenues and a net worth estimated by Forbes at over $110 million, Underwood is the biggest American Idol earner of all time.

9. Recognized by Rolling Stone as the female vocalist of her generation in any genre and by Billboard as Country Music's reigning Queen, Underwood is the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first and only country artist to ever debut at number one on the Hot 100, as "Inside Your Heaven" topped the chart in 2005.

10. She is also the female artist with the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, from 1991 to present, having 14 number one's and breaking her own Guinness Book record of ten.

11. Time has listed Underwood as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

12. Carrie Underwood was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the daughter of Carole (Shatswell) and Stephen Underwood.

13. She was raised on her parents' farm in the nearby rural town of Checotah.

14. Her father worked in a sawmill, while her mother taught elementary school.

15. Carrie Underwood has two older sisters, Shanna and Stephanie.

16. During her childhood, Underwood performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show, and sang at her local church, First Free Will Baptist Church.

17. Carrie Underwood later sang for local events in Checotah, including Old Settler's Day and the Lion's Club.

18. A local admirer arranged for her to go to Nashville when she was 14 to audition for Capitol Records.

19. In 1996, Capitol Records was preparing a contract for Underwood but cancelled it when company management changed. Underwood said of the event, "I honestly think it's a lot better that nothing came out of it now, because I wouldn't have been ready then. Everything has a way of working out."

20. While at Checotah High School, she was an Honor Society member, a cheerleader, and played basketball and softball.

21. Graduated from Checotah High School in 2001 as salutatorian.

22. Carrie Underwood chose not to pursue singing after graduation. She said, "After high school, I pretty much gave up on the dream of singing. I had reached a point in my life where I had to be practical and prepare for my future in the 'real world'".

23. She attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and an emphasis in journalism.

24. Carrie Underwood spent part of one of her summers as a page for Oklahoma State Representative Bobby Frame.

25. She also waited tables at a pizzeria, worked at a zoo, and at a veterinary clinic.

26. Underwood is an alumna of the Alpha Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

27. For two years during the summer, she performed in Northeastern State University's Downtown Country show in Tahlequah.

28. Carrie Underwood also competed in numerous beauty pageants at the university and was selected as Miss NSU runner-up in 2004.

29. In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis, Missouri. After she sang "Could've Been" by Tiffany on the top 12 girls night, judge Simon Cowell commented that she would be one of the favorites to win the competition.

30. During the top 11 finalists' performance on the March 22, 2005, Idol episode, Underwood sang a rendition of the number one 1980s rock hit "Alone", made famous by Heart, and Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but she would also outsell all previous Idol winners.

31. One of the show's producers later said she dominated the voting, winning every week handily.

32. Carrie Underwood gained a fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears" during the course of the show. During the final, she sang with Rascal Flatts their song "Bless the Broken Road".

33. On May 25, 2005, Underwood became the season four winner. Her winnings included a recording contract worth at least a million dollars, use of a private jet for a year, and a Ford Mustang convertible.

34. Carrie Underwood broke Billboard chart history as the first country music artist ever to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the song became the first song from a country artist to go to No. 1 on the Hot 100 since country group Lonestar's "Amazed" did so in 2000.

35. Carrie Underwood has been highly acclaimed for her vocal talents. David Wild of Rolling Stone has praised her voice, saying that "she can hit any note".

36. Her vocal range has been described as "enormous", with critics highlighting her ability to hold notes for an extended period of time.

37. When asked if it ever becomes difficult to belt at such high intensity during her 90-120 minute live shows, Underwood responded, "I'm too proud to drop keys. I won't do it. Maybe the older I get, I'll write some songs in lower keys so it'll be easier. I've always been pretty good as far as stamina onstage. Being able to work out and stay physically strong is important... So far, it's worked for me. I'm just blessed at being able to be loud for long periods of time."

38. Carrie Underwood has credited "music as a whole" as her major influence, since she "grew up listening to music" and "there were songs, different kind of songs coming at me from everywhere". But she has occasionally mentioned Rock acts like Queen, George Michael, The Rolling Stones and My Chemical Romance as influences.

39. Among Country artists, she has enlisted George Strait,[235] Dolly Parton,[236] Randy Travis, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks as influences.

40. Her music is generally Country pop with Rock influence.

41. Carrie Underwood has also released songs with Christian music influence.

42. Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich stated that Michael Jackson greatly admired Underwood, which is why she was hand-picked to perform during his tribute at the 2010 Grammy Awards.

43. Stevie Nicks stated, during an interview with HBO, that she was "thrilled" with Underwood's tribute to Linda Ronstadt at the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremory, saying that "she did it so magnificently" and that Underwood "is just so good". Nicks also told Underwood: "It's a good thing you weren't around when we joined Fleetwood Mac because I think you would have won the lottery on that one, and I would have been back to being a waitress."

44. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith considers her a friend and has praised Underwood, saying: "I love her stuff. I met her and it was all over after that, once I looked into her eyes. She opened her mouth and sang and she is that good. I loved singing with her". Tyler has also told her: "You were why I took judging for 'Idol', you are exactly why. Not only could you sing good, but you adapted to this...it's a pit! It's a deep, dark, ominous pit. And you get out there on-stage at night with that band, that great band you've got and you make people feel happy, first and foremost".

45. Established the Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation in 2009. The foundation helps with general causes, needs and services in the area of Checotah to directly impact the community.

46. Underwood is a supporter of arts education. In 2009, Underwood's foundation "Checotah Animal, Town & School Foundation" and the Academy of Country Music foundation "ACM Lifting Lives" partnered to give students in Checotah, Oklahoma a gift valued at more than $120,000 in new instruments for their music programs.

47. Underwood is a supporter of animal rights. Underwood is a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and has done several public service announcements for the organization.

48. Underwood and her husband made a video for the "Do It for Daron" campaign urging young people to stop bullying.

49. Carrie Underwood began dating then Ottawa Senators (now Nashville Predators) hockey player Mike Fisher after they met at one of her concerts in late 2008 and she became engaged to him in December 2009.

50. On July 10, 2010, Underwood and Fisher wed at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, with more than 250 people in attendance.

Source: Wikipedia.org