Country Stars Preparing and Eating Big, Home Cooked Meals This Thanksgiving.

Since most country stars are either from the south or live there now, you can bet home cooked meals play a huge role in their Thanksgiving celebrations. Carrie Underwood is one of the stars cooking up a feast in her kitchen this Thanksgiving. She's inviting a bunch of her friends over to join her and husband Mike Fisher at home in Nashville for the holiday. She says, "There's a lot of us that don't have a whole lot of family that live nearby, so it's kind of a bunch of family-less people hanging out together eating and cooking and drinking wine and just having a good time." For the members of Rascal Flatts, Thanksgiving is all about those home-cooked delicacies like lead singer Gary LeVox's mother's lumpy mashed potatoes and his wife's corn casserole. His band mate Joe Don Rooney is a fan of green bean casserole and ham and turkey at Thanksgiving, and the Flatts' Jay DeMarcus swears by his grandmother's macaroni and cheese recipe.
Jay tells ABC News Radio, "It doesn't have that thick hard layer on top of it. It's creamy all the way through, so you don't have to deal with that burnt sort of top layer of cheese. It's creamy all the way."
Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard calls his grandmother's sweet potato casserole his "jam" on Thanksgiving.  He tells ABC News Radio, "I love it all. You know, green beans, macaroni and cheese and all that, but, man, that sweet potato casserole that my nanny makes, it's what I look forward to all year."
Justin Moore's family keeps things pretty simple when it comes to their Thanksgiving fare with turkey and dressing on the table. He says, "The dressing, I think is, to us, more important than the turkey. We’ve got a family recipe that’s, to us, really, really good." Jana Kramer loves getting back home to her grandparents' house on Thanksgiving thanks in large part to the food. "My favorite things to eat at Thanksgiving when I'm home is my grandpa's stuffing 'cause it's so good," Jana says. "And then I have one of my favorite deserts, which is made by my grandma, and it is pumpkin pie. Yum!" Hunter Hayes heads down south to see his family in Louisiana on Thanksgiving each year. Both of his grandmothers are masters in the kitchen, and he says, "One in particular will cook for days for this meal, and it is epic. My grandmother goes all out. She cooks the best -- she cooks everything under the sun."

Carrie Underwood Says the People of Nashville Are Not "Scandalous" and "Backstabbing" Like in the Show "Nashville"

CARRIE UNDERWOOD lives in Nashville and she's also a fan of the show "Nashville". So "Rolling Stone" asked her if there are any similarities between the two. The answer is yes. But mostly no. Carrie said, quote, "I feel like the show represents our town really well. I love watching it because I'm like, 'I eat there.'" Then again, she hasn't witnessed any of the nastiness that probably keeps fans interested in the show. She adds, quote, "I hope people don't think all the ladies of country music are that scandalous, because I promise you we're not. "I hope people don't think it's all backstabbing and everybody sleeping with everybody else. That's really not the case, at least to my knowledge. "There might be all kinds of stuff going on that I don't know about, but not in my world. People really are pretty open and friendly and normal."

Don't Bring a Sign to a Carrie Underwood Concert Asking Her To Kiss You . . . Because It's Not Going to Happen

It was kind of cute when CARRIE UNDERWOOD kissed that 12-year-old boy who held up a homemade sign at her show last month in Louisville, Kentucky.  But don't go making up your own goofy sign thinking it's going to happen to you. Carrie told the "Orange County Register" that she will NOT be kissing any other fans regardless of how creative they get. And that goes for signs asking to her sing happy birthday to you, or go to the prom . . . or whatever. However, if you'd like some action from Carrie's opening act HUNTER HAYES, well, she actually encourages you to pursue that one. Carrie says, quote, "He's young, he should have fun."

Carrie Underwood is the Sexiest Female In Country Music And Chris Young is the Sexiest Male . . . According to the Readers of Taste of Country.

TasteofCountry.com asked their readers to vote for the sexiest country stars. There were 10 female choices and 10 males. CARRIE UNDERWOOD smoked her competition . . . while CHRIS YOUNG nudged out his.

