Carrie Underwood writes more on new album “Play On”
A version of this story appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Carrie Underwood’s got the write stuff for new album
Underwood co-wrote seven of 13 titles on her New album, ‘Play On’
Between the No. 1 hits and the TV appearances, the magazine covers and the red carpet fashions, music fans can be forgiven for forgetting that country superstar Carrie Underwood was once an aspiring journalist.
But the credits for her new album “Play On” serve as a pointed reminder that the Oklahoma native was sharpening her pen long before she won “American Idol” in 2005.
“I got a lot of practice writing in general, especially in college. You know, in high school I wrote for the school paper, in college I wrote for the school paper, and was always busy writing stories,” she said in a September press conference at her Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame induction in Muskogee.
Underwood, 26, co-wrote seven of the 13 songs on “Play On,” her third album. She helped pen four tracks on her second record, 2007’s “Carnival Ride,” and one on her 2005 debut “Some Hearts.”
“This one, I had a lot more time to do a lot more writing, and I feel like I’m a lot more comfortable in myself as a writer. That just happens — the more you do it, the better, the easier it gets, I suppose,” said Underwood, who received her mass communications degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah almost a year after she won the reality TV singing contest.
“Play On,” released Tuesday, has been one of the fall’s most anticipated country albums — for good reason. Since winning the fourth season of “Idol,” Underwood has sold more than 10 million records, notched 10 No. 1 hits from her first two albums and won four Grammy Awards, as well as myriad other industry accolades. On Nov. 11, she will co-host and compete for two honors at the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards.
While she is best known for belting out feisty breakup songs, uplifting anthems and soaring ballads, Underwood is demonstrating a knack for helping craft her hits. Three songs she co-wrote for “Carnival Ride” — “So Small,” “All-American Girl” and “Last Name” — topped the country charts.
For “Play On,” she set out to stretch her songwriting skills.
“I kind of branched out and wrote with a lot of people that I’ve never even met before — people that weren’t even necessarily involved in country music,” she said. “We’d take like me and a good friend of mine who I’d written with before who is a staple in country music and then kind of bring another element to it, which was a lot of fun.”
For instance, she penned “Cowboy Casanova” with respected Nashville songsmith Brett James, who also co-wrote her Grammy-winning hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” and hip-hop writer/producer Mike Elizondo, known for his work with Dr. Dre, Eminem and 50 Cent. The saucy lead-off single zipped into the top five in just seven weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
“This is probably the fifth song I’ve written with Carrie and she’s just delightful. She’s a fantastic person, she’s a fantastic singer, obviously an amazing singer, and she’s a really, really great songwriter,” said James, who grew up in Oklahoma City and Cordell.
The songstress also wrote with rockers Raine Maida of My Lady Peace on the lovely ballad “Unapologize” and Zac Maloy, former frontman of Oklahoma City band The Nixons, on the spiritual tearjerker “Temporary Home.”
“I had to be a fan,” she said of Maloy. “I was like, ‘I saw you when I was in high school.’ So, it was a lot of fun for me to work with him.”
Underwood, who counts fellow Oklahoman Garth Brooks as one of her idols, remains unapologetic for making rock- and pop-flavored country music.
“Right now in country music is a great time for a lot of different kinds of country music,” she said. “If you turn on the radio you can find something you like, whether you like things that are more kind of contemporary country, or you find more things that are traditional country or more kind of rock-influenced.”
But she acknowledged her mix-and-match approach to choosing songwriting partners didn’t always work.
“Sometimes we’d get things that were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is new and fresh and awesome,’ and sometimes it was like, ‘Whoa — what have we done?’ she said. “Most of those you’ll probably never hear — that’s why they were ‘whoa, what have we done moments.’ But it was a great learning experience.”
Among the collaborations that didn’t make it onto the album were songs she co-wrote with fellow Oklahoma native and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill.
“It was still an investment in somebody you like, and a neat kid who’s got her head on straight. And you just root for her,” said Gill, who sings on her new track “Look at Me.”
“She’s all things good.”
Contributing: Assistant Entertainment Editor George Lang.
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Carrie Underwood announces more TV appearances
Carrie Underwood (Associated Press photo)
Music superstar Carrie Underwood, who is celebrating the release of her new album “Play On” this week in New York City, is announcing additional television appearances coming up later this month.
The Oklahoma native has set several added appearances for the week after she co-hosts the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards with Brad Paisley on Wednesday Nov. 11.
