In this week’s Country Weekly, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley talk about their co-hosting gig on Country Music’s Biggest Night at the CMA Awards, as well as the intense preparation that goes into making it a success. Plus, learn all about how Carrie and Brad come up with their best jokes. Pick up your copy today!
Carrie Underwood received the Artist Achievement Award October 23 at the TJ Martell Honors Gala in New York City. She was presented the honor by Sony Music Entertainment’s Chief Executive Officer, Doug Morris.
Pictured L-R: Gary Overton (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville), Underwood, Morris
ALBUM AVAILABLE DEC. 3, 2013
WHILE LIVE BROADCAST AIRS DEC. 5, 2013
On Dec. 3 Sony Masterworks will release the companion soundtrack to NBC’s live broadcast of “The Sound of Music,” based on the classic stage musical. The three-hour live production, starring six-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood as Maria von Trapp, will air Dec. 5.
The cast also includes Audra McDonald (“Private Practice”), who has won five Tony Awards and two Grammys, as Mother Abbess; Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”), who will play Capt. Georg von Trapp; Tony Award winner Christian Borle (“Smash”), who will portray von Trapp family friend Max Detweiler; and Tony winner Laura Benanti (“Go On”), who will portray Elsa Schrader, the captain’s onetime fiancée.
“The Sound of Music” — Music From the NBC Television Event will include studio recordings for all of the musical numbers that are performed by the cast members in the live broadcast, including Rodgers and Hammerstein favorites “The Sound of Music,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” among others.
Executive producers for the telecast are Neil Meron and Craig Zadan (“Smash,” “The Academy Awards”). Directors are Rob Ashford (“Evita”) and Beth McCarthy-Miller (“30 Rock”). David Chase (“Cinderella”) serves as musical director. The soundtrack is licensed through the NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group.
“The Sound of Music,” set in the 1930’s before and during “Anschluss” when the Nazi’s annexed Austria, is based on the romantic true story of Maria von Trapp, an aspiring nun who leaves the abbey to become a governess for the widower Capt. von Trapp’s seven children. She soon finds herself falling in love with her employer and questioning her religious calling. It premiered on Broadway in 1959 where it broke box-office records and won the Tony Award for best musical. The 1965 film adaptation won the Oscar for best picture.
The Country Radio Broadcasters’ Board of Directors has announced 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville recording artist Carrie Underwood as the recipient of the 2014 Artist Humanitarian Award. Underwood will be honored during the opening ceremonies of Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 19, 2014.
The CRB Artist Humanitarian Award was created in 1990 by the organization’s board to honor those Country music artists who have exhibited exceptional humanitarian efforts during their career.
“In a format rich with artists that are generous with their time and talents for a wide variety of worthy causes and needs, Carrie Underwood has distinguished herself with her depth of kindnesses and commitment to making a positive difference,” stated CRS President Charlie Morgan. “We are humbled by the good work she has done and are proud to highlight her efforts by naming her Artist Humanitarian of the Year.”
Carrie Underwood has embraced the precious gifts her career has delivered and chooses to give back as a part of life. She established the C.A.T.S. (Checotah Animal, Town, and School) Foundation to focus charitable efforts on her hometown community in Checotah, Oklahoma. She has been part of countless other charitable endeavors which have included work with Pedigree’s Pet Adoption Campaign, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Save The Children, trips to Africa for American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back,” a USO Tour in the Middle East, celebrity fundraisers for City of Hope, and much, much more. Her recent international tour, “The Blown Away Tour,” donated one million dollars from tour proceeds to the American and Canadian Red Cross for disaster relief.
Past recipients of the annual award have included Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Randy Owen, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks and Charlie Daniels, among others.
Following her “Sound of Music” rehearsal in New York City on Monday, Carrie Underwood was pleasantly surprised by Gary Overton, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville. Overton presented Underwood with three shiny plaques commemorating recent RIAA certifications – “Good Girl” recently reached Double Platinum song award status for over 2 million downloads, “Two Black Cadillacs” is now Platinum for over 1 million downloads and her debut DVD, The Blown Away Tour: LIVE, reaches the Gold threshold.
Nominated in three categories for this year’s CMA Awards for Female Vocalist, Album of the Year (Blown Away) and Video of the Year (“Blown Away”) – Underwood enjoys the continued success of Blown Away. In addition to these three new RIAA metal milestones, her Platinum album has also yielded the Double Platinum single, “Blown Away,” and Gold single, “See You Again.”
Carrie Underwood is temporarily residing in New York as she rehearses for the live three-hour broadcast of the original Broadway production of “The Sound of Music” on NBC on December 5th at 7 p.m. Central/8 p.m. Eastern. Underwood will interrupt rehearsals with a trip back to Nashville to co-host the “47th Annual CMA Awards” with Arista Nashville label-mate Brad Paisley on ABC on November 6th at 7 p.m. Central/8 p.m. Eastern.
Pictured here, are: Carrie Underwood and Gary Overton, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville
Photo Credit: Dan Callister