Here is the percentage of the total votes each FEMALE received . . .
1.)  Carrie Underwood . . . 41.81%
2.)  Miranda Lambert . . . 15.89%
3.)  Kellie Pickler . . . 9.59%
4.)  Hillary Scott . . . 8.85%
5.)  Jessie James . . . 7.5%
6.)  Sara Evans . . . 5.79%
7.)  Jana Kramer . . . 4.85%
8.)  Julianne Hough . . . 3.58%
9.)  LeAnn Rimes . . . 1.74%
10.)  Ashley Monroe . . . 0.4%

The race was a little closer on the male side. Here is the percentage of the total votes each MALE received:
1.)  Chris Young . . . 25.92%
2.)  Trace Adkins . . . 22.02%
3.)  Luke Bryan . . . 20.36%
4.)  Tim McGraw . . . 10.18%
5.)  Keith Urban . . . 6.43%
6.)  Blake Shelton . . . 5.45%
7.)  George Strait . . . 3.97%
8.)  Jake Owen . . . 3.85%
9.)  Kip Moore . . . 1.21%
10.)  Charles Kelley . . . 0.62%

Luke Bryan Joins Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw for MDA Show of Strength Sunday.

Luke Bryan joins Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw on this Sunday's MDA Show of Strength special airing at 8 p.m. ET. The show is the new incarnation of the annual MDA Labor Day telethon, and Luke is proud to take part. He recently taped his portion of the show at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
"The MDA is just such a strong charity and such a strong organization and to be asked by them to be a part of the telethon was a no-brainer for us," Luke says. "We all grew up watching the telethon, and it’s just such an amazing charity and an amazing event." Carole King, Pitbull and Will.i.am are also on the show, and Luke hopes country fans will tune in and donate money to the fight against muscular dystrophy. He says, "I hope that my segment and country music’s segment and the whole Opry piece really helps the telethon do what it’s supposed to do –- raise a lot of money and help kids.” Check local listings to find out which channel is airing the MDA Show of Strength special in your area.

Note: You're Welcome Ladies! - Hammer :)

Carrie Underwood Says "American Idol" Would Be Wise to Finally Have A Country Star As Judge

Last we heard "American Idol" was trying to work out a deal for either KEITH URBAN or BRAD PAISLEY to be a judge for this season. CARRIE UNDERWOOD says that's a good move, simply because the audience seems to want it. She said, quote, "I do think it would be wise to have a country person be a judge. You look at the track record of 'American Idol', and there's me and SCOTTY [MCCREERY] and LAUREN [ALAINA] who were the final two. "There's obviously a want for it from the audience because that's who they are voting for. So, it makes sense they would have somebody they know and love in as a judge."

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher Vacation at Walt Disney World Resort.

Photo by Gene Duncan, courtesy Walt Disney World Resort

Carrie Underwood and hubby Mike Fisher took a break from their busy schedules to visit Walt Disney World Resort earlier this week. The couple took time to meet with Mickey, Minnie and the rest of the Disney gang. Minnie was also on hand to welcome Carrie and Mike to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

The superstar will embark on her highly anticipated “Blown Away Tour,” September 14 in Manchester, NH.

(countrymusicislove.com)

Check Out Some Songs Carrie Underwood Recorded When She Was 14!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD fans probably know about this . . . but I didn't. Way before "American Idol" . . . when she was around 13 or 14 . . . Carrie had a budding music career. She recorded a bunch of songs and almost signed a Nashville record deal. The whole thing fizzled out and she went back to Oklahoma to finish high school and, eventually, college. Anyway, there is an entire album of songs from back then.  It's called "Broken Wings" . . . and it's all cover songs from artists like the Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride and Jo Dee Messina. It's for sale on a website called SoundsBox.com, and it'll cost you $1.76.  No joke.  If that's too rich for your blood, individual songs are 14-cents apiece.  Or if you're super cheap, you can listen to samples for free! :)

Carrie Underwood Dresses Like a Dude Offstage.

