by Sarah Vigue

Created on: June 19, 2008

The newest and youngest member of the Grand 'Ole Opry, Carrie Underwood has surpassed expectations across America. Simon Cowell predicted that she would "sell more records than any other previous Idol winner" and she certainly has. What makes it possible for this small town girl to win some of the most prestigious accolades in music? To put the answer back in Simon Cowell's terms, Carrie not only has "the likeability factor," but she is "good in the real world."

Born March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma (if the name sounds familiar it's because Merle Haggard sang the old classic "Okie From Muskogee") and was raised just down the road on her father's farm in Checotah, Oklahoma. Stephen and Carol Underwood not only raised their daughter Carrie and her two older sisters, Shanna and Stephanie, on the family farm but used the farm life to keep the girls grounded. With an elementary school mother and a blue collar father working at a paper mill, the girls were truly rooted in small town, USA. Though Shanna and Stephanie are 13 and 10 years older than Carrie, it is reported by CMT that Carrie's sisters "have always been there" for her.

The baby of the family needed support as she started singing in local talent shows in junior high without catching a break. A home video has since surfaced of a 14 year old Carrie singing, "You walked all over me." It is clear that she always had talent, but for some reason, fame allayed Carrie. In fact, Carrie almost gave up on her desire to be a famous singer after graduating from Checotah High School in 2001. Northeastern State University is where Carrie earned a Bachelor's in Broadcast Journalism (though she did not graduate until after she won American Idol) if professional singing did not work. While studying in Tahlequah, Ok brought scholastic opportunities, Carrie was encouraged by friends to audition for the hit reality show American Idol. The small town girl declined, but that summer of 2004, after performing at her school's country music show, Carrie made the risky choice to audition on American Idol Season four in St. Louis, Missouri.

While Carrie auditioned, her mother Carol was interviewed and said, "I just think she's beautiful and she's got the voice... I have faith in her." In the judging room, Carrie proved her mother right: Nerves and being shy just made Carrie that much more endearing and sweet to Idol viewers. The idea that this attractive young woman played a football quarterback made her more alluring but seeing

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>