The show will air April 18 on CBS.

Underwood’s nominations, include entertainer of the year, song of the year, vocal event of the year, top female vocalist and album of the year. 

A photo gallery of Underwood competing during the ”American Idol” finale week in 2005 is posted below.  Click on the Associated Press photos to enlarge them.

(AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Country singer Carrie Underwood will get a chance to belt out “The Star Spangled Banner” in front of about 150 million  viewers. 

Underwood has been selected to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, the NFL announced. 

Queen Latifah will perform “America the Beautiful,” and The Who will perform during the halftime show. 

“The Star Spangled Banner” is one of the toughest songs to sing. There’s no doubt Underwood has the pipes to pull it off.

Several musicians have performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl, but none of their performances can compare to Whitney Houston’s rendition. 

Houston’s performance of the national anthem from the 1991 Super Bowl is posted in the clip below. 

No one can sing it like her.

(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Country singer Carrie Underwood is expected to walk down the aisle.  The “American Idol” winner is engaged to hockey player Mike Fisher. 

The Associated Press story is posted below via NewsOK.

ASSOCIATED PRESS BY CAITLIN R. KING

Carrie Underwood is engaged to Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher, her publicist said Monday.  No wedding date has been set for the couple, who have been dating for about a year.

“The couple couldn’t be happier,” said publicist Jessie Schmidt.

Mike Simons, of Tulsa World

Fisher, 29, recorded his 300th career point for the Senators in their 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Fisher had an assist on Anton Volchenkov’s goal in the first period.

Asked by The Associated Press last month what Underwood’s family thought of Fisher, the 26-year-old singer said they were supportive.

“They love me and I would hope my parents would think we raised a good, smart girl, so she’s going to do the right thing no matter what it is,” she said.

Days before the CMA Awards in early November, Underwood did not know whether she would be spending the holidays with Fisher.

“Christmas, I don’t know. We haven’t really thought that far ahead. We kind of take it one week at a time,” she said then.

Underwood has kept her relationship largely under wraps, but she gave Fisher a very public shout-out in the liner notes of her current album, “Play On,” that was released Nov. 3. She wrote, “Thank you (No.) 12 (referring to his jersey number.) You are the most amazing addition to my life! You are such a wonderful person and have had such an amazing hand in the building of this album and in the growth of me as a person. I love you so much! You make my life better in every way!”

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Country singer and “American Idol” champion Carrie Underwood announced concert dates for her upcoming tour in support of her new album titled “Play On.”

The tour will kick off March 11 in Reading, PA., and it will conclude May 30 in Spokane, Wash.  Interestingly, Underwood will not be performing in her home state of Oklahoma during this tour.

The tour dates are posted below.

March 11 – Reading, PA @ Sovereign Center

March 12 – Albany, NY @ Times Union Center

March 13 – Providence, RI @ Dunkin Donuts Center

March 15 – Portland, ME @ Cumberland County Civic Center

March 16 – Bridgeport, CT @ Arena @ HarborYard

March 19 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Boardwalk Hall

March 20 – Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods

March 21 – Worcester, MA @ DCU Center

March 23 – Hamilton, Ontario @ Copps Coliseum

March 24 – Kanata, Ontario @ Scotiabank Place

March 26 – Trenton, NJ @ Sun National Bank Center

March 27 – Amherst, MA @ Mullins Center

March 29 – Wilkes Barre, PA @ Wachovia Arena

March 31 – Rochester, NY @ BlueCross Arena

April 01 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Civic Center

April 03 – Pikeville, KY @ Eastern Kentucky Expo Center

April 06 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center

April 07 – Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center

April 09 – Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse

April 10 – Rockford, IL @ Rockford MetroCentre

April 12 – Ft Wayne, IN @ Allen County War Memorial

April 13 – Saginaw, MI @ Dow Events Center

April 14 – Lansing, MI @ Breslin Student Events Center

April 23 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena

April 24 – Toledo, OH @ Lucas County Arena

April 25 – Cincinnati, OH @ US Bank Arena

April 27 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Coliseum

April 28 – Charleston, WV @ Charleston Civic Center

April 30 – Fayetteville, NC @ Crown Coliseum

May 1 – Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena

May 2 – Augusta, GA @ James Brown Arena

May 4 – Tallahassee, FL @ Tallahassee County Civic Center

May 5 – Pensacola, FL @ Pensacola Civic Center

May 7 – New Orleans, LA @ Lakefront Arena

May 8 – Lafayette, LA @ Cajundome

May 10 – Beaumont, TX @ Ford Park Events Center

May 12 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center

May 13 – Corpus Christi, TX @ American Bank Center

May 15 – Tucson, AZ @ Tucson Arena

May 18 – Fresno, CA @ SaveMart Center

May 20 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena

May 21 – Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center

May 22 – Las Vegas, NV @ Orleans Arena

May 29 – Everett, WA @ Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center

May 30 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena

Country music singer Carrie Underwood’s holiday special will air from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday on the Fox network. 

“Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special” will be in the format of a variety show.  The show will mix music and comedy. 

For more details about the show, click here to read Brandy McDonnell’s story via NewsOK.

Fisher said Underwood’s schedule makes it difficult for them to see each other frequently, but everything is good.  He also talks about how they met. 

A video clip of the interview is posted below. Fast forward the video to the 10-minute mark.

Jennifer Hudson attends a movie premiere in Beverly Hills (AP photo by Chris Pizzello)

Carrie Underwood accepting her award at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman)

–Season three contestant Jennifer Hudson’s Christmas concert special titled “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” will air on ABC in December.

–Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood will receive the Harmony Award on Dec. 12 at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.  The award is given to individuals demonstrate a continued interest in Nashville music.

–Season 8 contestant Allison Iraheta’s debut album will be in stores Dec. 1.  The first single is “Friday I’ll Be Over U.”

–After a one-year hiatus the “Idol Gives Back” episode will return to American Idol. The episode will air April 21.

–Season 7 contestant Jason Castro’s album release has been delayed until early 2010.  The album was originally scheduled for Nov. 17

–Season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis released a new music video titled “Sad Song” from his CD “Heartbreak on Vinyl.  The music video is posted below.

Click here to read The Oklahoman’s George Lang’s story about the induction ceremony via NewsOK.com.

A photo gallery of the ceremony is posted below. The photos were taken by The Oklahoman’s Bryan Terry. Click the photos to enlarge them.

Carrie Underwood sings with fifth-grade Checotah student Kenedee Rittenhouse. (photo by Mike Simons, of Tulsa World)

Country star Carrie Underwood visited her hometown school in Checotah, OK, to visit students and donate $117,000 worth of musical instruments for the school’s music program. 

The full story is posted below from Jennifer Chancellor, of the Tulsa World. All photos were taken by Tulsa World’sMike Simons.

BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR, TULSA WORLD STAFF WRITER

CHECOTAH — Carrie Underwood’s hometown sang the country music superstar’s praises Friday morning.

More accurately, they screeched them.

Hundreds of young Checotah Public Schools music students screamed with glee as Underwood shocked them with $117,000 worth of instruments for the band and vocal music programs.

“I love my job,” said intermediate music teacher Kathy Cooper from the auditorium stage in the small high school from which the singer graduated. Underwood’s fifth-grade music teacher joined her and the youngsters to make a surprise announcement.

“I’ve had most of you sitting out there. … You never know, we might have some more stars out here,” Cooper teased with a smile. The jam-packed arena hushed. “It’s my greatest pleasure to introduce …”

A collective gasp swept across the assembly. From those gasps erupted deafening howls of joy as the kids realized who had joined Cooper onstage.

“To the teachers, I’m sorry I completely disrupted your classes,” Underwood said. “To the students, you’re welcome!” she finished, then laughed.

The 26-year-old singer and Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, along with ACM Lifting Lives director Erin Spahn, pulled back the blue velvet curtain behind them, revealing 31 shiny new band instruments.

“Mrs. Cooper gave me my first chance to perform on stage,” said Underwood. “The music program is so important. … My career has given me this opportunity to give back.”

Underwood and her recently founded nonprofit —Checotah Animal, Town and Schools, or CATS — joined ACM’s Lifting Lives program to make the donation possible. Underwood’s charity name is a spinoff of her school mascot, the Wildcats, she said.

Fifth-grader Kenedee Rittenhouse, 11, captivated students before the assembly when, on a whim, she stood on a chair to the side of the auditorium and sang Underwood’s hit “So Small.” Underwood, backstage at the time, took note.

The superstar called Rittenhouse to the stage for an impromptu duet while Underwood’s keyboardist “broke in” the new electric piano.

As they sang, Rittenhouse shook. Then Underwood shook.

Rittenhouse cried. Underwood’s eyes brimmed with tears as she placed her hand over her heart. Applause filled the auditorium.

“Take this stuff. Do what you love and love what you do,” Underwood later said. A group of girls in the back yelled, “We love you Carrie!”

Rittenhouse returned to her seat and wept with joy. “Oh. My. Gosh,” she said. “All I knew this morning was that we were having an assembly. We didn’t know she would be here.”

She wiped her eyes and smiled. “Singing with her was a one in a million opportunity and it was so awesome. … She hugged me after and said ‘Great job.’

“Yeah, I was a little bit nervous,” the girl admitted.

She wasn’t the only one.

“Carrie told me backstage that she’s never been so nervous,” said Brian Terry, Checotah High School principal, after the presentation. “She said that she can perform in front of thousands of people, but this program is very important to her.

“Our band program is both very good and very competitive. This gift has been in the works for months,” said Terry.

All instruments were purchased through Yamaha Corporate Artist Affairs at a special philanthropic rate, said Brook Primero, senior director of publicity and marketing for the Academy of Country Music.

Instruments included tubas, saxophones, woodwinds, horns, a guitar and more.

Afterward, Underwood said hello to her former teachers and stood for pictures — lots of pictures.

