It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four years since Carrie had her breakthrough win on American Idol, and we now find her poised to win the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music. For the past three years, Carrie has had an impressive track record at the ACM Awards, garnering an impressive six awards, including Best Female Vocalist, Single of the Year, and Video of the Year. Let’s keep the streak going!

This year’s award ceremony marks Carrie’s milestone nomination as Entertainer of the Year, and with a little help from her fans, she is sure to go home with the trophy!

Starting today, Monday, March 16th, go to www.VoteACM.com to cast your vote for Carrie! You will be allowed one vote per IP address and can vote until the last hour of the live ACM Awards broadcast on Sunday, April 5th.

Thanks for your support! Let’s help make this Carrie’s best year at the ACM Awards yet!

ECINO, CA (March 16, 2009) –The Academy of Country Music announced that starting today, March 16th, anyone can vote for Entertainer of the Year nominees Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Carrie Underwood or Keith Urban by logging on to www.voteACM.com or www.cbs.com/acma . Fans can vote through the last hour of the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards airing LIVE on CBS television Sunday, April 5th at 8:00 PM live ET/tape delayed PT. Each Entertainer of the Year nominee is also scheduled to perform. Fans can also log onto www.cbs.com/acma to access videos and photos featuring the hottest country music stars, as well as information on all of this year’s nominees

Carrie Underwood is a six-time ACM award winner who is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of Year. If Underwood wins Entertainer of the Year, she will be only the 7th female to take the award; previous winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Dolly Parton in 1977, Barbara Mandrell in 1980, Reba McEntire in 1994, Shania Twain in 1999 and most recently Dixie Chicks in 2000. Additionally, if she takes home the honor, she will be eligible for the Triple Crown Award. Underwood is also nominated for Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year and her video “Just a Dream” is nominated for Video of the Year. If she wins Top Female Vocalist, it will be the third consecutive year she has won the category.

“I am so excited that two of my musical passions, American Idol and the Grand Ole Opry, are joining together to create a really special week of music,” says Underwood. “I am always thrilled to return to the Idol stage, and am so proud to this time be bringing with me one of my heroes, Randy Travis. I knew the Opry first, but Idol gave me my start and helped lead me to the Opry stage. It’s a great feeling to be able to help bring these two worlds together.”

Carrie Underwood made her first live performance on the Grand Ole Opry on June 10, 2005, just two weeks after winning American Idol. Her love for the Opry started as a child as she grew up watching and listening to the show, dreaming of one day performing there and even becoming a member herself. She was invited to become a member by Randy Travis in March 2008 and her official induction took place on May 10, 2008 by Opry member Garth Brooks. Since winning American Idol in 2005, Underwood has become one of the most popular performers in the nation. Her debut album, Some Hearts, is the biggest selling American Idol debut project to date, having sold more than seven million albums in the United States. With the release of her current album Carnival Ride, she has now sold 10 million albums in just over three years and has had nine No. 1 singles. Her many accolades include 8 Billboard Awards, 6 Academy of Country Music Awards, 5 Country Music Association Awards, 5 American Music Awards, 4 CMT Music Awards, 4 GRAMMY® Awards, 5 People’s Choice Awards, 2 BMI Songwriter Awards, and many more.

UltimateCarrieFan’s story will be published in the News section of CarrieUnderwood.fm for all to read and will receive a teddy bear autographed by Carrie!

Carrie was greatly touched by the many stories of volunteer and humanitarian work that were submitted by members in honor of her 26th birthday. Your stories have given her new resolve to positively influence people through her music and volunteering, and she hopes that others will follow the example set by these heart-warming stories. Thanks to all who participated in making this such a special birthday!

UltimateCarrieFan’s winning story:

“Sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbin’ is just a grain of sand” –Carrie Underwood. This particular line in the song So Small is one I try to live by daily. There are times when I can get tangled up in the little things that do not matter and when I realize how minor these problems are I remember how blessed I am to live the life I do. Attending a private school that focuses on community service, I have always been interested in being involved in the community. Like many others, Carrie has inspired me to do more, and that one can never do too much to serve society.

Likewise to Carrie, I am an extreme animal lover! I was enrolled in horse 4-h for eight years and through this organization I did a lot of community service. Not only did I pick up trash along the highway roads, I helped put together a strictly horse only arena at the local fairgrounds. Interested in spreading the love of horses around, I also did labor work for the incapable and I gave free riding opportunities on my horses for those that had a passion for horses but not the capabilities of owning their own. Included in my horse charity work, I continue to donate as much as my budget allows to the Wild Horse Foundation. It is an organization that saves wild horses and burros from slaughter, protects them on public lands, and provides homes for them at a ranch called Black Beauty Ranch.

