Carrie Underwood Plans Network TV Special, Offers Early Cuts Off "Play On"

Posted by Webb on 10/14/2009
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Country Music Star Carrie Underwood will headline her own variety television special on December 7, 2009.  During the two-hour variety special, airing on FOX 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT, Underwood will perform new music from her upcoming album, Play On, as well as previous hits and holiday classics. She will be joined on stage by special musical guests and chart-topping artists including Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and David Cook. Additional guest stars to be announced.
Speaking of Carrie’s new release, which will release on November 3, a new track from the album will be available for purchase and download exclusively on iTunes every week for three weeks, with each new song also available as a free 60-second preview on Billboard.com.
The exclusive iTunes Countdown pre-release tracks, which begin today with “Mama’s Song,” all count toward the purchase of the full album through iTunes’ Complete My Album feature.  The subsequent tracks include “Temporary Home” (available 10/20) and “Undo It” (available 10/27). 
For each new track every week, fans will be able to visit Billboard.com for a 48-hour sneak preview of the song immediately prior to its Tuesday release on iTunes, with each posting remaining on Billboard.com for a week from its debut. 
In addition to the weekly online previews at Billboard.com, Underwood will be the focus of an online feature as well as a cover feature in the print edition of Billboard, on sale October 16.
Along with the ability to purchase the exclusive pre-sale tracks through the iTunes Countdown, fans who opt to purchase Play On through iTunes’ Complete My Album feature will also receive an exclusive free track: Carrie’s recording of the holiday classic, “O Holy Night.”
Already available online is the digital single for “Cowboy Casanova,” the smash first single from Play On.  Purchases of “Cowboy Casanova” through iTunes will also count toward a purchase of Play On via the Complete My Album feature.
A four-time GRAMMY Award winner, ACM Entertainer of the Year, and reigning, three-time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist winner, Carrie’s Play On re-teams her with producer Mark Bright, who helmed her Carnival Ride collection as well as seven tracks from her 2005 album debut, Some Hearts.  To date, Underwood has amassed more than 10 million in U.S. album sales with Some Hearts and 2007’s Carnival Ride.  Along the way, she has consistently broken new ground and earlier this year became the first country artist in history and the only American Idol winner ever to achieve 10 #1 singles from their first two albums.