‘Catch of the Day’ – Carrie Underwood – “Dirty Laundry” [AUDIO]

Today our focus turns to a singer who was born and raised in Oklahoma, and whose fame can be directly credited to an incredible voice and the fact that she took a challenge from a friend and auditioned for a singing a competition. And all she did after that is become the most successful alumni from that competition, as well as becoming one of the most successful, in terms of #1 hits, female singer in the history of country music.

When Carrie Underwood auditioned for season 4 of American Idol, she had already experienced the lows that Nashville had to offer. She had originally gone to Music City in 1996, at the age of 13, after being offered an audition by Capitol Records Nashville. It was a successful audition, as the label was preparing to offer her a recording contract at age 14, but when the company went through a management change, the contract offer was withdrawn. Underwood would later say she thought it was the best thing that the contract did fall through, she felt she wasn't prepared for Nashville at that young age.

She returned home to Checotah, OK, finished high school, spending her time cheer leading, playing softball and basketball, and becoming an Honor Society member and her class salutatorian. With the exception of occasionally singing at local country shows, she had pretty much given up on her musical dream, instead concentrating on her studies at Northeastern State University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications. But by the time she graduated, she had revisited her dream, and her future was already in motion.

In 2004, Underwood traveled to St. Louis with a college friend, who was auditioning for season 4 of the TV singing competition American Idol. By the time they reached St. Louis, Underwood's friend had convinced her to audition too. Performing Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me", Underwood amazed the judging panel, leading the normally staid Simon Cowell to proclaim that Underwood was already one of the favorites to win the season. Underwood would live up to Cowell's prediction, was never in danger the entire season, and on May, 25th, 2005 was named the season four champion. For this she received a recording contract with Arista Records Nashville, the use of a Lear jet for one year, and a Ford Mustang convertible.

Underwood has remained with Arista Nashville/19 through 5 studio and one compilation albums, all of which have reached #1 and have been certified platinum (or better), with her 2005 debut album Some Hearts, receiving 7x Platinum Certification from the RIAA; the album has sold more than 10 million copies world-wide. Underwood's six albums have produced 23 singles, all of which have reached at least #3 on the charts, with 15 of those singles hitting #1 on the Billboard Country chart. Underwood's debut single, 2005's "Inside Your Heaven" failed to crack the top-50 on the country chart, but did hit #1 on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100 chart.

Her current album, Storyteller, has already produced three top-5 singles, including a pair of #1's. The fourth single from the album is in our spotlight today. Carrie Underwood and "Dirty Laundry" is our Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.