Carrie Underwood is a regular on best-dressed lists, but she's not great at dressing herself in everyday life. When she doesn't have to dress up, Carrie admits to actually wearing guy's clothes too. When it comes to casual wear, Carrie says, "I dress like a dude. Sometimes I spray my husband's cologne on myself because it smells so good. I don't like the women's stuff, so I buy a small [size] in guy's sweatshirts." Carrie will be wearing multiple, high fashion outfits on her Blown Away tour, kicking off this September in North America. She plays Royal Albert Hall in London Thursday, June 21 before heading to Australia for a run of shows later this month.

Carrie Underwood Speaks Out in Support of Gay Marriage

Carrie Underwood speaks out in support of gay marriage in a new interview with London newspaper The Independent. It turns out Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher attend a gay-friendly church in Nashville too. "As a married person myself, I don't know what it's like to be told I can't marry somebody I love and want to marry. I can't imagine how that must feel," Carrie says. "I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love."

Carrie's interview appeared in The Independent in advance of her sold-out show at London's Royal Albert Hall coming up June 21.

Are Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler Recording a Country Song Together?

Some big time AEROSMITH blogger with too much time on his hands claims STEVEN TYLER and CARRIE UNDERWOOD are recording a country duet together. Apparently it's a country ballad that Aerosmith recorded last summer. And Carrie laid down her vocals a few days ago to make it a duet. There's no word on the name of the song, but it's supposed to be on Aerosmith's next album, "Music From Another Dimension", which comes out August 28th.

I'm hoping this is true. We all remember Carrie and Steven tearing it up at the 2011 ACMs!

Eric Church Ruffles Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert's Feathers with Reality TV Comments...

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert aren't very happy with Eric Church. In a new interview in Rolling Stone, Eric bluntly shares his feelings on artists that get their start on musical competition shows like The Voice and American Idol.

He says, "Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green ----ing turn around in a red chair, you got a deal? That's crazy. I don't know what would make an artist do that. You're not an artist." The Rolling Stone writer notes that Eric raises his voice and becomes angry as he continues saying, "If I was concerned about my legacy, there's no ----ing way I would ever sit there [and be a reality-show judge]. Once your career becomes something other than the music, then that's what it is. I'll never make that mistake. I don't care if I ----ing starve."

Eric's Rolling Stone interview appears in the latest print issue only and has not been published online yet. Blake Shelton responded to Eric's comments with a tweet, "I wish I misunderstood this…"

Miranda wasn't so kind with her response though. She got her start on the TV talent competition Nashville Star and tweeted Monday, "Thanks Eric Church for saying I'm not a real artist. Or @kellyclarkson, @carrieunderwood & @keithurban. Your welcome from the tour in 2010."

Eric did serve as the opening act for Miranda on the road for part of 2010. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are both American Idol winners, and Keith Urban is currently serving as a mentor on Australia's version of The Voice. Eric released a statement late Monday clarifying the comments in Rolling Stone. He says they were "part of a larger commentary on these types of reality shows and the perception they create, not the artists involved with the shows themselves."

He goes on to explain that shows like The Voice and American Idol make it seem like artists can take a shortcut to success and don't show the hard work that goes into making a music career successful once the cameras stop rolling. "Every artist has to follow up television appearances with dedication towards their craft, but these shows tend to gloss over that part and make it seem like you can be ordained into stardom," says Eric. "I have a problem with those perceived shortcuts, not just in the music industry." Responding directly to Miranda's tweet, Eric adds, "I have a lot of respect for what artists like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and my friend Miranda Lambert have gone on to accomplish. This piece was never intended to tear down any individual and I apologize to anybody I offended in trying to shed light on this issue. " Eric expresses gratitude to the artists and fans that have helped him so far, and says he didn't mean for his "comments to undermine their talent and achievements."

