Thanks Carrie for a special show (by Country Standard Time)

[Pi314CA]

Thanks Carrie for a special show

Jeffrey Remz | August 1, 2012

Carrie Underwood made for a most special night on Tuesday in what is fortunately becoming an annual affair in Boston - the Country Music Association Songwriters Series.

Underwood is better known as a great singer with a bunch of hits under her belt and drop dead gorgeous looks instead of being a songwriter. But here she was on stage with likes of the host of the evening Bob DiPiero, Luke Laird, Carey Barlowe, Hillary Lindsey and Brett James. (Well, Underwood did have her acoustic guitarist with her as she said she does not play and sing at the same time). The fact of the matter is Underwood has helped write a chunk of the songs she has recorded.

This was a most different night for Underwood and the crowd, most of whom were doubtlessly her fans and taking advantage of the chance of seeing her in a small setting instead of the arenas she will start hitting next month when her tour opens in Manchester, N.H.

One thing evident was that Underwood truly is an excellent singer. DiPiero, who is not a very good singer by any stretch, but knows his way about writing a song, proclaimed her the best singer he had ever heard.

Doing it in the studio is one thing because with the way technology is these days, who knows if you are getting a singer's true abilities or are the vocals being doctored?

Underwood needs no vocal help whatsoever in the studio. Time and again, during the evening, Underwood pulled off song after song without any problem. She sings with depth, toughness, a gentleness and the ability to belt it out as well.

While seated throughout - all performers were in this guitar pull setting that was acoustic only - one got the sense that Underwood was aching to stand up and sing in the style to which she is accustomed. She managed to stay seated anyway.

Underwood tended to lack the stories behind the songs as most of her compadres did. In fact, there was a bit of a shyness (uncomfortableness?) from Underwood and not the easy going attitude of the others. Could it be that Underwood wanted to shy away from overwhelming her mates for the night? Lindsey, unfortunately, made too many unnecessary comments about how great Underwood was. Underwood did not need that kind of help as she proved she could sing just fine.

This was a rare chance to hear Underwood in this type of setting. A big congrats to the CMA and Underwood for doing the show.

Link to article: Thanks Carrie for a special show

[kewlie78189]

aww very nice of them!

[Suellen]

Thanks, I love this part

One thing evident was that Underwood truly is an excellent singer. DiPiero, who is not a very good singer by any stretch, but knows his way about writing a song, proclaimed her the best singer he had ever heard.

Doing it in the studio is one thing because with the way technology is these days, who knows if you are getting a singer's true abilities or are the vocals being doctored?

[Carrie&Taylor]

Now all we need is Joe back so she can get what is rightfully hers. A FVOTY win.

[simonplay]

Im surprised , so many articles seem surpraised about Carrie talent, voice!

I meant, after 7 years this peolple never see her amazing talent?? till now with an acoustic mini concert!? Come on ...!

[Ann055]

Thanks for posting! Maybe some people are finally figuring out Carrie's voice is flawless & she's a songwriter as well. About time!

[pgk]

Im surprised , so many articles seem surpraised about Carrie talent, voice!

I meant, after 7 years this peolple never see her amazing talent?? till now with an acoustic mini concert!? Come on ...!

Actually I was thinking the very same thing. Where have these people been these past 7 years? Unless of course they just didn't believe anyone could sound that good without some technical assistance? Still I'm quite surprised that these people are just now discovering the 'flawlessness' of Carrie Underwood.

[pklongbeach]

Yeah, it is funny to me. But I tell you, this writer I think put it alittle more eloquantly.
I guess it is true today that almost anyone can sound good in the studio. So there is apprehention in the industry to really trust weather someone is all that good.
I am so happy that Carries natural talent really shines best in settings like this.
I would love an entire acoustic tour.
I think that is the Carrie that I want to see before I go.
Just her, a mic, and a couple guitars.

[Pi314CA]

Yeah, it is funny to me. But I tell you, this writer I think put it alittle more eloquantly.
I guess it is true today that almost anyone can sound good in the studio. So there is apprehention in the industry to really trust weather someone is all that good.
I am so happy that Carries natural talent really shines best in settings like this.
I would love an entire acoustic tour.
I think that is the Carrie that I want to see before I go.
Just her, a mic, and a couple guitars.

And Hillary Lindsey.

[Gator]

And Hillary Lindsey.

.... or Jamie!

[simonplay]

Im ok with just Carrie!

[Gator]

Don't get me wrong, I like the article. I am amazed, however, that of all Hillary's comments, he took exception to this? What about all her "pee" comments? Just sayin'...

Lindsey, unfortunately, made too many unnecessary comments about how great Underwood was. Underwood did not need that kind of help as she proved she could sing just fine.

