TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

'Idol' Has Wasted No Time On The Road To Success

ADVERTISEMENT

By CURTIS ROSS cross@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 7, 2008

Before she was Carrie Underwood, American Idol, she was Carrie Underwood, also-ran.

"When I was very young, I had an artist development deal with Capitol," Underwood says by telephone from her tour bus. "They paid for me to record some songs. It didn't go anywhere."

What? Didn't they know a star when they heard one?

"No. I mean, the reality is that there are so many people out there who have beautiful voices we're not ever gonna hear, so what makes mine so special?" Underwood asks.

"The answer is nothing. Mine's not any more special than anybody else's," Underwood continues. "I got really lucky. Took a chance and tried out for "American Idol". I had zero chance of making it to the finals."

Well, a little better than zero as it turns out. Underwood was the show's fourth season winner in 2005. She recorded her debut album, "Some Hearts," while on tour with the other "American Idol" finalists that summer. Released in the fall, it became her first No. 1 country album.

She racked up hit singles such as "Jesus Take the Wheel," "Before He Cheats" and "Wasted" and took home a case full of trophies from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards.

She toured constantly, getting off the road long enough to record a second album, 2007's "Carnival Ride," which made it to No. 1 on Billboard's country and pop charts.

So, a busy three years, then.

"Everything has happened fast. My head's been spinning a lot," Underwood says as her rat terrier, Ace, announces his presence in the background. ("He's quiet all day," she says. "But as soon as I get on the phone ...")

She's starting to get her sea legs, though. "Carnival Ride" features several co-writing credits for her, and she has moved from opening act to co-headlining with Keith Urban to her own headlining tour, which closes out with dates in Tampa, Orlando and Gainesville.

"This has been a really good first headlining experience," Underwood says, "but I'm looking forward to some time off. I love being on the road, but I love being at home, too. I'm too much of a hermit to do this 365 days a year."

Her life as a recluse is under constant threat. For one thing, she was co-host with Brad Paisley of this year's Country Music Awards, where she also picked up her third consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year award.

"That was my first time co-hosting anything," she says. "It was great, although at first I think we both looked terrified. Toward the end we weren't even reading what was on the teleprompter."

She also has become a favorite tabloid target, with her real and supposed romances and other goings-on endlessly scrutinized. It's something she has learned to live with. Or live without.

"I've gotten to where I ignore it," Underwood says. "It was very hard to do at first. When you know someone is talking about you, you want to see what they have to say. But it made me a not very happy person.

"It's hard to keep reading stuff that's made up or sensationalized. Hunger for celebrity gossip, that's so negative," she says. "I had to tell myself I could keep reading it or I could be a happier person."

Underwood has learned to make adjustments for her own happiness. One of the first was becoming a vegetarian as a youngster, a tough choice - especially since her parents are cattle ranchers.

"I respect what they do very much. That's what put clothes on my back and paid for college," she says. "But cows were like my dogs. I named them, I played with them, I bottle-fed them," she says. "When I realized why we had cows, I couldn't think of anyone eating my friends. It scared me, and I quit eating meat."

When she goes home, she goes prepared.

"When I go home, I bring my own food," she says. "I can get a veggie sub at Subway, but that's about it. "

ON TOUR
Carrie Underwood
WITH: Little Big Town

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday

WHERE: St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa; (813) 301-2500

HOW MUCH: $35, $45 and $55

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT