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The Sound of Music Live! Dominated Thursday Night Ratings, Surpassing The Big Bang Theory and
Earning NBC’s Best Non-Sports Thursday Ratings Since ER and Frasier Finales

Six-time GRAMMY® winner Carrie Underwood took on the starring role of Maria in last night’s three-hour television production, The Sound of Music Live!, based on the original musical, and fans tuned-in en masse for the special event, with 18.5 million viewers solidifying a #1 primetime win for NBC across all half hours of the broadcast.

The Sound of Music Live! dominated the night, delivering NBC’s best 18-49 non-sports Thursday ratings average since the 2009 series finale of ER, and also earning NBC its best non-sports Thursday rating in total viewers since the Frasier season finale in 2004.

The Sound of Music Live! not only ranked #1 primetime in all 56 Nielsen-metered markets, but also became the first show since May of 2012 to surpass The Big Bang Theory in P2+ ratings.

Also starring TV and theater star Stephen Moyer and Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, Christian Borle and Laura Benanti, The Sound of Music Live! will be released on DVD on December 17.

“The Sound of Music” — Music from the NBC Television Event was released earlier this week from Sony Masterworks, featuring studio recordings for all of the musical numbers performed by the cast in the live broadcast, including such Rodgers & Hammerstein favorites as “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and the classic title track. Download the Soundtrack Here.

Since releasing her debut album in 2005, Carrie has sold over 15 million albums and charted 18 #1 singles, nine of which she co-wrote. Her current album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1. The now Platinum-selling Blown Away album also debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at #1. She is a six-time GRAMMY® winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.

NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! Airs December 5;

Cast Soundtrack Available Today

The hills are indeed alive this week as six-time GRAMMY® winner Carrie Underwood prepares for her much-anticipated performance as Maria in NBC’s three-hour television production, The Sound of Music Live!, based on the original musical. In advance of Thursday’s live broadcast, Sony Masterworks today releases the companion soundtrack, “The Sound of Music” — Music from the NBC Television Event, featuring studio recordings for all of the musical numbers performed by the cast in the live broadcast, including such Rodgers & Hammerstein favorites as “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and the classic title track.

Also starring TV and theater star Stephen Moyer and Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, Christian Borle and Laura Benanti, The Sound of Music Live! will air from 8 – 11 PM ET on December 5, on NBC, and will be released on DVD on December 17.

In addition to today’s soundtrack release, fans will have a chance to whet their appetites for the live event when on Thursday morning, NBC’s Today airs Natalie Morales’ exclusive interview with Underwood, together with a look behind the scenes on the set of The Sound of Music Live! with Stephen Moyer.

Also in the spirit of the season and one of the show’s most famous songs, “My Favorite Things,” Carrie and her fans are gathering online to share some of their own favorite things. Continuing through the last Friday of December, fans can post photos or videos on Instagram using the hashtag #FavoriteThingsFridays, and selected posts each week will be featured on Facebook.com/CarrieUnderwood. For complete details, and to view the submissions – including Carrie’s postings of her own favorite things – visit www.FavoriteThingsFridays.com.

Carrie’s “favorite things” are now in the spotlight on Gilt City, which highlights experiences inspired by Carrie in 11 major cities, together with a Gilt StyleFile interview, online here.

Fans can also look for Underwood on the cover of the December 9 issue of Country Weekly (on stands now), with an exclusive interview and feature about The Sound of Music Live!

Since releasing her debut album in 2005, Carrie has sold over 15 million albums and charted 18 #1 singles, nine of which she co-wrote. Her current album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1. The now Platinum-selling Blown Away album also debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at #1. She is a six-time GRAMMY® winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Excitement Builds toward the Three-Hour Musical Event Broadcast, with Cast Soundtrack Release on December 3; “Making of” Special Airing November 27

Carrie Underwood fans will have multiple opportunities to see the six-time GRAMMY® winner as the days count down to her performance as Maria in the December 5 airing of NBC’s three-hour television production, The Sound of Music Live!, based on the original musical. In addition to her previously announced appearance during the first hour of The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, Underwood will also appear on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 28.

On November 27, viewers will get a look behind the scenes of one of the holiday season’s most anticipated new family broadcasts – including casting, rehearsals, and the making of the companion soundtrack – when NBC debuts the hourlong special, The Making of The Sound of Music Live!, airing at 8 PM ET.

The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on Thursday, November 28, from 9 AM – noon, with an encore presentation from 2 – 5 PM (all time zones), on NBC.

Also starring TV and theater star Stephen Moyer and Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, Christian Borle and Laura Benanti, The Sound of Music Live! will air from 8 – 11 PM ET on December 5, on NBC. Last week, NBC posted a special “First Look – The Sound of Music Live!” preview clip, online here.

The Sound of Music Live! will also be released on DVD on December 17.

The companion soundtrack to the live broadcast will be available online and in stores on December 3 from Sony Masterworks. “The Sound of Music” — Music from the NBC Television Event will include studio recordings for all of the musical numbers performed by the cast in the live broadcast. The album is available for pre-order here.

Since releasing her debut album in 2005, Carrie has sold over 15 million albums and charted 18 #1 singles, nine of which she co-wrote. Her current album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1. The now Platinum-selling Blown Away album also debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at #1. She is a six-time GRAMMY® winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Voting for the American Music Awards closes tomorrow!

VOTE for Carrie today in the Favorite Female Artist Country category at AMAVOTE.COM
You can also vote by tweeting @carrieunderwood for Favorite Female Artist Country #AMAS. You must tag Carrie, type the category and include the hashtag #AMAs for it to count (retweets count too). VOTE NOW!

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

Special Tribute to Honor the 50th Anniversary of 1963 Television Milestones Sunday – September 22

It was announced today that country music superstar Carrie Underwood will perform during a special tribute on the 65th Emmy® Awards this Sunday, September 22, (8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The 65th Emmy® Awards will honor the 50th anniversary of 1963 television milestones by featuring a special tribute by six-time Emmy nominee Don Cheadle and a performance by Underwood. Cheadle will present a moving tribute to television’s role in the assassination coverage of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 and then connect that event to the performance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show merely 80 days later on February 9, 1964. Both of these historic events are often mentioned together as two of the most significant television moments in history, and the segment on the Emmy telecast will explore the tie between them.

Following Cheadle’s presentation, six-time Grammy® Award winning artist Carrie Underwood will honor the music of the era with a special performance.
Since releasing her debut album in 2005, Carrie has sold over 15 million albums and charted 18 #1 singles, nine of which she co-wrote. Her current album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1. The now Platinum-selling Blown Away album also debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, making Carrie only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at #1. She is a six-time GRAMMY® winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Follow Carrie on Twitter @carrieunderwood.
www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com
www.carrieunderwood.fm