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Carrie Underwood: ‘A Country Girl Living Out Rockstar Dreams’

Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

Carrie Underwood opened for Guns N’ Roses on their Word Tour over the weekend (8/5) at a show in Moncton, New Brunswick. She will also open for the legendary rock band on Tuesday (8/8) in Montreal, Quebec, and then again on August 26th in Nashville at GEODIS Park.

Before the show over the weekend, Carrie told us, “I think the things I look forward to most are, obviously, like watching their show and being around them, but it’s just such a fun vibe. Their fans are absolutely incredible and so supportive and just have been so much fun with everything that I’ve seen from them. I’m also looking forward to just doing some things in our set list that I might not get the chance to do any other time. I wanted to be me, but I also wanted to bridge the gap between me and Guns N’ Roses a little bit, so we’re just having a blast with it.”

Underwood continued, “I’m doing some cover songs of some rock stuff that I love. I’m mashing up some of my songs with some other songs. We just look at it as an opportunity to be creative and get to do something we’ve never done before; just have a good time with it. So, hopefully, my fans that are at the shows will see things that they’ve never seen and hear things that they’ve never heard in a really cool way. Then also, even if there are people out there who have no idea what I do, hopefully, they’ll really enjoy seeing us before Guns N’ Roses and just have fun with us too.”

RELATED: Carrie Underwood Announces Deluxe Edition Of 'Rhinestones'

She added, “I’ve been a massive GNR fan for pretty much my whole life. I’ve been able to sing with Guns N’ Roses and Axl separately a few times.”

One of those times was on Underwood’s “Denim & Diamonds Tour” in March of this year, where Axl Rose joined her on stage in Los Angeles. You can see that performance below.

 

Carrie posted several photos of her performance to Instagram after the show. She wrote, “Just a country girl living out some rockstar dreams…I want to say a HUGE thanks to @gunsnroses for having us out on tour, as well as their amazing fans! I was super nervous playing for another band’s crowd (of a completely different genre, no less), but you all made us feel so welcome!!! Now, on to Montreal for round 2! Can’t wait!!!!”

Fun Fact: At a show in October 2022, Carrie told me afterward that the Septor microphone she sang with was much like the one Queen’s Freddy Mercury used to perform with. She noted that at the end of the Septor is a skull. She painted a red bandana on the head and blue eyes on the skull to honor Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose.

Carrie Underwood: 9 Times She's Shown Her Rock Fandom

Carrie Underwood is one of country music’s biggest stars. However, underneath it all, she clearly has a love for rock.

The singer has shared a stage with one of rock’s most iconic bands and has covered other rock legends. She’s even taken to Twitter to share her love of one heavy band, in particular.

Here’s a look at seven times Carrie Underwood has shown her fandom for rock.

  • Underwood covers 'Welcome to the Jungle' live

    During the October 15, 2022 opening night of her “Denim & Rhinestones” tour, Underwood’s 24-song set included a cover of the Guns N’ Roses classic “Welcome to the Jungle.” BTW: She absolutely belts the hell out of the song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPz6aXUrKCU

  • Axl Rose Joins Underwood at Stagecoach, Performs Two GN'R Songs

    Underwood clearly has a lot of love for GN’R, and it seems as though the feeling is mutual. During Underwood’s 2022 headlining set at Stagecoach, Axl Rose joined the singer on stage and sang “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.” When she introduced Rose after singing the first verse of “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” she said to the crowd, “Welcome to the greatest night of my life! Give it up for Axl Rose!”

  • Underwood joins GN'R during two shows in England

    Underwood returned the favor by joining Guns N’ Roses during a two-night stand at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England in July 2022. During both nights, Underwood joined GN’R on stage to perform “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.” She shared in an Instagram post, “Together again…but this time in London and with a few more friends! Thanks, @gunsnroses, and your crew, for welcoming me into your world like family. And thanks to all the fans who gave these legends the royal welcome that they deserve! I am but a fan who somehow managed to find her way on stage to have a moment of magic with her heroes! How did I get so lucky?”

  • Underwood covers Ozzy Osbourne's 'Mama, I'm Coming Home'

    Underwood covered Osbourne’s ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from his 1991 studio album No More Tears as part of her new Apple Music Session EP released in July 2022. Underwood said of the track, “It’s one of my all-time favorite songs. I’ve always thought it felt a lot like a country song, and I’ve wanted to cover it for a long time.”

  • Underwood Loves Herself Some I Prevail

    I Prevail took to Twitter in September 2022 and shared about their third studio album True Power, “One month of ‘TRUE POWER’. 56M streams. All thanks to you.” Underwood replied to the tweet with, “I think I was a large number of them! [laughing/crying emoji]”

    Lead singer Brian Burkheiser replied to the country superstar with two prayer hand emojis and a grinning emoji.

  • Underwood and I Prevail finally meet each other

    Underwood performed at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on February 26, 2023. I Prevail happened to have formed in the nearby suburb of Southfield, Mich., which lent itself to the perfect opportunity for the singer and the band to meet.

    “I was so excited to have the guys from @iprevailband at the show last night in Michigan!!!” wrote Underwood on social media. ” I tried to play it cool and not fangirl too much! Super great guys!!! I’m hoping I get to catch one of their shows this year!!!”

    In the comments of Underwood’s Instagram post, I Prevail unclean vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe wrote, “There was an equal amount of fangirling haha. Thanks again for having us out! Show was incredible.” Meanwhile, I Prevail clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser wrote, “Thank you for an incredible night!!!”

  • Rose Joins Underwood again on stage

    Rose made a surprise appearance on stage with Underwood during her March 13 tour stop in Los Angeles. Rose and Underwood performed the GN’R classic “Welcome to the Jungle.” Underwood wrote on Instagram, “I’m the luckiest girl in the world…Thanks, Axl, for showing up, once again, to make the great times even better! It’ll forever feel like it was all a dream, but these dreams are my favorite ones!”

     

    As for Rose, he share a funny behind-the-scenes moment. He wrote on Twitter, “What’s better than leaving @cryptocomarena thru the back stage halls n’ load in with @carrieunderwood listening to Snoop Dogg on a phat ass rolling Bluetooth speaker?!?!”

  • Underwood Opens for GN'R, Covers Rock Classics

    Underwood opened for GN’R during the band’s shows in Moncton, New Brunswick and Montreal on August 5 and 8, 2023. Both of her sets included rock covers alongside some of her biggest hits. Among the covers Underwood tackled were Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation,” The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” and, perhaps her most adventurous cover, Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.”

    “Bad Reputation”

     

    “Wild Horses”

    “Ace of Spades”

  • Underwood Meets Shinedown and Papa Roach

    Underwood and her husband, Mike Fisher, took in Shinedown and Papa Roach’s show at FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tenn. on October 3. The husband and wife had the opportunity to got backstage and meet both bands. Papa Roach shared a photo with Underwood along with the caption, “Music City never disappoints – thanks for stopping by @carrieunderwood @mfisher1212.”

    Shinedown singer Brent Smith shared a video of the meet and took a moment to touch on how much he admires Underwood. He wrote via Instagram, “I honestly had no idea that the INCREDIBLE @carrieunderwood was coming out to our show last night, or that ALL of us in @shinedown were going to get the opportunity to meet her, and her husband @mfisher1212. I held myself together pretty well, but inside I was freaking out with excitement. I have been a fan from the beginning, she is such a force of nature and such an incredible artist, and performer. It was such a huge honor to meet her in person. She is truly amazing. ”

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.

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Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group
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