Following the release of “Play On,” her newest album topping the charts, Carrie Underwood has announced plans for a large US tour scheduled for the new year. The outing’s first leg will contain 45 dates and start in Reading, PA on March 11. The tour will continue until May 30 with a stop in Spokane, WA. Underwood’s country trek will feature Sons of Sylvia and Craig Morgan as special guests and will also stop in two Canadian cities.

“Play On,” the third album for Carrie Underwood, the former champion of American Idol, this week will make its debut at number one on the chart for US albums. It’s the spot that two years ago her sophomore album occupied. First week sales for “Play On” were 318,000 copies. That fell short of “Carnival Ride,” Underwood’s previous album, which during the first week after its release in 2007 sold 527,000 copies.

It’s time for the music award season to begin. On Monday the eligibility time period for the Grammy Awards of 2010 ends. Today it was announced that Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will be returning to host the Country Music Association Awards for 2009. On November 11 the CMA show will be airing live on ABC in the East Coast time zone.

While getting ready to go out with Keith Urban on a co-headlining tour, Carrie Underwood is also announcing dates for a North American outing of her own. The first six shows for her “Carnival Ride Tour” intertwine with her co-billing with Urban scheduled to kick off in Uncasville, CT on January 31. The headlining gigs for Underwood start in Wilkes-Barre, PA on February 18.

Confirmed dates are beginning to be reported for the US tour next year featuring Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. “Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour,” is scheduled for 24 cities. It is set to kick off on January 31 in Uncasville, CT for two nights. Other confirmed cities so far include San Jose, CA; Omaha, NE; and Roanoke, VA.

The former American Idol winner will be interviewed on the GAC show “Country Across America” on October 18. On October 20 she will perform “So Small,” her new single, on the GAC show “Opry Live.” This appearance will be part of the 82nd Birthday Bash Celebration for the Grand Ole Opry. On October 20 Underwood will also appear on the show “CMT Insider” to do an interview. On October 23 she will make an appearance on the show “Good Morning America,” as well as “GAC Nights.” On October 24 Underwood will be on “Live with Regis and Kelly” and on October 26 she will be on “CBS Early Show.”

Just as the previous champions of “American Idol” Fantasia Barrino, Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson did before she did, Carrie Underwood, 2005 winner of the American Idol crown, has signed with Arista Records for a recording deal. Underwood, who last week was crowned as the winner of the talent competition on the popular Fox TV show “American Idol,” will be releasing a debut full length album this fall.

Carrie Underwood, country singer from Oklahoma, has been awarded the American Idol crown for the 4th season’s American Idol talent show on Fox TV. In addition to being awarded with the title of “American Idol,” Underwood also received a recording contract along with private jet access and a car.