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  • ACM AWARDS 2018: Reactions

    Audio
    Brothers Osborne / Carrie Underwood / Chris Stapleton / Dierks Bentley / Jon Pardi / Keith Urban / Lady Antebellum / Lauren Alaina / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan / Sam Hunt

    Chris Stapleton leads the list of nominees with eight nods in five categories, including Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single of the Year for “Broken Halos,” Song of the Year for “Whiskey and You” and Album of the Year for From a Room, Vol. 1. He’s won numerous awards over the past few years, and while he’s grateful for every single trophy he takes home, he has a special affinity for the Album categories.

    “They are all significant and if you get one award for anything it’s a treat. But any of the awards that awarded the album, the album awards, because I really wanted to make an album that was good,” says Chris. “I wanted that to be a thing, again, more than I wanted it to be, ‘Well here’s the single and eight other songs.’ So, the album awards for me were important in that we did our job in a good way, you know. Just I have such an affinity for albums that I don’t know if I want those more or if they mean more, but they are all meaningful.”

    Luke Bryan has won a handful of ACM Awards over his career, including the New Artist of the Year Award in 2010 following it up with two Entertainer Awards just a few years later. He tell us he is honored to be included in that category. “[I’m] so honored to have another Entertainer of the Year nomination and I always think about winning my first Entertainer of the Year [Award] at the ACMs,” he says. “To go to the ACMs knowing that you’re one of those lucky people that have that nomination, it just tells me that I’m doing all I can and doing the right things out on the road and hopefully, the fans are still loving what I’m trying to give to them every night.”

    Keith Urban has quite the plethora of nods going into this year’s ACM Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Female”  and twice, as both artist and producer in the Vocal Event of the Year category for “The Fighter” (featuring Carrie Underwood). Urban won Top New Male Vocalist of the Year in 2000, and Top Male Vocalist of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

    Keith posted to his socials that he was “extremely grateful” for all of the recognition.”

    Keith’s “Female” was nominated for Song of the Year. The Top 10 hit was written by Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally and Ross Copperman, and he said he just had a feel that he needed to record the song and let everyone hear it. “The song spoke to me. It just spoke to me,” said Keith. “As I was singing it, I thought I feel like I’ve known this song my whole life. Something else was going on with it how it felt to me. So, I love it. I believe in it. I didn’t record it for any other reason than it was a heart reaction that I had to it.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BfyeOkSjy8U/?utm_source=ig_embed

     

    In addition to Vocal Event of the Year for “The Fighter” with Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, is also nominated in the Female Vocalist of the Year category.

    Brothers Osborne could possibly take home a pair of trophies next month. TJ and John are up for Vocal Duo of the Year and Video of the Year for “It Ain’t My Fault.”

     

    Sam Hunt could also win two awards next month. He’s up for Single and Song of the Year for his HUGE hit “Body Like a Back Road.”

     

    Dierks Bentley is nominated for Video of the Year for his steamy video, “Black,” which stars his wife Cassidy. The beautiful clip was shot in Iceland in nearly subzero temperatures.

    Reigning Vocal Group of the Year, Little Big Town, earned their twelfth nomination in the category. This would be their fourth consecutive win and fifth overall. They are also nominated for Album of the Year for Breaker and Single Record of the Year for “Better Man.”

    Lady Antebellum won their first ACM Award in 2008 with the Top New Vocal Duo or Group Award. Just two years later, they took home their first Vocal Group of the Year Award, followed by another and another, as well as Single, Song and Album Awards along the way. They’re once again nominated for Vocal Group, an honor they certainly don’t take for granted.

     

    Last year Jon Pardi won the Top New Male Vocalist Award. This year, he’s up for Album of the Year for California Sunrise, which has yielded three No. 1 singles and a fourth hit.

     

    Lauren Alaina, who’s making her way up the country charts with “Doin’ Fine,” is up for two awards, including Top New Female Vocalist and Vocal Event of the Year for “What Ifs” with pal Kane Brown.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfyqsj4B45G/?utm_source=ig_embed

    The nominees for this year’s ACM Awards:

    Entertainer of the Year
    Jason Aldean
    Garth Brooks
    Luke Bryan
    Chris Stapleton
    Keith Urban

    Male Vocalist of the Year
    Jason Aldean
    Thomas Rhett
    Chris Stapleton
    Keith Urban
    Chris Young

    Female Vocalist of the Year
    Kelsea Ballerini
    Miranda Lambert
    Maren Morris
    Carrie Underwood
    Reba McEntire

