Carrie Underwood is perhaps the reigning queen of country music, and very few come close to usurping her throne. At age 40, she has barely approached her prime and with her Strip headlining gig Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Las Vegas showing no signs of winding down, Underwood has secured a well-earned royal mantle.
And she takes it all in stride. With all the accolades, recognition of her talent and a pair of legs that were genetically designed to optimize the effectiveness of cut-off jean shorts, Underwood seemed destined to rocket to the top of the country music industry even if American Idol wasn’t the vehicle that led there. She was just an all-American girl from Muskogee, Okla.—the city made famous by Merle Haggard. Her talent was apparent by the time she was a teenager, but wise heads prevailed and allowed her to live a relatively normal life as a teenager.
Her looks were undeniable though, and her vocal ability was preternatural. She became a beauty contest participant, but the full potential of her talents wasn’t made apparent to the world until she auditioned for American Idol in 2004 with a rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” A country girl at heart, Underwood’s depth, range and potential as a recording artist were incrementally revealed during Season Four of Idol as she sang songs such as Heart’s “Alone,” the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved” and (several times) Martina McBride’s “Independence Day.”
Underwood surpassed previous American Idol winners to become the most successful alumnus in the show’s history. Her debut album Some Hearts topped the country album charts and reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200. She’d hit the top pop spot again with 2007’s Carnival Ride, 2009’s Play On, 2012’s Blown Away and 2018’s Cry Pretty. No other country singer has come close.
That comfortable position allowed Underwood to indulge her spiritual side with 2021’s My Savior, which debuted at the top position on both the country and Christian album charts. Underwood proved her spiritual side was as strong as her commercial side and made clear that although she is completely convincing at assuming personas such as the betrayed lover (“Before He Cheats”) and the party girl (“Last Name”) she’s completely grounded in her faith.
That doesn’t stop her from looking devastating in the many outfits designed for Reflection, or rocking out. Underwood looks very comfortable playing power chords on her rhinestone-studded Fender Mustang during “Church Bells” in her new Amazon special Carrie Underwood/Live and she’s scheduled to join Guns ‘n’ Roses as a special guest for several tour dates this summer.
She’ll likely leave the Mustang at home and just bring her voice to her upcoming Vegas shows (June 21, 23-24, 28, 30 and July 1). It’s powerful, versatile, emotive and adaptable to the efforts of the many Nashville songwriting talents she’s worked with. Underwood is fated to be the next Loretta Lynn, the next Dolly Parton, the next Reba McEntire, the next Faith Hill in the firmament of strong female country music voices. It’s a destiny she’s proven that she’ll take in stride.
Resorts World Las Vegas, axs.com
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