Carrie Underwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carrie Underwood
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Underwood in 2019
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| Birth name | Carrie Marie Underwood |
| Born | March 10, 1983 Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
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Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter who is one of the biggest stars in country music. She became famous after winning the fourth season of the TV show American Idol in 2005. She later returned to the show as a judge in 2025.
Her first song, "Inside Your Heaven", made her the first country artist to have a song start at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her first album, Some Hearts, became the best-selling first album by a female country artist ever. It included the hit songs "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats".
Underwood has sold over 85 million records around the world, making her one of the best-selling music artists in history. She has won many awards, including eight Grammy Awards, and has been inducted into the famous Grand Ole Opry and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.
Besides music, Underwood has a fitness clothing line called CALIA by Carrie and wrote a best-selling book called Find Your Path.
Contents
Early life
Carrie Marie Underwood was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and grew up on her family's farm in the small town of Checotah. She is the youngest of three sisters. Her father worked at a paper mill, and her mother was an elementary school teacher.
As a child, Carrie loved to sing. She performed in talent shows and at her local church. When she was 14, a fan arranged for her to audition for Capitol Records in Nashville. The record label was interested, but a change in the company's management ended the opportunity. Carrie later said she was glad it didn't work out then, because she wasn't ready.
In high school, she was a cheerleader and played basketball and softball. After graduating in 2001, she decided to focus on her education instead of singing. She went to Northeastern State University and studied journalism, graduating with honors in 2006.
Career
2004–2005: Winning American Idol
In 2004, Underwood decided to try out for the TV show American Idol. During her audition, she sang "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. The judges were very impressed with her voice.
Throughout the competition, judge Simon Cowell said she was a favorite to win. He even predicted that she would sell more records than any other Idol winner. On May 25, 2005, Underwood was crowned the winner of season four. Her prize included a million-dollar recording contract.
2005–2007: Some Hearts and a Big Break
Underwood's first single, "Inside Your Heaven", went straight to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was a historic moment, as she was the first country artist to ever do so.
Her first album, Some Hearts, was released in November 2005. It was a huge success, selling over 315,000 copies in its first week. The album became the best-selling album of 2006 in the United States. It included the hit songs "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats". "Before He Cheats" became a massive hit on both country and pop radio.
For her work on this album, Underwood won her first two Grammy Awards, including one for Best New Artist. She also won many other awards, including from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
2007–2009: Carnival Ride
Underwood's second album, Carnival Ride, came out in 2007. She helped write more of the songs on this album. It also debuted at number one, selling over half a million copies in its first week.
The album had four number-one singles: "So Small", "All-American Girl", "Last Name", and "Just a Dream". This success continued to establish her as a major star. In 2008, she was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a huge honor in country music. She also won another Grammy Award for "Last Name".
2009–2012: Play On and More Success
Her third album, Play On, was released in 2009. It also debuted at number one. The first single, "Cowboy Casanova", was a fast-rising hit. The album also included the popular songs "Temporary Home" and "Undo It".
In 2010, Underwood won the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year award for the second time. She was the first woman to ever win this top award twice. Her Play On Tour was a massive success, with over 1 million fans attending.
2012–2013: Blown Away
In 2012, Underwood released her fourth album, Blown Away. She said this album had songs with "darker storylines." It debuted at number one and included the hit singles "Good Girl" and the title track, "Blown Away".
The album won her another Grammy Award. Her Blown Away Tour was a global success, with shows in North America, Europe, and Australia.
2014–2017: Greatest Hits and Storyteller
In 2014, Underwood released Greatest Hits: Decade #1, a collection of her biggest songs. It also included the new hit single "Something in the Water", which won a Grammy Award.
Her fifth album, Storyteller, was released in 2015. It debuted at number two, making her the only country artist to have their first five albums start in the top two spots on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured the number-one hits "Heartbeat" and "Church Bells".
In late 2017, Underwood had an accident at her home and took some time off to recover before returning to music.