Carrie Underwood Says Simon Cowell Hates Country Music

CARRIE UNDERWOOD is doing press in advance of her first tour of the United Kingdom this summer. During one interview she admitted that former "American Idol" judge SIMON COWELL despises country music. Carrie said, quote, "Before the ('Idol') audition, I was told, 'You know Simon hates country music, right?' And I was like, 'Oh no! What else am I supposed to do?' But I did what I know I can do, and he recognized that." We know that Simon became a huge fan of Carrie. And the feeling is mutual. She believes his no B.S. attitude is one of the reasons he's such a good judge. She said, quote, "I love the judges now, but it's a whole new show. I would love the contestants to have to go through Simon. It's fun to watch him being brutally honest."

Carrie Underwood Reveals Why She Went Vegan.

Carrie Underwood has been one of music's most famous vegetarians for years, but now she's gone completely vegan. That means Carrie doesn't eat any food that came from an animal like milk or eggs. Carrie was inspired to make the change after seeing a woman she works with just looking radiant one day. "Something had happened in her life. There was some switch flipped," Carrie explains. "Her skin was glowing. Her eyes were gorgeous. Like, her body was amazing." When that girl told Carrie it was all because of going vegan, Carrie decided to give it a shot. As a result, Carrie has discovered she had some issues with eating dairy products. She explains, "My reflex has gotten a lot better and things like that, and I think it was 'cause of dairy." Going vegan has led Carrie to make healthier eating choices like forgoing that cheesy pasta when she eats out. She's not sure if she'll stick with the diet long term though. "Someday we will have a farm, and I will have some pet chickens," Carrie reveals. You can see the results of Carrie's vegan diet in her latest video for "Good Girl." That's the lead single from Carrie's new album, Blown Away, due out May 1.

Carrie Underwood Sends Words of Encouragement and Gifts to American Idol Hopefuls.

It's been quite a few years since Carrie Underwood was crowned the winner of American Idol, but she still makes a point to reach out to the contestants on the show every season. Idol season 11 contestant Hollie Cavanagh tweeted over the weekend thanking Carrie for a necklace the country star sent her. Hollie said, "I wear it everyday, and I almost cried reading the letter." Carrie tweeted back, "You're very welcome! I never miss a show! You guys are so good. Can't wait to hear what you all come up with!" Country fans will definitely want to tune in to American Idol this Thursday as season 10 champ Scotty McCreery performs on the results show. That airs at 8 on Fox.

Carrie Underwood Portrays Dual Personalities in "Good Girl" Video.

At first glance, you may think Carrie Underwood is just prancing around looking good in her new "Good Girl" video. There's actually more to the story than that though. Carrie posted a behind-the-scenes clip from the video set this week explaining the video's dual-personality concept a little further. In some shots, Carrie's dressed in white as an innocent, or "good" girl blindly in love with a guy who's doing her wrong. In other shots, Carrie is dressed in darker colors playing the wiser girl trying to warn the good girl about this guy who's up to no good. Carrie says of the wise girl, "She's not bad, she's just trying to give the good girl some knowledge and say, 'Wake up! Open up your eyes and see this guy for what he is.'" "Good Girl" is the lead single from Carrie's fourth album, Blown Away, due out May 1.



Here's the behind the scenes video!

Carrie Underwood Saved the Life of a Dog...

First, let me say that it breaks my heart to have to report a story like this but, to report that a person has a heart of gold, it totally worth reading on...
CARRIE UNDERWOOD may be a big star, but she's not above jumping out of her car to save a stray dog's life. It happened over the holidays when she was on her way back to Nashville after visiting her family. Carrie spotted two Labrador puppies on the side of the road. Sadly, only one was still alive and according to the emergency vet, it was most likely THROWN from a moving vehicle. (--I believe there's a place in hell for people who treat living creatures like that. But I Digress.) After the puppy was treated, Carrie brought it home and named it Stella. She also talked some neighbors into adopting it.(--Carrie didn't keep the pup because she already has two dogs, plus Stella needs full-time attention right now.)