    Vocal Duo of the Year
    Brothers Osborne
    Dan + Shay
    Florida Georgia Line
    LoCash
    Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

    Vocal Group of the Year
    Lady Antebellum
    Lanco
    Little Big Town
    Midland
    Old Dominion
    Song of the Year
    Sam Hunt, “Body Like a Back Road”
    Keith Urban, “Female”
    Miranda Lambert, “Tin Man”
    Chris Stapleton, “Whiskey and You”

    Single of the Year
    “Better Man,” Little Big Town
    “Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt
    “Broken Halos,” Chris Stapleton
    “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland
    “I’ll Name the Dogs,” Blake Shelton

    Top New Male Vocalist
    Kane Brown
    Luke Combs
    Devin Dawson
    Russell Dickerson
    Brett Young

    Top New Female Vocalist
    Lauren Alaina
    Danielle Bradbury
    Carly Pearce
    Raelynn

    Album of the Year
    Breaker, Little Big Town
    California Sunrise, Jon Pardi
    From A Room: Vol. 1, Chris Stapleton
    Happy Endings, Old Dominion
    Life Changes, Thomas Rhett

    Video of the Year
    “Black,” Dierks Bentley
    “It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne
    “Legends,” Kelsea Ballerini
    “Marry Me,” Thomas Rhett
    “We Should Be Friends,” Miranda Lambert

    Vocal Event of the Year
    “Craving You,” Thomas Rhett f/Maren Morris
    “Dear Hate,” Maren Morris f/Vince Gill
    “(Funny) How Time Slips Away,” Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson
    “The Fighter,” Keith Urban f/Carrie Underwood
    “What Ifs,” Kane Brown f/Lauren Alaina
    The 53rd Annual ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 15th at 8pm ET on CBS.

    Audio / Chris Stapleton leads the list of nominees with eight nods in five categories including Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single of the Year for “Broken Halos,” Song of the Year for “Whiskey and You” and Album of the Year for From a Room, Vol. 1.

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    Chris Stapleton (affinity for albums) OC: …any one of them. :45
    “They are all significant and if you get one award for anything it’s a treat. But any of the awards that awarded the album, the album awards, because I really wanted to make an album that was good. I wanted it, I wanted that to be a thing, again, more than I wanted it to be, ‘Well here’s the single and eight other songs.’ So, the album awards for me were important in that we did our job in a good way, you know. Just I have such an affinity for albums that I don’t know if I want those more or if they mean more, but they are all meaningful. They are all are things that one of them would feel like a career. One of them. Any one of them.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan, who took home the Entertainer Award twice, is always honored be nominated in that category.

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    Luke Bryan (ACM 2018 Entertainer nod)  OC: …work harder. [laughs] :39
    “[I’m] so honored to have another Entertainer of the Year nomination and I always think about winning my first Entertainer of the Year [Award] at the ACMs. To go to the ACMs knowing that you’re one of those lucky people that have that nomination, it just tells me that I’m doing all I can and doing the right things out on the road and hopefully, the fans are still loving what I’m trying to give to them every night. You don’t want to say the same clichés about it’s an honor to be nominated, it is! The day that I don’t get nominated for stuff like that, then I’ll kinda be sad and I’ll be motivated to work harder.” [laughs]

    Audio / Keith Urban says he just felt he needed to record the song “Female.”

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    Keith Urban (Female feeling) OC: …had to it. :42
    “It’s a feeling. It’s more of a feeling. It’s not as cerebral for me, the song spoke to me. It just spoke to me. When I went down into the studio to put a vocal on it; my intention was to put a vocal on the demo. I called Ross Copperman and I said, ‘Can you send me the track that you recorded and leave the vocal off, and I’ll go down to my studio and I’ll sing over the top of it and I’ll see if this fits me because it feels really right.’ And I went down and I sang it, and as I was singing it, I thought I feel like I’ve known this song my whole life. Something else was going on with it how it felt to me. So, I love it. I believe in it.  I didn’t record it for any other reason than it was a heart reaction that I had to it.”

     

    Audio / Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet talks about what went into making their ACM-nominated album, The Breaker.

