country music

MARCH 17TH, 2008

CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO JOIN GRAND OLE OPRY

Country superstar Carrie Underwood, who once told Billboard that if she hadn't won American Idol in 2005, "I probably wouldn't have pursued music much further at all," has been invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.

The invitation came on March 15 from Opry member Randy Travis, whose 1988 Billboard No. 1 single "I Told You So" Underwood covered on her most recent album, "Carnival Ride."

Underwood, who scored a No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "American Girl" last week and who also celebrated her 25th birthday on March 10, made her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 10, 2005, just two weeks after winning "American Idol."

She will be formally inducted as an Opry member on May 10.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD and alan jackson rules chart

Thursday, March 13, 2008 – Alan Jackson enjoyed the best selling album in the U.S. this past week with "Good Thing," taking over from Janet Jackson's "Discipline" on the Billboard chart for the week ending March 22.

On the country song chart, Carrie Underwood once again was first with "All-American Girl."

Jackson took over the top of the country album chart from Taylor Swift's self-titled debut, which slipped to second Garth Brooks remained third with "The Ultimate Hits." Underwood was up one to fourth with "Carnival Ride," switching spots with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' "Raising Sand."

 

MARCH 4TH, 2008

Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood React to ACM Nominations
As the reigning ACM male and female vocalists, Paisley and Carrie Underwood announced the nominations on the CBS news program, The Early Show. Paisley read this year's female vocalist nominees on the air, and Underwood was delighted to find herself on the list.

"Right now, I'm not sure what other names he read because I was just looking for mine," she later told CMT Insider. Asked if she sizes up her competition at awards shows, she replied, "I don't think it's necessarily like, 'Oh, I've got her licked.' ... I don't think it's like that at all. All you can do is go vote for yourself and hope other people do the same thing -- and cross your fingers, I guess." Underwood says she's grateful simply to attend the awards show, which will be held May 18 in Las Vegas.

"I consider myself a very lucky person, and I'm glad I get to do what I do and to be a part of the awards show -- and to get to go," she said. "I remember how I was when I listened to people on the radio when I was growing up, and I don't consider myself in that category. I know I'm not a new kid, but it's still pretty new to me."

Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood set for CMA festival
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Faith Hill will perform at this summer's CMA Music Festival for the first time in 10 years, joining Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and several others. The Country Music Association's annual festival will be held June 5-8 in downtown Nashville.

The CMA announced the first wave of performers Monday, with more to come later.

Other announced acts include Dwight Yoakam, Rodney Atkins, Josh Turner, Miranda Lambert and Kellie Pickler.Pop singer Jewel will make her CMA Music Festival debut. Last year's event drew 191,000 people over four days.