There is not enough to be said for that of kindness. Animals and young children are the embodiment of innocence and do not deserve such treatment. I just find it mind boggling how people can be so mean and uncaring. Thank God for people like Carrie and all the people defending the innocents everywhere.

-Hammer

Brad Paisley’s Son Tries to Impress Carrie Underwood With ‘Cave Man’ Moves!

Before Brad Paisley filmed the ‘Remind Me’ video, his son Huck (William Huckleberry) had a chance to meet Carrie Underwood for the first time. The 4-year-old has long had a crush on the blond singer, and Paisley says his boy made the most of his opportunity. “He got all excited. He had to pick out what he was gonna wear,” Paisley said during a CMA Awards press conference. “He picked out a Batman shirt.” Paisley and Underwood are once again hosting tonight’s ABC broadcast. "[He] bought me flowers, wrote me a note, showed me karate moves and stuff,” Underwood added, smiling. It’s clear she finds the adulation adorable. Paisley finds it hilarious, if not a little confusing. “And then I looked over,” Paisley continued, “and they had been talking for a little bit, and he’s standing beside the couch … and he’s got the pillow from the couch and he’s pushing it up as high as he can get it over his head and he goes, ‘Hey, Carrie. Look how strong I am.’” “I don’t know what kind of cave man these kids turn into, but it sort of starts really early,” Paisley said. He then went on to share that Huck has been checking out other women recently, specifically Kimberly Perry from the Band Perry, who’ll be touring with Paisley in 2012. “There’s still Jasper,” the shocked and heartbroken Underwood meekly whispered into her microphone. Jasper is Paisley’s youngest son, who has also shown interest in Underwood. When the two met, he stared up at the singer for an uncomfortable amount of time.

(Taste Of Country)

Brad Paisley Tweets Picture of Carrie Underwood’s ‘New Look’

Brad Paisley continues to treat Carrie Underwood like a kid sister. The two country superstars are preparing up for their third stint co-hosting the CMA Awards next month, and the ‘Camouflage’ singer is getting started with the jokes early. In a recent tweet, Paisley said, “Hadn’t seen Gooberwood in a while, til today. She looks…uh… healthy.” He added this picture of the previously very trim and fit country beauty. Now we can’t be completely sure that Underwood hasn’t grown three chins in recent weeks or months, but she was looking her best in Las Vegas last month. A more likely explanation for Underwood’s increased buoyancy is an iPhone app that allows one — like Paisley — to alter a photo before uploading it to Twitter. It’s the second time Underwood has been a victim of Paisley’s phone. Last month, he tweeted, “Strange who you run into at the proctologist. Err, I mean recording studio.” This picture wasn’t doctored. The two also starred in Paisley’s video for his most recent chart topper, ‘Remind Me.’ While Paisley has just finished his H2O II Tour, Underwood is currently working on a new album. The new project will be her fourth studio album, the first since 2009′s ‘Play On.’

(Taste Of Country)

Carrie Underwood Shows Off New Hair.

Carrie Underwood showed off a brand-new haircut this weekend at the IHeartradio Music Festival, adding bangs and layers and apparently trimming a bit of length all around from her previous look.
She looks great, right? Then again, she looked beautiful before too, and we’re pretty sure you agree with us when it comes to complimenting her taste. After all, it was just a couple of months ago when Taste of Country readers voted Underwood the most stylish country music star, ahead of even the always stunning Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift.

We’ll probably get a better look at her new ‘do on Nov. 9, when Underwood co-hosts the CMA Awards with Brad Paisley. Carrie reports that her and Brad have “been kind of texting different ideas back and forth. We’re gonna start working on our promos, our commercials and stuff, and it’s gonna be good.”

As for when we’ll hear new music from the young superstar, she tells the Hollywood Reporter that she’s about half done with her fourth album: “I’ve recorded vocals (for) six songs thus far. It’s all about just making the best album that I possibly can. New songs are coming in all the time — I’m still writing, and I’ve recently written some stuff that I’m really, really excited about.”

(Taste Of Country)