Underwood leaves as CMA host
Monday, December 30, 2019 – Carrie Underwood will not return to host the CMA Awards show in 2020 after a dozen years, she announced today via Instagram.
Underwood has hosted with Brad Paisley. This year, she was helped by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.
" "It's hard to imagine topping what we have accomplished together, so I've decided that it's time to pass the hosting torch (at least for now!) to others that will cherish it and honor it as much as I do," Underwood said via Instagram.
" "One of the highlights of 2019 and of my entire career so far was being on stage with the legends that are Reba and Dolly Parton," she wrote. "I'm so proud that we could celebrate the incredible female artists that are part of the legacy of country music, past, present and future, and I'm thankful for the huge audiences all over the world that tuned in to see it."
Underwood also looked ahead. Without elaborating, she wrote, "I've got so many exciting things coming in the new year and beyond, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for all of us."
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CD reviews
Cry Pretty
Carrie Underwood's life was reading straight from the storybooks: one of the few American Idol Winners with ongoing success; a professional athlete for a husband; a beautiful baby boy. The string of great fortune turned sharply in 2017, when Underwood began the unfathomable experience of three consecutive lost pregnancies. This was atop a frightening fall at her home that ended with her face in nearly 50 stitches. Sharing these moments with her fans makes the beamingly-beautiful singer »»» |
Storyteller
Carrie Underwood's powerful voice has been her calling card throughout her career, and that is no different on her latest. She has always possessed a voice that can be chameleon-like and work with the material at hand.
Underwood does that again on these 13 songs, 6 of which she helped pen. Underwood knows a thing or two about writing or finding material that fits her commercial orientation as almost all 13 could conceivably be picked as singles. They are big sounding, big voiced and radio ready. »»» |
Greatest Hits: Decade #1
Greatest hits albums are often derided as creative placeholders, or worse yet, contractual obligations. In Carrie Underwood's case, the album subtitled "Decade #1" is a chance to take a somewhat awe inspired look at what a successful career this American Idol alumnus has already had to date.
One of its two new songs, the single "Something in the Water," is a wonderfully gutsy move on Underwood's part. Country is one of the rare genres where a Christian can sing of »»» |
Editorial: Walking the talk –
When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»
Concert Review: With or without band, Isbell satisfies –
Usually, when an artist performs without his regular backing band, it becomes about mathematics of subtraction. That artist is armed with far fewer artistic weapons at his/her disposal, after all. In Jason Isbell's case, though, when he performed with just his wife and fiddler Amanda Shires, it was more about substitution than subtraction.... »»»
Concert Review: Grammy nominations aside, Yola, Kiah are the real deal –
Grammy nominations do not make the artist, but Yola and opener Amythyst Kiah underscored time and again on this night that the honors were well deserved.
In fact, Yola and Kiah's other group, Our Native Daughters, are nominated in the same category - Best American Roots. Yola has three other nominations as well.
The clear winners... »»»
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