Going back to my school charity work, in third grade as a class, we donated money to an organization called Save the Manatee. In doing this we adopted our own class manatee. Ten years later and I am still contributing to this club annually, having my own adoptee, a cute momma manatee named Lily. Now in my last year of high school, I continue to volunteer at a mentally and physically handicapped program. Working with these people has shown me a whole new side of life. All the handicapped want is to be loved…and the love they have to share just radiates off of them. These people are so kind and grateful one cannot help but smile when they see them. They are living proof that “when you figure out love is all that matters after all; it sure makes everything else seem so small”.

Every little thing that Carrie contributes to gives me aspirations to do more. This summer I hope to volunteer at the Humane Society with my friend, and over the next few years I plan to flood myself with community service. As an extra bonus, the college I plan to attend also focuses strongly on community service. A soon to be graduate of a Jesuit school, I have committed myself to being a “person for others”. I believe giving back to others what they have given to you is the greatest good a person can do.

The release of the single will support a cause dear to Carrie’s heart as
Carrie, 19 Recordings, and Sony Music Nashville will donate a portion of the
sales proceeds from “Home Sweet Home” to The Humane Society of the United
States www.hsus.org.

A longtime supporter of The Humane Society, Underwood comments, “I’ve always
loved this song, and besides being very fitting for Idol, to me, the title
is also very fitting with animal rescue and finding animals their own homes.
So we felt it was important to tie the release into an amazing animal
charity like The HSUS.”

“Home Sweet Home” joins a list of such past Idol send-off songs as Daniel
Powter’s “Bad Day,” Chris Daughtry’s “Home,” and Ruben Studdard’s re-working
of the Kenny Loggins favorite, “Celebrate Me Home.”

Since winning American Idol in 2005, Underwood has become one of the most
popular performers in the nation. Her debut album, Some Hearts, is the
biggest selling American Idol debut project to date, having sold more than
seven million copies in the United States. With the release of her current
album, Carnival Ride, she has now sold 10 million albums in just over three
years and has had nine #1 singles. Carrie is currently climbing the country
airplay charts with her most recent smash, “I Told You So,” also from
Carnival Ride.

Congratulations, Carrie, on your ACM Award nomination for Album of the
Year for Carnival Ride!

New York, NY, March 4, 2009 – Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced today that Eva Longoria, Carrie Underwood, Brooke Shields, Lauren Hutton and Anjelica Huston will appear in its Badgley Mischka® brand’s 20th anniversary celebration campaign. The 20th anniversary campaign will debut in April issues of magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. The campaign features the tagline, “Two Decades of Glamour,” symbolic of Badgley Mischka’s strong relationship with Hollywood over the past twenty years.

The campaign was shot by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. The ladies posed along with designers, Mark Badgley and James Mischka in classic Leibovitz style. Each of the women featured in the campaign is wearing Badgley Mischka couture eveningwear and accessories.

“I love Badgley Mischka for not only making the most beautiful gowns, but also for bringing together such strong, amazing women to celebrate 20 years of glamour and fashion. I am thrilled to be part of their special anniversary,” stated Carrie Underwood.

WHAT CAN I WIN?

The winner will have his/her story published on the homepage of the Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club site and will receive a stuffed animal autographed by Carrie!

HOW DO I ENTER?

Please submit your story via email to carrieunderwoodcontest@cliqueinc.com as an attached document. Please put “Carrie Underwood Birthday Story Contest” as the subject line and be sure to include your first and last name, site alias, and email within the body of the email. We will only be able to consider the first story received if multiple entries are submitted by a single entrant.

WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES?

Please submit only one story of 500 words or less per fan club membership. We will only be able to consider the first story received if multiple entries are submitted by a single entrant. All eligible stories will be reviewed and judged by management privately. The Winner will be chosen at the sole discretion of management. All submitted stories will become property of The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club and can be used by The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club for any purpose. Timing and method for delivery of prizes will be determined at the sole discretion of management. The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club reserves the right to publicly display all submitted stories at [www.CarrieUnderwood.fm] (https://www.carrieunderwood.fm/).

QUESTIONS?

All questions regarding this contest should be submitted to Customer Support at carrieunderwoodsupport@sparkart.com.

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. (EXCEPT PUERTO RICO) AND CANADA (EXCEPT QUEBEC) 13 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

1) CONTEST: Carrie Birthday Contest (the “Contest”).

2) CONTEST SPONSOR: Sparkart Group, Inc., Fur Ball Inc., and their respective affiliates and subsidiaries, advertising and promotional agencies, suppliers of prizes, material and services related to this Contest (collectively, “Sponsor and its Agents”).

