Posted by Kevin Neilson on 11/27/2011

Carrie Underwood did not begin life knowing she would become an American Idol. Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 1983, she grew up dreaming of being a famous singer. A small child being raised on a farm, Carrie spent much of her time exploring the outdoors and singing her way through the day. Her love of the horses and other animals on her farm led her to become a vegetarian when she was just thirteen.

Singing in small local engagements, she had a powerful clear voice that won over her neighbors, but hadn’t, as of yet, taken her very far. When she graduated from high school, the practicalities of life led her to trade in her dreams of being a country music star for a college degree in broadcast journalism.

She was in her senior year of college, at Northeastern State University of Oklahoma when she tried out for American Idol. Carrie easily earned the adoration of America and won the fourth season of American Idol. Thus she suddenly became one of the best known country singers today.

“Some Hearts” was her debut album and hit triple platinum, the hottest female country album yet. She topped the Billboard charts with a single, “Inside your Heaven” and did the same with “Jesus Take the Wheel.”

Contradicting her sweet songs before, she sang “Before He Cheats” which is still enormously popular. Her album “Carnival Ride” followed shortly thereafter and topped the album charts, with several of the songs topping the country song charts as well.

Today, Carrie Underwood is the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry and has already won several awards, including Grammys and Country Music Awards. Co-hosting the CMA Awards in 2009, Carrie has fulfilled and surpassed many of the childhood hopes she dared to dream from a little farm in Oklahoma all those years ago.