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Recent American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, 22, was returning to her home state of Oklahoma with the “Pop Tarts Presents American Idols Live! Tour 2005” for a concert last night in Norman, so yesterday Governor Brad Henry whipped some laudatory signage on the Checotah native.
As the Oklahoma Department of Transportation scrambled to set up four signs on highways around the young singer’s home town proclaiming “Checotah, Home of Carrie Underwood, American Idol 2005,” the governor displayed a replica of the sign in an Oklahoma City ceremony.
“These signs reflect the great pride that we Oklahomans have for Carrie,” Henry said. “She is an amazingly gifted young woman, but she is also a quintessential Oklahoman. Carrie is talented, graceful, charming, hard-working and a testament to what can happen when people follow their dreams. She is America’s Idol, but she was Oklahoma’s Idol first,” he enthused.
Underwood said she is humbled by the support of Oklahomans. “As a proud Oklahoman, I’m honored to receive this recognition from my home state and hometown community.”
In July, Underwood was the first country artist in Billboard chart history to bow at number one on the Hot 100 chart with her single “Inside Your Heaven.” Her album debut is expected in November.