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    LBT (The Breaker album) 2 OC: …intangible. :27
    “We peeled through some layers of ourselves to get to this place in these songs. We couldn’t just throw a vocal on there. It’s like everything we did had to come from a deeper place this time, and we didn’t have the luxury of time to just kind of, ‘Well, I’ll just try it tomorrow.’ You had to get there. We had to find performances, and that’s what we did. We’re all about getting the performance, the true, that magic, that kind of like intangible.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD DEFINES OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS AS ROLE MODELS.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    Carrie Underwood is cheering on all of the Olympic Champions and feels each one of the athletes is a good role model for children watching at home.

    “I think it’s absolutely impossible to pick one Olympic champion that’s a great role model, because I think in so many ways they all are,” says Carrie. “They work so hard for so long and they’re representing us. I think that is the definition of a role model is the determination and the drive and laying it all on the line and giving it everything they got. I couldn’t imagine the pressure that they’re under, and there are so many incredible athletes that just handle everything with grace and humility. I think no matter where you’re from or what you’re into, you can watch the Olympics and just find someone to cheer for and be proud that they are the ones out there that are representing us.”

    Some of the most notable Olympic athlete role models include boxer and champion Muhammad Ali, gymnasts Mary Lou Retton and Nadia Comaneci, swimmers Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz, diver Greg Louganis, skaters Scott Hamilton and Kristi Yamaguchi, track stars Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis and Wilma Rudolph and some of this year’s Winter Olympians — gold medal snow boarders Shaun White, Red Gerard, Jamie Anderson and Chloe Kim and slalom skier Mikaela Shiffrin.

    “The Champion” is being used for NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Competition runs through Sunday, February 25th, the day of the Closing Ceremony.

    Carrie is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood gives her definition of a champion and role model.

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    Carrie Underwood (Olympics) 3 OC: …representing us. :51
    “I think it’s absolutely impossible to pick one Olympic champion that’s a great role model, because I think in so many ways they all are. I mean, they’re representing our country. They work so hard for so long and they’re representing us. I think that is the definition of a role model is the determination and the drive and laying it all on the line and giving it everything they got. I couldn’t imagine the pressure that they’re under, and there are so many incredible athletes that just handle everything with grace and humility. I think no matter where you’re from or what you’re into, you can watch the Olympics and just find someone to cheer for and be proud that they are the ones out there that are representing us.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD WILL WATCH ‘THE CHAMPIONS’ EMERGE DURING THE 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    Carrie Underwood will not only be heard during the 2018 Winter Olympics with her inspiring song, “The Champion,” but she will also be tuning in to several of the competitions rooting on the US.

    Growing up, she was fascinated by the figure skaters and would often pretend she was one of them. “I always loved figure skating. I always thought the girls were so beautiful and graceful and strong and athletic,” says Carrie. “I mean, I remember dancing around our living room pretending I was an ice skater, even though I’d never been on the ice before. That’s always one that’s fun to watch, and I am always in awe just how high everyone jumps and twists and spins. It’s incredible.”

    One sport that now has Carrie captivated is hockey, for obvious reasons (she’s married to NHL superstar Mike Fisher). “I think an Olympic sport I found myself watching, one I never really watched growing up is hockey,” she reveals. “I didn’t know that much about hockey growing up in Oklahoma and now, obviously, that I’m married to a hockey player, he’s tuning in. He’s checking things out and obviously I’m into hockey these days. So, it’s something that is fun to watch and I’m glad it’s something I’ve gotten into and I’m glad that I get to watch even more hockey during the Olympics.”

    “The Champion,” which was used for this year’s Super Bowl, will also be used for NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Competition will kick off on Thursday, February 8th, a day before the Opening Ceremony on Friday, February 9th, and runs through Sunday, February 25th, the day of the Closing Ceremony.

    Carrie is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about watching the Olympic sport of figure skating when she was growing up.

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    Carrie Underwood (Olympics) 1 OC: …incredible. :44
    “It is really hard to pick one Olympic sport that I love to watch and is my favorite because there’s always something going on, and it’s always just kind of nice to tune in and see how we’re doing as a country. Growing up, I always loved figure skating. I always thought the girls were so beautiful and graceful and strong and athletic. I mean, I remember dancing around our living room pretending I was an ice skater, even though I’d never been on the ice before. That’s always one that’s fun to watch, and I am always in awe just how high everyone jumps and twists and spins. It’s incredible.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says she has become a fan of watching hockey at the Olympics, for obvious reasons.

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    Carrie Underwood (Olympics) 2 OC: …the Olympics. :33
    “I think an Olympic sport I found myself watching, one I never really watched growing up is hockey. I didn’t know that much about hockey growing up in Oklahoma and now, obviously, that I’m married to a hockey player, he’s tuning in. He’s checking things out and obviously I’m into hockey these days. So, it’s something that is fun to watch and I’m glad it’s something I’ve gotten into and I’m glad that I get to watch even more hockey during the Olympics.”

  • NBC AND THE NFL UNVEIL ‘THE CHAMPION’ OPENING STARRING CARRIE UNDERWOOD FOR THIS YEAR’S SUPER BOWL.

    Video
    Carrie Underwood

    This year’s Super Bowl kicked off Sunday on NBC with a video of Carrie Underwood‘s “The Champion.” The video for the anthemic song, which was filmed last year, honors the rich legacy of the event featuring Super Bowl moments on a grand scale with cameos from NFL greats, such as Joe Namath, Hines Ward, Roger Staubach, as well as Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Nick Foles of the Philadelphia Eagles.

    Carrie, who has opened Sunday Night Football for the past five years, wrote “The Champion” with Brett James, Chris DeStefano and Christopher Bridges PKA Ludacris.

     

    “The Champion” will also be used for NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Competition will kick off on Thursday, February 8th, a day before the Opening Ceremony on Friday, February 9th, and runs through Sunday, February 25th, the day of the Closing Ceremony.

    Carrie is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD DOES HER PART TO STAY FIT AND HEALTHY.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    We are just a few days away from Sunday’s Big Game, and you want to make sure to watch NBC before the kickoff as you’ll be able to see the premiere of the opening video for Carrie Underwood’s “The Champion.” The video for the anthemic song, which was filmed last year, honors the rich legacy of the event featuring Super Bowl moments on a grand scale with cameos from NFL greats.

    There are lots of champions on the field, and they make sure they keep in shape to be able to do their job. Carrie also works hard to stay fit for her job as a performer. It takes a lot of stamina and strength to get on stage night after night.

    “I definitely do my part when it comes to my personal fitness. I want to be strong. It does take a lot to be on stage,” says Carrie. “I’m running around and singing, like those are, being active and singing at the same time is pretty difficult to do and it helps me in every aspect of my life. When I work out, I feel like I have a clearer head. I feel like I’m just ready for anything, and it feels good to make my body move like it was designed to do. So, I try my best to always stay healthy and fit, and then if there are any special things coming up, I do my best to get ready for them.”

    Carrie co-wrote “The Champion” last year with fellow songwriters Brett James, Chris DeStefano and Christopher Bridges PKA Ludacris, who Underwood asked to collaborate on the event song produced by Jim Jonsin.

    Carrie has been the face and voice of the show open for primetime television’s No. 1 program, Sunday Night Football, for the past five seasons and is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

    Super Bowl LII will kick-off Sunday (February 4th) beginning at 6:30p ET on NBC.

    Audio / As an entertainer, performer, mother and athlete, Carrie Underwood works hard to stay fit.

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    Carrie Underwood (does her part to stay fit) OC: …keep it good. [laughs] :57
    “I definitely do my part when it comes to my personal fitness. I want to be strong. It does take a lot to be on stage. I’m running around and singing, like those are, being active and singing at the same time is pretty difficult to do and it helps me in every aspect of my life. When I work out, I feel like I have a clearer head. I feel like I’m just ready for anything, and it feels good to make my body move like it was designed to do. So, I try my best to always stay healthy and fit, and then if there are any special things coming up, I do my best to get ready for them. I like to work out and I eat healthy. I think that’s just something that’s part of what I do. My body is my tool, I’ve got to keep it good.”[laughs]

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD FEELS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE MANY CHAMPIONS IN HER LIFE.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    Carrie Underwood’s “The Champion” will open NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LII on Sunday (February 4th). The song, featuring Ludacris, was released earlier this month. (http://strm.to/TheChampionPR).

    The opening video for the anthemic song, which was filmed last year, honors the rich legacy of the event featuring Super Bowl moments on a grand scale with cameos from NFL greats.

    “The Champion reached No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart (all genres) in nine countries shortly after its release. The song also debuted on multiple global Spotify charts.

    Carrie feels we can all be champions, and her own champions include her parents and husband, former NHL star Mike Fisher. “I think it started with my parents, they just worked really hard and did everything they could to provide for us and make our lives better and give us every opportunity that they could,” she says. “In a different sense, you know my husband, on and off the ice, he’s definitely a champion of mine. I see the dedication that he put into his work playing hockey. I admire him so much for that. To see how much he put into, and the love, that he put into his God-given ability was just very inspiring.”

    Carrie co-wrote “The Champion” last year with fellow songwriters Brett James, Chris DeStefano and Christopher Bridges PKA Ludacris, who Underwood asked to collaborate on the event song produced by Jim Jonsin.

    Carrie has been the face and voice of the show open for primetime television’s No. 1 program, Sunday Night Football, for the past five seasons and is currently in the studio working on her next album which will be released on Capitol Records Nashville.

    https://twitter.com/SNFonNBC/status/956617848729714688

    Also, if you need more audio and liners on “The Champion,” click here for “The Champion” Audio Toolkit.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood reveals her own Champions.

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    Carrie Underwood (her own Champions) OC: …very inspiring. :42
    “I think I have many champions in my life. I’m lucky that way. I think it started with my parents, they just worked really hard and did everything they could to provide for us and make our lives better and give us every opportunity that they could. In a different sense, you know my husband, on and off the ice, he’s definitely a champion of mine. I see the dedication that he put into his work playing hockey. I admire him so much for that. To see how much he put into, and the love, that he put into his God-given ability was just very inspiring.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood explains what qualities she feels makes up a Champion.

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    Carrie Underwood (what makes a Champion) OC: …you a champion. :42
    “I think a champion is just somebody who just works hard. I think it starts there. You have to have that work ethic. You have to know what you’re capable of and then try to push those limits in every way possible. You have to spend the time, you have to have the dedication, you have to take every opportunity that you possibly can. You have to be smart about it. Just having that drive is what really makes a champion, and I think that’s somewhere in every single one of us. No matter what we’re trying to accomplish or overcome, we’ve all got that somewhere in us, and it’s tapping into that that will make you a champion.”

    Video /

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  • VALENTINE’S DAY LINERS 2018

    Audio
    Billy Currington / Brothers Osborne / Canaan Smith / Carrie Underwood / Clare Dunn / Darius Rucker / Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / Eric Paslay / Gary Allan / George Strait / Jon Pardi / Josh Turner / Kacey Musgraves / Keith Urban / Kip Moore / Lady Antebellum / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan / Sam Hunt / Scotty Mccreery / Shania Twain

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Billy Currington. Hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is T.J., and I’m John, and we’re Brothers Osborne. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Canaan Smith (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, what’s up guys? I’m Canaan Smith, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! I’m Carrie Underwood, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Send me some chocolate.”

    Audio / LINER Clare Dunn (Valentines Day)

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    “Hey! This is Clare Dunn, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Valentine’s Day)

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    “What’s up y’all? This is Darius Rucker, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, it’s Dierks Bentley, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Eric Church, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Paslay (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Eric Paslay, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Gary Allan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is Gary Allan, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Valentine’s Day)

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    “This is George Strait, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Josh Turner, and I want to wish you and your sweetheart a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Kacey Musgraves, and I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. This is Keith Urban. Make the day special for your ‘Once in a Lifetime’ love.”

    Audio / LINER Kip Moore (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s happening, everybody? This is Kip Moore. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Lady A (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody! We are Lady Antebellum, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day, you love birds.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! We’re Little Big Town. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Luke Bryan. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Sam Hunt, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Shania Twain. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD RESEARCHES SPORTS SPEECHES FOR INSPIRATION FOR ‘THE CHAMPION.’

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    Carrie Underwood’s “The Champion” has been featured during the recent NFL playoff games and will kick-off this year’s Super Bowl. She says she and the song’s co-writers Brett James and Chris DeStefano, researched great sports speeches for inspiration before writing “The Champion.”

    “We started looking up great speeches, great sports speeches, great movies about sports. Those things that when you’re in the theater, you’re getting chill bumps when some coach is giving his team this amazing speech, and that’s what we wanted to put into a song,” says Carrie.

    “We wanted it to be something that people could listen to when they’re in the gym, or before they watch the Super Bowl, or something that would work for this but also work for people in their everyday lives and just inspire and make them feel like they were ready for anything.”

    “The Champion” will also be used to promote this year’s Winter Olympics.

    The Super Bowl, pitting the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots, will air live from the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis beginning at 6:30pm ET on NBC.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says she and “The Champion” co-writers, Brett James and Chris DeStefano, researched great sports speeches to inspire them to write the song.

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    Carrie Underwood (The Champion based on great sports speeches) OC: …anything. :33
    “We started looking up great speeches, great sports speeches, great movies about sports. Those things that when you’re in the theater, you’re getting chill bumps when some coach is giving his team this amazing speech, and that’s what we wanted to put into a song. We wanted it to be something that people could listen to when they’re in the gym, or before they watch the Super Bowl, or something that would work for this but also work for people in their everyday lives and just inspire and make them feel like they were ready for anything.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD IS A BIG FAN OF LIVE SPORTING EVENTS.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    As a former softball player, the wife (and cheerleader) of a former NHL star player (the Nashville Predators’ Mike Fisher), the voice of Sunday Night Football for five years, Carrie Underwood is truly a fan of sporting events.

    “I love sporting events. I mean I think it’s just the excitement, the drama. You’ve got all these people on the ice or on the field or on the court, and they’re just giving it their all, and big sporting events are just amazing,” says Carrie. “There’s just something really special about live sporting events, and football, I’ve been watching it my entire life, so it’s fun to be a part of it in some way and to be a part of the biggest game of the year is really special.”

    Carrie is set to open NBC’s Super Bowl LII (the Big Game) on February 4th with a video filmed last year for her anthemic song, “The Champion,” which was just released globally. Carrie co-wrote “The Champion” last year with fellow songwriters Brett James, Chris DeStefano, and Christopher Bridges PKA Ludacris, who she asked to collaborate on the event song. NBC Sports will also incorporate “The Champion” into its coverage of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood is a huge fan of live sporting events and is so excited to be a part of this year’s Super Bowl (or Big Game) with her song, “The Champion.”

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    Carrie Underwood (loves sporting events) OC: …really special. :55
    “I love sporting events. I mean I think it’s just the excitement, the drama. You’ve got all these people on the ice or on the field or on the court, and they’re just giving it their all, and big sporting events are just amazing. The fans are excited. There’s rivalries, and it’s competition and you can just feel it in the air when you go see, I mean, really any sporting event live is just absolutely amazing. We have our heroes. It’s in us. There are heroes and villains for all of us, and it’s just sitting down and getting to watch that and root for your favorite team. I don’t know. There’s just something really special about live sporting events, and football, I’ve been watching it my entire life, so it’s fun to be a part of it in some way and to be a part of the biggest game of the year is really special.”

    Video / The Champion lyric video

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  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD LOOKS FORWARD TO SUNDAY NIGHTS AND FOOTBALL.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    It was announced on Friday (January 12th) Carrie Underwood will be a part of this year’s Super Bowl (Big Game). She’s set to open NBC’s Super Bowl LII (the Big Game) on February 4th with a video filmed last year for her anthemic song, “The Champion,” which was released globally on Friday.

    A huge football fan, Carrie has been the face and voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football show open for the last five seasons and loves being a part of it.

    “I love being the voice of Sunday Night Football because I grew up watching football…from birth. I’m from Oklahoma – we’re a football state. It’s just a part of the country that everybody has their teams and there’s such an energy about it,” says Carrie. “We would drive down to Dallas and watch the Cowboys play whenever we could. There’s just something about being at a live sporting event or watching it on TV. You have your favorites. They have their rivals. There’s an excitement to it that really, it’s unlike anything else, so being a small part of that is absolutely amazing. Being a part of the Super Bowl is especially amazing because that’s just the biggest of the big. It’s been so wonderful working with everybody at SNF, and I count myself very lucky and very blessed that I get to be a small part of something that I’ve loved my whole life.”

    Carrie co-wrote “The Champion” last year with fellow songwriters Brett James, Chris DeStefano, and Christopher Bridges PKA Ludacris, who she asked to collaborate on the event song. NBC Sports will also incorporate “The Champion” into its coverage of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood is such a big fan of football, and she is thrilled to be a part of Sunday Night Football and this year’s Super Bowl (Big Game).

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    Carrie Underwood (loves being a part of SNF) OC: …my whole life. 1:01
    “I love being the voice of Sunday Night Football because I grew up watching football…from birth. I’m from Oklahoma – we’re a football state. It’s just a part of the country that everybody has their teams and there’s such an energy about it. We would drive down to Dallas and watch the Cowboys play whenever we could. There’s just something about being at a live sporting event or watching it on TV. You have your favorites. They have their rivals. There’s an excitement to it that really, it’s unlike anything else, so being a small part of that is absolutely amazing. Being a part of the Super Bowl is especially amazing because that’s just the biggest of the big. It’s been so wonderful working with everybody at SNF, and I count myself very lucky and very blessed that I get to be a small part of something that I’ve loved my whole life.”