“I think it’s great for kids to see that they can do anything,” said Underwood. “I want to help teach them to be responsible for their futures, to be great and to follow their dreams.”

She reminisced about her favorite music teacher.

“Last night I was looking at old videos of me singing on stage. I was yay high, 6 or 7 years old,” she said, then smiled. “Mrs. Cooper thought it was a good idea to sing all by myself.

“Mrs. Cooper’s always been such a positive influence,” said Underwood.

Nearly a decade after Underwood last performed on that very stage, the busy singer also talked about her upcoming album release, due this fall. “It’ll be my third album — that’s hard to believe,” said the multiplatinum-selling musician.

“Then next year comes another big tour. I’ll be back home for that. I love coming home.

“Every show stop gets louder the closer I get to home. After, I can sit on my porch with my dog and cat and just be home.

Underwood will be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 17, along with Oklahoma artists and performers Rocky Frisco and Ramona Reed. All three will perform. Tickets are now on sale.

Underwood is the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, an “American Idol” winner, four-time Grammy winner and an Oklahoma music icon. The class of 2009 inductees will join the roster of former inductees, including Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Merle Haggard, Wanda Jackson, the All-American Rejects and more.

C.H. Parker, longtime music instructor and director at Northeastern State University, will be honored with the Governor’s Award.

The induction and concert is 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Muskogee Civic Center, 405 Boston St. in downtown Muskogee.

Reserved seat tickets to the concert and induction ceremony are available at tulsaworld.com/OMHoF or call (918) 687-0800 for information. Tickets are $39.95 to $175, plus fees.

There’s no resting for country singer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood. 

Her next  CD will be released Nov. 3.  This will be her third CD since she won American Idol in 1995. 

Click here to read the full story from The Oklahoman’s Brandy McDonnell.

American Idol winners Carrie Underwood and Ruben Studdard recently commented to US Weekly magazine about the Chris Brown/Rihanna fiasco.

Underwood said, “They were fine at the Grammy party.  I don’t think anybody actually knows what happened.  I have no advice because, thank goodness, I’ve never been in any kind of abusive situation.”

She also said, “You hear a new one (rumor) every five minutes, and some of them are getting kind of ridiculous.  I really hope everyone will lay off and just let everybody who’s involved figure out everything first.”

Season 2 American Idol winner Ruben Studdard said “I’m still praying for him.  Everybody always has something negative to say about everything, and I always try to be positive.  You never know what’s going on in people’s personal situations. 

Well duh Ruben.  When you beat up your girlfriend, of course people are going to say something negative about you. 

Also, it’s okay if he says a prayer for Chris Brown, but he never said he was going to say a prayer for Rihanna.

She probably needs more prayers because she was the one who was beaten.

Tim Henley

– The 8th season of American Idol will kick off Jan. 13.  The 36 semi-finalists will be revealed Feb. 11, viewers will start  voting Feb. 17 and the top 12 will be revealed March 5 after the wild card round.

– Carrie Underwood’s  Carnival Ride Tour was named the top country female tour of 2008.  She played 137 shows to 1. 2 million fans.

– Season 6 contestant Gina Glocksen married her high school science teacher Joe Ruzicka on New Year’s Eve.

– Since he was dropped from his record label J Records, season 5 American Idol winner Taylor Hicks has created his own label Modern Whomp Records.

– Season two contestants Ruben Studdard, Treynce and Frenchie Davis just finished their month-long run on the musical “Aint Misbehavin.” The show was performed in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Top artists of 2008 (Billboard)

1. Chris Brown

2. Lil Wayne

3. Rihanna

4. Alicia Keys

5. Taylor Swift

6. Leona Lewis

7. Miley Cyrus

8. Jordin Sparks

9. Jonas Brothers

10. T.I.

11. Coldplay

12. Flo Rida

13. Carrie Underwood

14. T-Pain

15. Josh Groban

16. Colbie Caillat

17. Ne-Yo

18. Kanye West

19. Katy Perry

20. Mariah Carey

Carrie Underwood doesn’t have any respect for Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Jamie Foxx, Scarlett Johansson and numerous other celebrities.

In an interview with TV Guide, she said when it comes to celebrity presidential endorsements, “I lose all respect for celebrities when they back a candidate.”

Although Carrie didn’t single out those people above, the people that I mentioned are a list of celebrities who are outspoken about their support and endorsement for a presidential candidate.

Since Carrie said she loses respect for people who publicly support a candidate, they basically means she has no respect for those people above.

Carrie also went on to say, “It’s saying that the American public isn’t smart enough to make their own decisions.  I would never want anybody to vote for anything or anybody just because I told them to.”

It’s understandable if Carrie doesn’t like it when celebrities try to make America vote a certain way.

However, they do have the right to free speech, and I would never lose respect for anyone who exercises their free speech rights.

Carrie has exercised her free speech rights in the past when she announced to the world that she is a vegetarian, and I didn’t lose all respect for her.  So, she shouldn’t lose respect for celebrities who voice their opinions.

Tim Henley