3) INTRODUCTION: For good and valuable consideration (including, without limitation, the possibility of publicity), the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, you are submitting certain design(s), illustrations, logos, artwork, photographs, videos, animation, writings, proposed product and/or brand names, idea(s), concept(s), communication(s), programming code, and/or other material(s) (the “Submission”) as part of your entry to the Contest upon the following express understandings and conditions.

4) ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the U.S. (except Puerto Rico) and Canada (excluding Quebec) 13 years of age or older. An entrant who is a minor in his/her state or province of residence must have the signed, written consent and all required paperwork completed by his/her parent or legal guardian in order to participate. Sponsor and its Agents and members of their immediate families and people living in the same household of each are not eligible. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Contest Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest.

5) TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. NO ENTRY FEE, PAYMENT, OR PROOF-OF-PURCHASE IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST.

(a) Online Entries: Go to the “Contests” section of the fan club website, follow the “How to Enter” instructions, and click on the “Enter Contest” button. If online entry is not available, please enter via email or regular mail, as described below.

(b) Email Entries: Send an email with all required information (and with the Submission attached, if applicable) to carrieunderwoodcontest@cliqueinc.com. If email entry is not available, please enter via online entry, as described above, or via regular mail, as described below.

(c) Mail Entries: Mail a business envelope containing your Submission (if applicable) and entry hand printed or typed with your full name, shipping address, telephone number with area code, email address, and username to: The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club, c/o Carrie Birthday Day Contest P.O. Box 8639, Emeryville, CA 94662.

All entries (whether submitted online, by email or mailed) must be received by March 6, 2009, 12:00 PM PST, regardless of method of entry. No facsimiles or mechanically reproduced entries (other than the electronic transmission of the online entry or entry via email) will be allowed. Limit one entry per person regardless of method of entry. In the event that there is more than one entry for the same person, Sponsor and its Agents may disqualify that person. Each entry must be mailed in a separate outer mailing envelope. Sponsor and its Agents are not responsible for incomplete, lost, late, stolen, damaged, illegible, misdirected or postage due entries. Sponsor and its Agents reserve the right to cancel, terminate, or modify any entry not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, force majeure, or technical failures of any sort. Upon submission, all entries and Submissions (if applicable) become the property of Sponsor and its Agents and will not be returned.

6) CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest commences on or about Friday, February 27, 2009 at 3:00 PM PST and ends on Friday, March 6, 2009 at 12:00 PM PST. (the “Contest Period”).

7) SUBMISSION TERMS AND CONDITIONS; SPONSOR’S OWNERSHIP AND USE OF SUBMISSIONS; YOUR AGREEMENT TO UNRESTRICTED USE: By entering your Submission into this Contest, you hereby grant, transfer and convey to the Sponsor and its Agents all rights, title and interests in and to the Submission, including but not limited to the irrevocable, royalty-free right to trademark, copyright, reproduce, encode, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, publicly perform, adapt, exhibit and/or otherwise use or reuse (without limitation as to when or to the number of times used) your Submission (as submitted or as edited/modified in any way by the Sponsor and its Agents, in the sole discretion of the Sponsor and its Agents) on the The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club website, in concerts, for television, motion pictures, in home video copies, and in other media, whether now known or hereafter invented, throughout the world for any purpose whatsoever, without limitation, and without additional review, compensation, or approval from you or any other party.

a. You acknowledge and agree that you have no right of approval or consultation with respect to Sponsor and its Agent’s use of the Submission.

b. You agree to provide the Submission at no cost to Sponsor and its Agents or any other party.

c. You represent and warrant, and agree to further do so in writing, that you possess all necessary rights and authority to grant, transfer and convey to Sponsor and its Agents all the rights herein granted.

d. You represent and warrant, and agree to further do so in writing, that the Submission is wholly original with you and does not and will not violate the right of privacy or publicity of, or constitute a defamation against any person or entity and that it does not and will not infringe upon or violate the copyright, contract rights, proprietary rights, or common law rights or any other rights of any other person or entity.

e. You represent and warrant, and agree to further do so in writing, that the Submission has not been entered into a previous contest or has received any awards and has also not been published previously in any medium.

f. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor and its Agents and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, parent companies, subsidiaries and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, demands and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or resulting from possession or use in any manner of the Submission.

8) WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: One (1) winner will be chosen, at the sole discretion of Sponsor and its Agents, who will review and judge the Submissions privately. Winners will be notified by email and/or telephone on or about March 9, 2009 and potential winners may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release (where lawful) within 7 days of the date of notification, in which the winner will acknowledge that the Submission is a “work for hire” and will irrevocably transfer to the Sponsor and its Agents any and all rights, title, goodwill and interest in and to the Submission, including without limitation, all copyrights, trademarks and waive all moral rights in such Submission. If the Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release (where lawful) is not received within 7 days of the date of notification, the prize may be forfeited (at the sole discretion of Sponsor and its Agents) and an alternate winner selected. Sponsor and its Agents reserve the right to require a potential winner to submit to a confidential background check to confirm eligibility and help ensure that the use of any such person in advertising or publicity will not bring the Sponsor and its Agents into public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule or reflect unfavorably as determined by the Sponsor and its Agents in their sole discretion. A winner who is a minor in his/her state or province of residence must have all required paperwork completed and signed by his/her parent or legal guardian within the time period specified above, or the prize may be forfeited (at the sole discretion of Sponsor and its Agents) and an alternate winner selected.

9) GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION: Sponsor and its Agents reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual deemed to be (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the contest or any website of the Sponsor and its Agents; (b) violating the Official Contest Rules; (c) violating the terms of use, conditions of use and/or general rules or guidelines of any web site, fan club, or other service, or (d) acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another entrant, Sponsor and its Agents, or any other person. Any attempt by any person to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.

10) PRIZES: One (1) chosen winner will receive a stuffed animal autographed by Carrie. There is no retail value associated with this prize. Sponsor and its Agents make no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the appearance, performance or safety of any prize awarded. Limit of one prize per person, household and address. Prizes will be delivered only to addresses in the United States or Canada. The timing and method of delivery of the prize will be determined at the sole discretion of Sponsor and its Agents. Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable may result in the prize being forfeited and an alternate winner selected. The winner shall bear all risks of loss or damage to prize after it has been delivered. No prize substitutions or cash equivalents are allowed, except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor and its Agents. Prizes may not be transferred. All federal, state, and local taxes associated with the receipt of any prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. If the prize includes the online posting of materials, including but not limited to photos, text, audio, video, animation, graphic art, illustration, etc., then the location and duration of such posting will be determined solely by Sponsor and its Agents. Prizes for which a minor has been selected may be awarded to his/her parent or legal guardian.

11) GENERAL: Sponsor and its Agents reserve the right to cancel or modify the Contest if fraud, technical failures, or any other factor impairs the integrity of the Contest, or for any other reason or for no reason, as determined by the Sponsor and its Agents in their sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor and its Agents reserve the right to (but are not required to) award the prizes at random from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment or cancellation. By entering, you: (a) agree to release the Sponsor and its Agents from all liability, injuries, loss and/or damage of any kind arising from your participation in the Contest and the acceptance, possession and use/misuse of any prize; (b) agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and its Agents; and (c) give your express permission to be contacted by Sponsor and its Agents by email, mail or phone. By submitting an entry, you further consent to the use of your name, address, image, voice, likeness, statements, biographical material, as well as any additional photographic images, video images, portraits, interviews or other materials relating to you and arising out of your participation in this Contest (with or without using your name) in any media, whether now known or hereafter invented, throughout the world for any purpose whatsoever, without limitation, and without additional review, compensation, or approval from you or any other party (except if winner is a resident of Tennessee or where otherwise prohibited by law). If you are selected as a winner, prior to receiving the prize, you must agree to sign an affidavit to such effect, unless the winner is a resident of Tennessee or otherwise where prohibited by law. Each winner is responsible for all federal, state and local taxes applicable to the acceptance and use of his/her prize. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. The Contest is governed by laws of the United States and all claims must be resolved in the United States. You further agree that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest or any prizes awarded shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California or the appropriate California State Court located in San Francisco County, California. Should any of the provisions of the Official Contest Rules be found to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, that portion shall be deemed severed or restricted and the remainder of the Contest Rules shall remain in full force and effect. The failure of Sponsor and its Agents to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

12) RELEASE: You release, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless, Sponsor and its Agents, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against all claims (know and unknown), liabilities, injuries, death, loss and/or damages of any kind arising from your participation in the Contest or the acceptance, possession or use or misuse of the prize. You assume all risks associated with the Contest or use or misuse of the prize, and you agree that the Released Parties will not be responsible or liable for any injury, harm, death, damages, costs or expenses.

13) WINNERS LIST & OFFICIAL RULES: The user name of the winner will be posted on the News section of The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club website after eligibility is confirmed. To obtain the name of a winner, send a request via email to carrieunderwoodcontest@cliqueinc.com or mail a letter request and self-addressed stamped envelope to: The Official Carrie Underwood Fan Club, c/o Carrie Birthday Contest P.O. Box 8639, Emeryville, CA 94662. Requests must be received by March 17, 2009. To obtain a copy of these Official Contest Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address, Attn: Rules Request, Carrie Birthday Contest.

© 2009 Sparkart Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Contest entrants are hereby authorized to copy these Official Rules on the condition that it will be for the entrant’s personal use and not for any commercial purpose whatsoever.