Underwood will make her first-ever appearances on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on Monday, Nov. 16, and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (where she will perform an outdoor concert) on Thursday, Nov. 19.
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Underwood will take over the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” with special live performances, talk time and more.
To wrap her week, the Checotah native will perform on the American Music Awards live from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 22. She is nominated as Favorite Female Artist – Country.
During the week of the CMA Awards, Underwood will make a second appearance on “Good Morning America” live from downtown Nashville on Nov. 10. Later that evening, Underwood will be featured on Robin Robert’s ABC Special “In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville.”
On Thursday, Nov. 12 the A&E network will debut “Biography- Carrie Underwood.”
Tonight, Underwood will appear on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” She will be on ”Good Morning America” Tuesday live from outside Lincoln Center, and she will appear on “Live! with Regis and Kelly” on Thursday.
Here is a list of Underwood’s upcoming TV appearances, starting tonight:
Nov. 2 The Late Show with David Letterman
Nov 3 Good Morning America- live in New York
Nov 5 Live! with Regis & Kelly
Nov 10 Good Morning America- live in Nashville
Nov 10 “In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville”- ABC Special
Nov 11 43rd Annual CMA Awards
Nov 12 A&E “Biography- Carrie Underwood”
Nov 16 The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
Nov 18 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Nov 19 Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Nov 22 American Music Awards
A four-time Grammy Award winner, ACM (Academy of Country Music) Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time CMA (Country Music Association) and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Underwood re-teams for the upcoming “Play On” with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her “Carnival Ride” collection as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut, “Some Hearts.”
“Play On” will be released Tuesday, and the album’s debut single, “Cowboy Casanova,” is the fastest-rising hit of the year at country radio. It exploded with massive first-week sales of 110,236 digital copies. With this achievement, Underwood remains the only solo country artist this year to debut a digital single above the 100,000 mark – a feat she’s accomplished not once, but twice in 2009, having also hit the six digits with her recording of this past season’s “American Idol” farewell theme, “Home Sweet Home.”
Earlier this year, Underwood became the first country artist in history to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their first two albums when “I Told You So” became the fifth consecutive chart-topper from “Carnival Ride,” which also included the smash, “Just a Dream,” and three hits Underwood co-wrote: “So Small,” “All-American Girl,” and “Last Name.” To date, Underwood is the U.S. best-selling “Idol” winner with album sales of more than 10 million.
To learn about other celebs making TV appearances, check out Penny Soldan’s always-informative TV Blog at http://blog.newsok.com/television.
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David Cook to play Friday at Shawnee casino
David Cook (Associated Press photo)
A version of this story appears in Saturday’s The Oklahoman.
SHAWNEE – “American Idol” David Cook will return to Oklahoma to perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Firelake Grand Casino.
Born in Houston and raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Cook was working on his music career in Tulsa when he won a spot on the reality TV singing contest. Just a week after he won “Idol” in May 2008, he had 14 songs listed on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs Survey and 11 on the Hot 100.
His self-titled debut album, released almost a year ago, has been certified platinum.
Cook credits his parents with enriching his musical beginnings. His parents had an eclectic record collection, so he listened to many different genres. He also grew up watching his dad play guitar. When he was in high school, he formed the band Axium with a friend.
After he graduated from Central Missouri State with a degree in graphic design, Cook chose to follow his passion for music rather than get a job in his degree field. He moved to Tulsa to play with regional band Midwest Kings.
By 2007, he had launched a solo career, playing gigs in bars and clubs around Tulsa. When his brother, Andrew, decided try out for the seventh season of “American Idol,” Cook went along for moral support. Cook opted to try out himself at the last minute.
When his sibling didn’t make the cut, Cook offered to quit, too, but his brother and mother insisted that he go on. He emerged as a dark horse favorite, winning the “Idol” title.
Cook, 26, embarked earlier this year on his first headlining tour, playing colleges, ballrooms and theaters. The tour has been extended several times, with the singer/songwriter/guitarist recently adding dates through the end of the year.
He also will appear on fellow Oklahoma “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood’s first holiday TV special, airing Dec. 7 on Fox.
For information or tickets to the Shawnee show, call 964-7263 or go to www.firelakegrand.com. Ticket prices start at $44. According to the casino, tickets are still available.
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David Cook to return to Oklahoma for Nov. 6 Shawnee show
SHAWNEE – David Cook, the 2008 winner of “American Idol,” will return to Oklahoma to perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Firelake Grand Casino.
