From 
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Among the Country Stars
You gotta hand it to the people who dream up shows for network television. No idea is too simple, even some that sound really dumb. Just imagine the conversation when someone pitched the concept for American Idol."Hey, let's put a talent show on national TV. Tens of millions of people will tune in. We'll make hits! We'll make music stars! We'll make billions!"
You would have said no. I would have said no. We would have been wrong.
Carrie Underwood, who won the American Idol competition last season, would not have said no. And in just 12 months, the Oklahoma-bred Underwood has now gone from unknown to the A list, all thanks to her Idol win. She's the first country singer to take the show's top honors, which includes a recording contract. Her Some Hearts CD debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and in April was certified triple platinum. Some Hearts has made Underwood what she longed to be -- a peer among the country stars she loves. And she'll be sharing the spotlight with the biggest of them at the live telecast of the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 23, where she's nominated for four trophies, including top female vocalist.
Just a few days after celebrating her 23rd birthday, Underwood, wearing a sweatshirt from Oklahoma's Northeastern State University, where she returned this year to finish her undergraduate degree, settled in for her Reader's Digest interview. Topics of discussion: animal rights, her fear of flying, and what it's like to be an overnight sensation.
RD: Tell me the truth -- what do you really think about Simon Cowell?
Underwood: He says what he thinks. I don't think he's malicious; I don't think he's out to hurt somebody; I think that's what he gets paid to do. End of story.
RD: How did you end up auditioning for American Idol in the first place?
Underwood: Even when I was little, I was singing all the time. But, being practical, I went to college and studied broadcast journalism. Then one day I thought, I'm about to graduate, and don't know what I'm going to do, so why not try out for American Idol? What's the worst that could happen? If I don't make it past the audition, nobody's going to know. And I'll get some experience in front of the camera.
RD: Did you ever in a million years think you would win?
Underwood: Not at all. Then, the further I got, it was just about staying one more week, one more week. When it came down to me and Bo Bice, I was like, Everybody loves Bo. I love Bo. I would probably vote for Bo myself if I were watching.
RD: Did it hurt when the judges criticized you?
Underwood: At first it stung pretty bad -- not because of the millions, but because of the 20 to 30 friends and family I knew were watching.
Advertisement 
Your Comments
See all
...