Singer Carrie Underwood gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
LOS ANGELES: Pop-country superstar Carrie Underwood got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – the latest honour for the Grammywinning 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 National Football League’s flagship 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?”
The singer also gave a sweet shoutout to her husband, Mike Fisher, and their three-year-old son, Isaiah, during the speech.
“I met an incredible man, Mike, who thinks I’m so much better than I actually am in every way,” she said.
“Thank you for believing in me as a human, as a wife, as a mom and supporting me through all of this.”
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.
Marilyn Lopez was one of many fans who attended the ceremony.
“When she dropped her first album, I remember going to the public library and renting it out and I just used to listen to it all the time,” Lopez said.
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. — AFP