Carrie Underwood gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star
The country music star is one of a few ‘American Idol’ alumni to make a success of her career
Pop-country superstar Carrie Underwood on Thursday got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — the latest honour for the Grammy-winning onetime champion of TV reality show American Idol.
The 35-year-old Underwood, who is pregnant with her second child, is on a roll after suffering a nasty fall at her home late last year that required her to get dozens of stitches in her face.
She has since released a smash hit album, Cry Pretty, recorded a new theme song for the US National Football League’s flagship Sunday broadcast and will head out on a major tour in the United States and Canada in 2019 after giving birth.
“How is this my life?” a tearful Underwood told the crowd outside the Capitol Records building in Los Angeles. “How does a girl from Checotah, Oklahoma end up with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?”
Singer Brad Paisley compared Underwood to legend Dolly Parton, saying: “Carrie Underwood is really in many ways this generation’s Dolly — the person that the world looks at as Miss Country Music.”
“I just don’t think we could ask for a better ambassador,” he added.
Simon Cowell, who was part of the judging panel that propelled Underwood to fame on American Idol in 2005, said he “couldn’t be more proud” of her.
Underwood is part of a small group of superstars produced by the reality show, along with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, pop singer Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert, who now tours with Queen.
Underwood has won seven Grammys and sold more than 60 million albums, according to her website. She also has won 14 Academy of Country Music awards.