Carrie Underwood Biography

Singer Carrie Underwood won the TV talent show American Idol in 2005. From a small town in Oklahoma, Underwood was a senior in college when she entered the contest. Described by some as polite and shy, she performed mostly country songs, a departure from previous years' shows that yielded winners Kelly Clarkson (2002) and Ruben Studdard (2003) and Fantasia Barrino (2004). Underwood grew up singing at events and at church in and around her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. She was one of 100,000 potential contestants when the 2005 season began, and she ended up in a tight race against Bo Bice, a southern rocker from Alabama. Judge Simon Cowell predicted Underwood's ultimate victory two months in advance, but in the final weeks Bice emerged as a favorite. In the final show of the season, on 25 May 2005, Underwood narrowly beat out Bice to become the new "American Idol," guaranteeing her a recording contract. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was released in November of 2005 and included the hit "Jesus Take the Wheel."


Other personalities from Fox's American Idol:Clay AikenPaula AbdulRandy JacksonRyan SeacrestWilliam HungMario Vazquez