Born in Houston and raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Cook was working on his music career in Tulsa when he won a spot on the reality TV singing contest. Just a week after winning “Idol,” he had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs Survey and 11 on the Hot 100.
His self-titled debut album, released last fall, has been certified platinum.
However, music wasn’t the only career Cook considered.
“I thought I wanted to be a pro baseball player, but my fastball wasn’t fast enough and I couldn’t hit to save my life,” he says in a news release. “Performing was the only thing I ever felt I was great at.”
Cook can credit his parents with enriching his musical beginnings. His parents had an “eclectic record collection,” so he listened to many different genres. And he grew up watching his dad play guitar. When he was in high school, he formed a band with a friend. He continued to focus on music.
After he graduated from Central Missouri State with a degree in graphic design, he chose to follow his passion for music rather than get a job in his degree field. He moved to Tulsa to pursue his music career.
When his brother Andrew went to try out for “American Idol,” Cook went along for moral support. He decided to tryout himself at the last minute. When his brother didn’t make the cut, Cook offered to quit too, but his brother and mother insisted that he go on. He emerged as a dark horse favorite and eventually won the contest.
For tickets or information, call 964-7263 or go to www.firelakegrand.com. Ticket prices start at $44.
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First presenters announced for 43rd Annual CMA Awards
Julianne Hough
The first group of presenters has been announced for the 43rd Annual CMA Awards, which will hosted by Brad Paisley and Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, and air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 11 on ABC.
The first celebrities announced as presenters for the Country Music Association’s award show: NASCAR superstar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; stars of ABC’s “The Middle” Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Julianne Hough; nominee Randy Houser (for both New Artist and Music Video of the Year for “Boots On”); nominee Jake Owen (New Artist of the Year); Kellie Pickler; CMA Award winner LeAnn Rimes; and ABC News’s Robin Roberts, co-anchor of “Good Morning America” and host of the upcoming “Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville” ABC television special (airing Nov. 10).
In addition, hot emerging trio Love And Theft will host the pre-telecast awards, which are given out during the half-hour before the televised event begins. Among the awards presented during this time are the CMA Broadcast Awards, which recognize the Broadcast Personality and Station of the Year in four categories (small, medium, large, and major market) as well as the National Broadcast Personality of the Year.
Performers already announced include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and Dave Mathews, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band, with more to be named soon.
Tickets for the 2009 CMA Awards can be purchased by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com; calling (800) 745-3000; or in person at the Sommet Center box office, 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, in Nashville). Ticket prices begin at $110 for Upper Level. Lower Level seats are also available.
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Carrie Underwood to perform at American Music Awards
Oklahoma country star Carrie Underwood, along with Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry, has been added to the performance lineup of the American Music Awards, according to CMT.com.
The American Music Awards will air Nov. 22 on ABC.
The award show is shaping up to be a sort of “American Idol” alumni reunion: Underwood and Clarkson are both “Idol” winners, while Daughtry frontman Chris Daughtry was a finalist in 2006.
As previously announced, “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert will perform on the show as well.
The Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys also have been added as AMA performers.
It’s turning into a hectic fall for Underwood, who is planning a flurry of TV appearances next week to go with the release of her third album, “Play On.” The Oklahoma native and Brad Paisley will co-host the 43rd Annual CMA Awards Nov. 11 on ABC.
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Carrie Underwood will promote “Play On” with Big Apple publicity blitz
Carrie Underwood (Photo by Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman Archives)
Country music star Carrie Underwood will head to New York City to celebrate and promote her new album “Play On,” due in stores Nov. 3. While in the Big Apple, the Oklahoman native will perform on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on Nov. 2, perform a special outdoor concert at Lincoln Center on “Good Morning America” on album release day, and will round out her week with a visit to “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Nov. 5.
After closing out the album release week, Checotah’s favorite daughter will prepare for her performance and co-hosting duties at this year’s 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, airing Nov. 11 live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn.
A four-time Grammy Award winner, Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Underwood re-teams for the upcoming “Play On” with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her “Carnival Ride” album as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut, “Some Hearts.”
“Play On”’s debut single, “Cowboy Casanova,” is the fastest-rising hit of the year at country radio and exploded with massive first-week sales of 110,236 digital copies. With this achievement, Underwood remains the only solo country artist this year to debut a digital single above the 100,000 mark – a feat she’s accomplished not once, but twice in 2009, having also hit the six digits with her recording of this past season’s “American Idol” farewell theme, “Home Sweet Home.”
Earlier this year, Underwood became the first country artist in history to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their her two albums when “I Told You So” became the fifth consecutive chart-topper from “Carnival Ride,” which also included the smash, “Just a Dream,” and three hits Underwood co-wrote: “So Small,” “All-American Girl,” and “Last Name.” To date, Underwood is the U.S. best-selling “Idol” winner with album sales of more than 10 million.
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Vince Gill-Daughtry and Kenny Chesney-Dave Matthews duets planned for CMA Awards
Vince Gill (Photo by Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman Archives)
Chris Daughtry of the band Daughtry (Associated Press photo)
Several additional performers have been announced in the past few days for next month’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards, including big cross-genre duets pairing Oklahoma native Vince Gill and rock band Daughtry and Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews.
In addition, Oklahoma resident Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band are recent additions to the Country Music Association’s awards show lineup.
The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on Nov. 11 on ABC.
In their debut CMA Awards performance, Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry joins Country Music Hall of Fame member Gill for a duet of “Tennessee Line,” which the superstars recorded together for Daughtry’s new album, “Leave This Town.” That album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in July, becoming the group’s second consecutive album to top the charts. Daughtry’s self-titled first album, released in 2006, was the quickest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history, selling more than five million copies worldwide.
Gill, who was born in Norman and raised in Oklahoma City, has won 18 CMA Awards, including Entertainer (1993, 1994), Male Vocalist (1991-1995), and Album of the Year (1993 for I Still Believe in You; 1994 for Common Thread: Songs of the Eagles). The singer-songwriter, who hosted the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years (1992-2003), was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
Chesney and Matthews will perform “I’m Alive,” which they recorded together for Chesney’s “Lucky Old Sun” album. The song was originally recorded by Willie Nelson. The Matthews/Chesney duet is the current single from Chesney’s “Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.”
Chesney, the four-time and reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year (2004, 2006-08), is tied with Oklahoman Garth Brooks as the top winner in this category. He has received seven CMA Awards, including Album of the Year in 2004 for When the Sun Goes Down, which he co-produced with Buddy Cannon. This year, he has three nominations: Entertainer, Male Vocalist, and Musical Event with Mac McAnally for “Down the Road.” Chesney has sold more than 25 million albums, achieved 19 No. 1 hits, debuted five albums at No. 1 on the all genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, and for the last eight years has sold more than one million concert tickets annually, making him the biggest ticket seller in any genre in this century.
Matthews will be making his debut appearance on the CMA Awards. The singer/songwriter/actor has sold more than 32 million albums as leader of the acclaimed Dave Matthews Band and won three Grammy Awards. Dave Matthews Band’s current album is the platinum-certified “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart in June. This accomplishment ties them with Metallica as the only bands in chart history to debut five consecutive studio albums at No.1. With more than 16 million tickets sold, Dave Matthews Band was named the top-drawing American band in the world by Billboard.
Miranda Lambert
Lambert, a Tishomingo resident, is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. The fiery performer has a career total of seven CMA nominations. Her new album “Revolution” recently debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart. This accomplishment established Lambert as the third artist in the SoundScan era to have their first three albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.
McGraw last performed on the CMA Awards stage in 2005, when he joined wife Faith Hill on “Like We Never Loved At All.” His last solo performance on the CMA Awards was in 2004, when he opened the show with “How Bad Do You Want It?” The superstar, who has sold more than 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 30 No. 1 singles, has won 11 CMA Awards, including Entertainer (2001); Male Vocalist (1999, 2000); and Album of the Year (1998 for Everywhere; 1999 for A Place in the Sun). McGraw last received a CMA Award in 2007 for Musical Event of the Year on “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” with Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney. McGraw will release his new album, “Southern Voice,” on Tuesday.
Aldean, who has a career total of two CMA nominations, recently celebrated topping the Billboard Top Country Singles chart for four weeks with his hit “Big Green Tractor.” The song, which is from his album “Wide Open,” also topped the Billboard all-genre ringtone chart, a first for a country artist.
Currington earned two nominations this year, Single and Music Video of the Year, both for “People Are Crazy,” from his album “Little Bit of Everything.” He co-produced the single with Carson Chamberlain, while the video was directed by The Brads. Currington has a career total of three CMA nominations, as he was previously nominated in 2005 for Musical Event of the Year for his duet with Shania Twain on “Party for Two.” The writers of “People Are Crazy,” Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones, are currently nominated for Song of the Year.
Reigning New Artist of the Year Lady Antebellum received two nominations in 2009. The trio is up for Vocal Group and Single of the Year for “I Run to You,” produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley, from their platinum-certified self-titled debut album. Lady Antebellum recently released “Need You Now,” the first single from their upcoming new album of the same name, in stores Jan. 2010.
Zac Brown Band received their debut three nominations in 2009 for New Artist, Vocal Group, and Single of the Year for “Chicken Fried,” from their platinum-certified album “The Foundation.” Lead singer Zac Brown also received a fourth nomination as co-writer of “Chicken Fried” (along with Wyatt Durrette) in the Song of the Year category.
Previously announced performers include Oklahomans Brooks & Dunn (which includes former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn, Chockie-raised Reba McEntire and Checotah native Carrie Underwood, along with Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.
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Carrie Underwood fans get early listens online of “Play On” tracks
Oklahoma country star Carrie Underwood’s new album “Play On” will release on Nov. 3, and starting today, a new track from the album will be available for purchase and download exclusively on iTunes every week for three weeks.
Each new song also will be available as a free 60-second preview on Billboard.com, according to a news release.
The exclusive iTunes Countdown pre-release tracks start off today with “Mama’s Song” and all count toward the purchase of the full album through iTunes’ Complete My Album feature.
The upcoming tracks include “Temporary Home” (available Oct. 20) and “Undo It” (available Oct. 27).
For each new track every week, fans will be able to visit Billboard.com for a 48-hour sneak preview of the song immediately prior to its Tuesday release on iTunes, with each posting remaining on Billboard.com for a week from its debut.
In addition to the weekly online previews at Billboard.com, Underwood will be the focus of an online feature as well as a cover feature in the print edition of Billboard, on sale Friday.
Along with the ability to purchase the exclusive pre-sale tracks through the iTunes Countdown, fans who opt to purchase “Play On” through iTunes’ Complete My Album feature will also receive an exclusive free track: Underwood’s recording of the holiday classic, “O Holy Night.”
Already available online is the digital single for “Cowboy Casanova,” the smash first single from “Play On.” Purchases of “Cowboy Casanova” through iTunes will also count toward a purchase of “Play On” via the Complete My Album feature.
A four-time GRAMMY Award winner, the reigning Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Underwood is releasing her third album with ”Play On.” The project re-teams her with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her 2007 “Carnival Ride” album as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut “Some Hearts.”
To date, Underwood has amassed more than 10 million in U.S. album sales with “Some Hearts” and “Carnival Ride.” Along the way, she has consistently broken new ground and earlier this year became the first country artist in history and the only “American Idol” winner ever to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from her first two albums.
She also will appear in her first holiday TV special Dec. 7 on FOX.
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Carrie Underwood to star in her own holiday TV special
Carrie Underwood (Photo by Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman Archives)
Oklahoma superstar Carrie Underwood will headline her own variety television special from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 on FOX, according to a news release.
The exact title of the special is to be confirmed at a later date. During the two-hour variety special, Checotah’s favorite daughter will perform new music from her new album, “Play On,” as well as previous hits and holiday classics.
The Oklahoma native will be joined on stage by special musical guests and chart-topping artists including Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and fellow “American Idol” winner and former Tulsa resident David Cook. Additional guest stars will be announced later.
Underwood rose to fame as the winner of “American Idol” Season Four. Now a four-time Grammy Award winner, the 2009 Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, the reigning Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM) Female Vocalist of the Year, Underwood is a bona fide country music superstar.
Her newest album, “Play On,” for which she collaborated with producer Mark Bright, will be released Nov. 3 on 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville. The album’s debut single, “Cowboy Casanova,” is the fastest-rising hit of the year on country radio, exploding with massive first-week sales of 110,236 digital copies.
The achievement marks Underwood’s claim as the only solo country artist to debut a digital single this year above the 100,000 units mark – a feat she’s accomplished not once, but twice.
Underwood also found success with her single “Home Sweet Home,” which served as the farewell music on “American Idol” last season. Earlier this year, she became the first country artist in history to have 10 No. 1 singles from her first two albums, including “I Told You So,” “Just a Dream,” “So Small,” “All-American Girl” and “Last Name.” To date, Underwood is the best-selling “American Idol” winner in the U.S. with album sales of more than 10 million.
Underwood’s holiday variety special is a production of Big Red 2 Entertainment, and is executive-produced by Simon Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe and Adam Shankman. Shankman and Lythgoe also serve as directors of the special.
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