[Farawayhills]

I don't see it as slighting the past seven years, or a sudden wake-up. Writers who follow the Country scene probably are fully aware of performances like "How Great Thou Art", "I Know You Won't", Opry performances, and the Grammy tributes, and know how versatile Carrie is .
The purpose of this review was different - it was to emphasize to the public (who include doubters, fans of other artists, fans of other styles, believers in stereotypes - as well as fans of Carrie) that she can put on impressive performances in a very different context. I know there are many people who rate radio hits and mass entertainment concerts very highly in their assessments of artists. There's nothing wrong with that - but those people probably know much of what what they need to know about Carrie already. But beyond that, there''s a significant cohort of Country Music fans who largely ignore that world - finding it unsatisfying, artificial and too compromising with mass market demands. This review is stressing that Carrie can also shine in a context much closer to the creation of contemporary Country Music, as opposed to its presentation. Remember that not only do recording studios engineer tracks - big concerts also have sound monitors who adjust the level of the singer and the band continuously. Bob di Piero's comment that she's the best he's ever heard live didn't just mean the best at one of her fully planned concerts, but also the best in a context like this, sitting with one of her band and improvised support, in an unfamiliar setting - and still producing a live performance that left them almost speechless.

The reviewer is reinforcing that - not saying that Carrie isn't good in the studio or big concerts - but that she doesn't need those to make her good. Carrie probably won't do this very often - but the fact that she's done it at all so successfully speaks volumes about the exceptional artist she is.

[rainbow1]

His comment about her wanting to stand.....her body was almost dancing off the chair, at times!!!

[bearball49]

Im surprised , so many articles seem surpraised about Carrie talent, voice!

I meant, after 7 years this peolple never see her amazing talent?? till now with an acoustic mini concert!? Come on ...!

You hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, there are many artists out there that rely on technology to get by. Their albums are fiction produced by electronic magic. The only magic Carrie needs is her voice. If enough people hear about this little concert, maybe we will stop hearing how overrated she is. That woman is so good that if they fairly voted FVOTY no one else would ever win, so they must skew the grade a bit. She is so much in a different league than anyone in country music and in almost any genre for that matter. I keep hearing how she has not been trained....as far as I am concerned, that is a good thing. We would not someone training her and messing with that beautiful raw talent. She already has amazing control...let that be enough, please.

[robinannhunt]

You hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, there are many artists out there that rely on technology to get by. Their albums are fiction produced by electronic magic. The only magic Carrie needs is her voice. If enough people hear about this little concert, maybe we will stop hearing how overrated she is. That woman is so good that if they fairly voted FVOTY no one else would ever win, so they must skew the grade a bit. She is so much in a different league than anyone in country music and in almost any genre for that matter. I keep hearing how she has not been trained....as far as I am concerned, that is a good thing. We would not someone training her and messing with that beautiful raw talent. She already has amazing control...let that be enough, please.

I agree. The arguement about not being trained is bogus. Just listen to her sing and then listen to some other country artist and you can hear that training does not improve a bad voice. Carrie can out sing any other country artist.

[Farawayhills]

I've watched the concert three times, including full screen, and I'm more impressed each time.

I'd like to add a couple of points. Firstly, I don't agree that Carrie looked uncomfortable. I was impressed by the number of times she sang back up to the others, and by the comments she made. I have no doubt that she was enjoying this. Two points clinched that for me - both in Luke Laird's songs, when he uses words that are "censored" by substitutes in the radio versions Watch at around 32.20 and 58.10, when he sings "*****" in Pontoon, and "let that mother shine" in Hillbilly Bone - you'll see Carrie throw back her head and give her biggest laughs of the evening. I don't use strong language in conversation, any more than I expect Carrie or Luke do - but they work in a genre where many do, especially in live performance, and the fact that Carrie could enjoy those parody moments shows me she wasn't uncomfortable or awkward in that company.

Secondly, on Hillary Lindsey. I've heard that she's also a shy person, who preferred a writing to a performance career for that reason. The fact that she was the most talkative and enthusiastic person in the room can be misleading - it's not uncommon to cover shyness by over-talking and becoming rather repetitive. I did see shyness in her smiles and close-ups, and in her diffidence about her own singing. I can understand that the "pee" comments could irritate listeners, but she left the stage about three times and did seem to have an issue that night (one thing we're told on our teaching diploma courses is that when a girl's got to go, you don't question it) Sure, she didn't have to use the word several times - but that can also be a sign of a basically shy person going a bit over the top to cover awkwardness.
Her affection and admiration for Carrie seems really genuine - if she praised her a bit too often, I think it was partly a desire to make Carrie welcome, and partly the fact that she does indeed see their collaborations as special (even though, as Carrie said, she has a long roster of hits with many more artists).

Finally, I'll just say that Brett James' version of "The Truth" is easily the best I've heard of that song - and I'll forgive him for calling Ashley Monroe "Ashton", twice!

[jaks_weyn]

hmm.. wonder how the people will react to a live performance of her song without any instruments but with back up vocals only