2018–2019: Cry Pretty
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Underwood's sixth album, Cry Pretty, was released in 2018. She co-produced the album, giving her more creative control. It debuted at number one, making her the first woman to have four country albums reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
The album's title track, "Cry Pretty", was praised for its emotional performance. She launched the Cry Pretty Tour 360 in 2019, which included a performance at the famous Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom.
2020–present: New Music and Projects
In 2020, Underwood released her first Christmas album, My Gift. The following year, she released My Savior, an album of gospel hymns. Both albums were very successful and debuted at number one on the country charts. My Savior won a Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album.
Her ninth studio album, Denim & Rhinestones, was released in 2022. It featured the single "Ghost Story". She also launched a popular Las Vegas show called Reflection.
In January 2025, Underwood performed "America the Beautiful" at the second inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The performance received a variety of reactions from the public. Underwood later said she chose to perform to help bring people together. In 2025, she also joined American Idol as a judge.
Artistry and Legacy
Underwood is known for her powerful voice. Critics have called her vocal range "enormous" and praised her ability to sing with great emotion and strength. Rolling Stone magazine once called her "the female vocalist of her generation in any genre."
Her musical style is mainly country pop, but she is also influenced by rock music. She has named artists like Queen, Garth Brooks, and Dolly Parton as some of her influences.
Underwood has inspired many younger artists, including Kelsea Ballerini and Danielle Bradbery. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2017 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018 for her contributions to music.
Other Ventures
Fashion and Writing
In 2015, Underwood launched a fitness clothing line called CALIA by Carrie Underwood, which is sold at Dick's Sporting Goods. In 2020, she released her first book, Find Your Path, which became a best-seller. The book shares her tips on health, fitness, and life.
Charity Work
Underwood is known for her generosity. In 2009, she started the C.A.T.S. Foundation (Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation) to help her hometown community. The foundation has donated money and musical instruments to local schools.
She supports many other causes, including animal welfare, arts education, and disaster relief. She has donated money to the American Red Cross and Save the Children.
Acting
Underwood has also tried acting. She appeared in an episode of the TV show How I Met Your Mother in 2010. In 2011, she made her movie debut in Soul Surfer, where she played a church youth leader.
In 2013, she starred as Maria von Trapp in NBC's live television broadcast of The Sound of Music Live!.
Personal life
Underwood is married to former professional ice hockey player Mike Fisher. They met in 2008 and were married on July 10, 2010. The couple has two sons, Isaiah and Jacob. She has shared that she experienced personal losses while trying to grow her family, which inspired her emotional song "Cry Pretty."
Underwood is a vegetarian and a strong supporter of animal welfare. She has worked with organizations like the Humane Society of the United States to help animals.
She has spoken in support of everyone having the right to love and marry the person they choose. She believes that loving others is the most important message.
Underwood often performs the opening theme song for NBC Sunday Night Football and has sung the national anthem at major sporting events, including Super Bowl XLIV.
Discography
- Some Hearts (2005)
- Carnival Ride (2007)
- Play On (2009)
- Blown Away (2012)
- Storyteller (2015)
- Cry Pretty (2018)
- My Gift (2020)
- My Savior (2021)
- Denim & Rhinestones (2022)
Tours and Residencies
Headlining
- Carrie Underwood: Live in Concert (2006)
- Carnival Ride Tour (2008)
- Play On Tour (2010–2011)
- Blown Away Tour (2012–2013)
- Storyteller Tour: Stories in the Round (2016)
- Cry Pretty Tour 360 (2019)
- Denim & Rhinestones Tour (2022–2023)
Residencies
- Reflection (2021–2025)
Co-headlining
- American Idols Live! Tour 2005 (2005)
- Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour (2008) (with Keith Urban)
- C2C: Country to Country with Tim McGraw (2013) and with Miranda Lambert / Eric Church (2016)
- Ripcord World Tour – Oceania Leg (with Keith Urban) (2016)
See also
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. country chart
- List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
- List of Idols winners
See also
In Spanish: Carrie Underwood para niños
