ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Carrie Underwood (6 songs)

This Muskogee OK-native singer-songwriter won the 2005 season of TV’s “American Idol”. In the midst of the competition, judge Simon Cowell predicted she would not only win but outsell all prior winners…. She won the 2006 CMA Horizon award & the CMA Female Vocalist Of The Year Award in 2006, 2007 & 2008.

#1
This song, technically her 3rd release behind 2005’s “Bless The Broken Road” (with Rascal Flatts) & 2005’s “Inside Your Heaven” (#1 on the Billboard Hot 100), debuted 11/05/2005 & spent 23 weeks on the country charts, 6 of those at #1; it crossed over & reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

#2
Debuting 02/25/2006, this song spent 27 weeks on the charts & peaked at #2. Had it hit #1, it would’ve been her 3rd straight country chart topper, as 2006’s “Before He Cheats” had claimed #1 for 5 weeks, while reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

#3
This song hit the airwaves 12/09/2006 & spent 25 weeks on the country charts, 3 of those at #1. It was her 4th straight Top 5 on the country charts; it crossed over & notched at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her 1st release of 2007, “I’ll Stand By You”, became her 3rd Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #6; however, it stalled at #41 on the country charts.

#4
This song returned her to the top of the country charts. It debuted 08/18/2007 & spent 20 weeks on the charts, 3 of those at #1. It crossed over & peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. A holiday release, “Do You Hear What I Hear”, hit the airwaves in late 2007 & peaked at #27 on the country & #90 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

#5
This song debuted 07/26/2008 & spent 20 weeks on the country charts, 2 of those at #1; on the Billboard Hot 100, it notched at #29. It was her 3rd straight country chart topper, behind 2007-8’s “All-American Girl” (2 weeks) & 2008’s “Last Name”, & 3rd straight Billboard Hot 100 Top 30. On a personal note, it is 1 song I identify with my 2008 road trip; I remember hearing it on a sunny day as I headed west on I-68….

#6
2009 started off with her duet with Randy Travis, “I Told You So”, which reached #2 for 2 weeks on the country charts & #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. After “Cowboy Casanova” topped the country charts, this song debuted 12/12/2009, spent 20 weeks on the country charts & claimed #1 in early 2010. Recent familiar tunes include 2010’s “Undo It” (#1), 2010-1’s “Mama’s Song” (#2), 2011’s “Remind Me” (#1; duet with Brad Paisley), 2012’s “Blown Away” (#2, 3 weeks) & 2012-3’s “2 Black Cadillacs”.