Carrie Underwood‘s Play On Tour is hitting the road this week! The tour kicks off in Reading, PA, on Thursday the 11th, then travels to Albany, NY, for Friday and caps-off the weekend on Saturday in Providence, RI. While Carrie realizes a lot of people insist their tours are the best ever, she truly believes her Play On Tour “is the best one ever!” The reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year took a lot of time to help plan out the look and feel of the stage, all the while keeping one thing in mind — her fans. Carrie not only hopes that fans enjoy the show, but they also walk away feeling proud to be her fans. Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia join Carrie on the road as her opening acts. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• Turns out that Carrie and Craig have a grand ole connection — the Grand Ole Opry! Carrie and Craig, who were both inducted as members in 2008, are friends from running into one another backstage at the Opry — and from meeting him there, Carrie learned that Craig’s “always in a good mood” (something very important when out on tour!). (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Carrie also has a personal connection with Sons of Sylvia. Ashley, Austin, and Adam Clark (formerly known as The Clark Brothers who won FOX’s Next Great American Band) are longtime friends of Carrie — Ashley has also played in Carrie’s band — and the group is currently featured on her Play On album in a powerful collaboration called “What Can I Say.”
• In the middle of this leg of the tour, Carrie will be taking a break to head to Las Vegas to attend the ACM Awards. She’s nominated for 6 awards this year, including Entertainer, Top Female Vocalist, Album, Vocal Event (for “I Told You So” with Randy Travis), and a double nomination as co-writer and artist for her Song of the Year contender, “Cowboy Casanova.” The ACMs will broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 18th, on CBS Television.
• And be watching for Carrie on the cover of the new Country Weekly, as she talks tour, wedding, and much more! Look for her on the March 22nd issue, on sale Monday the 15th!
• For more Carrie info, head over to carrieunderwoodofficial.com.

  Carrie Underwood knows everyone says it, but she’s going to say it, too — and she means it! (:07)
“I know everybody talks about, like, their tour, their album, whatever, being like, ‘Oh, this is the best one ever, this is the best one ever.’ This is the best one ever!” (laughs)

  Carrie looks forward to singing her songs for the crowd and showing off her tour stage and all the cool things it can do. (:34)
“I feel like we have such a great album to tour off of, and you know, of course, all the favorites that everybody has heard and know the words to, and all the stuff that they want to hear me sing. But we’ve just got so much more on this one. We’ve got just a giant stage. Just, the feel is just huge. Moving parts on the stage. Stuff comin’ up out of the stage. You know, we have a different bag of goodies to play with, and it’s just a lot of fun. It’s gonna feel very big, which is cool.”

  When planning the tour, Carrie made sure the most important part of the concert was the fans! (:36)
“I think the fans are gonna be blown away by what we’re doing. And I think they’re gonna be proud to be fans, I feel, you know? They’re gonna be proud to be part of the team, ’cause that’s what they are. Whenever you’re thinking about things, you think about new ways to include them. Think about new ways to engage them, and things that you can do that make them a huge part of your tour. Not just people sitting out there watching you on your tour, but they’re in it with you. And I mean, we have different ways of doing that. I think they’re gonna be very involved and engaged, and hopefully very excited! And like I said, proud to be fans.”

  Carrie Underwood and Craig Morgan have a grand ole connection. (:18)
“Craig’s a great guy, and I’ve known him for a bit ’cause we’re both Opry people. We’re both Opry members. But I mean, we’re both at the Opry all the time, so I run into him quite a bit, and he’s always just sunny. He’s always got the sweetest disposition, and he’s always in a good mood.”