While this invitation will surprise many people, it cannot be denied that she possesses a genuine reverence for country music and the Grand Ole Opry in particular. This will be an exciting addition to the Grand Ole Opry family and her mass appeal will surely help to elevate its profile. Likewise, her induction to the Grand Ole Opry should help to dispel some of the questions that people have regarding her dedication to the genre.
So, congratulations to Carrie Underwood! Surely, this is the best way for Carrie to conclude her birthday week.
She will be officially inducted on May 10.
Update: Here’s the video of her surprise invitation.
What an excellent choice. I’m amazed people question her commitment to the genre. It was obvious to me she was a country singer even during her Idol run. I remember when she sang the Faith Hill version of “Piece of My Heart”, and the judges didn’t get what she had done to Janis Joplin. (Interestingly, Faith herself now does a rock version of the song live.)
I remember being impressed by her take on “Sin Wagon” because, unlike Amy Adams before her, she actually sang the lines: “Do a little mattress dancin’. That’s right, I said mattress dancin’.” Perhaps we shouldn’t have been too surprised by “Before He Cheats” and “Last Name”!
I’d like to hear her version of “Sin Wagon.”
Here’s the youtube link:
Thanks for posting that! It was super fun! I wonder if I would have gotten on the Carrie Underwood band wagon much quicker if I had followed her on AI?
It was her top 11 performance that clinched it for me. Check it out, her version of Heart’s “Alone”, which prompted Simon to correctly predict that she’d not only win that year, but sell more records than any other Idol winner:
I totally agree that her early influences included the Chicks. I also think her later stuff was influenced by Keith Urban. Good call on that one!
Here is some of her early stuff. I didn’t throw in any of her Gospel but you can see the influences from these songs when she was 15:
Can’t Get Enough
Lesson in Leaving
Goodbye Earl
When I heard these last two (before Idol) young Miss Underwood had a fan for life! You want Country creds? I can supply you a boat load. Heh!
Crazy
Broken Wings
Sorry about the double post. My browser is not showing my posts but it did come up in the Last Name thread on a comment I made last night. Sorry!
Oh well, at least I added Carrie’s rendition of Crazy to the list! ;-)
Good for her! She’s had a lot of success in a short period of time, but she’s handled it so well.
Congratulations to Carrie, no matter what people might say about her this girl is Country. She has refused to edit her songs for Pop unlike Taylor Swift. Carrie loves Country and is a wonderful ambassador for the future of Country.
Congrats to her.
Bill, my husbandd, isn’t really a country enthusiast. If he does find a country artist or song that he likes, it is most always traditional to the core.
I’m simply providing this context to explain that he is by no means a modern country listener nor a Carrie Underwood follower. However, he’s heard me mention that people complain that Carrie has no stage presence or personality. He found this link, which impressed him and has garnered respect for Carrie from him. I echo his sentiment. She’s certainly not a stick here.
Sweet Child of Mine:
Well your husband Bill ought to like this one:
Carrie covers Paradise City, complete with headbanging big hair flips and all. Shame she can’t come out of her shell eh? Heh!
I’ve only seen her live twice but I was impressed both times. Going to see her again soon, Good Lord willing and the tornadoes leave the civic center standing, so I’ll let you know how she does.
It’s funny about Carrie though. You either love her or not and something I don’t get. I love traditional country having been a big fan for decades but our traditional country station just shut down totally while the contemporary country station is booming. Even “oldies” are more commercially viable than traditional country right now. Some folks blame the downfall on the likes of acts like Carrie, Rascal Flatts, et al but when you have stations shutting down that play straightline traditional country in a major market you’d best be looking at your hole card. The contemprorary country stations play a strong mix of tradtional artists and “pop” country so I would think folks would be thanking these contemporary acts instead of crucifying them. Without them country doesn’t sell and there’s no market for traditional artists except in certain areas. Definitely not nationwide or mainstream. You simply cannot force the general populace to like certain things. Everyone has their own tastes and vote with their dollars. Time to quit bashing and start thanking IMHO!
Someone like Carrie goes away and so does any chance traditionalists have of breaking into the marketplace. Carrie’s second tour that she mixes with her tour with Keith Urban features Josh Turner as an example. The money spent on music is young dollars and to attract those dollars image is everything. Thankfully we have someone like Carrie Underwood that still respects the traditions of the past and considers a membership in the Opry as a fantastic honor. She holds the values and traditions of country music close to her heart and that can be nothing but a positive for the future viability of the Opry. Not to mention the thousands and thousands of fans she’s brought to country music. Pure and simple!
Just my two cents. Take them or leave them as you see fit!
Great point, Jarheaddad! I love both and I love your practical argument for them.
Note that it’s Grand Ole Opry.
Thanks, Matt. I fixed it. Sorry for the oversight.
I was there that nite. The crowd went crazy. It was a moment in time that many will never ever forget. The whole house was standing, cheering & applauding and of course us die hard fans had tears of joy along with chills running up & down our whole being. It was def’ly a magical moment.
You should have seen the lines at the box office right after Carrie’s final performance in the first show as peeps where buying up tickets to the 5/10 show for Carrie’s induction night.
I’ve been to the Opry in my life more times than I care to admit, even when their was only one Opry and that was at the Ryman where my oldest son perfom’d at an early age as part of an Opry dance group and there is nothing like seeing Carrie at the Opry. I’ve never seen or witnessd the special feeling of any other artist in Opry history perfoming in that “Gold Circle” where so many in the history of country music has stood as what happens when Carrie performs at either Opry House. The Opry loves Carrie just like the camera loves her and bless her heart Carrie loves the Opry. This performance was her 14th time performing at the Opry in less than two and a half years in her young career. So proud & happy for her!!!
I love to listen to Carrie sign gosply songs her voice is awsome! Any songs she put out there religious or gosbly I will buy. I buy all her cds anyway if she signs on one I have it. her voice really gives me chills!!!!
Hey! Great post. Carrie Underwood definitely has some great hair. Check out my site for an archive of her hair!