2013 has been a seemingly non-stop year for Carrie Underwood, and one of her projects was joining a star-studded list of illustrious female artists who teamed with Willie Nelson for the October 15th release of his new album, To All the Girls. Carrie got to sing Willie’s classic “Always on My Mind” for the album, and she says that being invited to take part in the collection is one of the really cool things that she’s felt privileged to do this year. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• The 18-song collection finds Willie joined by a long list of luminaries from country and beyond, including not only Carrie, but also Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Alison Krauss, Norah Jones, and a host of others! Look for it at your favorite music seller, including here, on iTunes.
• To learn more about the album, as well as hear commentary from the participating artists, check out this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTqd1yLg6JI.
• Carrie is currently busy in preparation for her starring role as Maria in NBC’s three-hour live staging of The Sound of Music, based on the original musical. The very cool special will air on December 5th.
• Coming up in less than a month, Carrie will co-host The 47th Annual CMA Awards with Brad Paisley on November 6th. Carrie’s a three-time nominee this year, up for Female Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (for “Blown Away”), and Album of the Year for Blown Away, which includes four number-one hits in a row, including her recent smash, “See You Again.”
• And congratulations to Carrie on today’s news that she’s among the artists nominated for Favorite Female Artist — Country, at the 2013 American Music Awards! Fan voting is underway now at AMAVote.com, with this year’s show airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, November 24th, at 8pm, ET, on ABC. Carrie is currently a seven-time American Music Awards winner after her Blown Away album last year marked her fourth trophy for Favorite Album — Country, making all of Carrie’s albums AMA winners!

  Carrie Underwood talks about collaborating with Willie Nelson to record “Always on My Mind” for his new album, To All the Girls. (:54)
“Well, that was another thing that I was surprised at and amazed and happy that we got the call to, you know, maybe be a part of that. I’ve always loved that song, and it, to me, it was one that I could sing on, you know what I mean? I had some big, beautiful notes happening in it, so, going in to record, Willie had kind of already laid down his part, and I go in, and I’m thinking, ‘How’m I gonna harmonize with his Willie timing?’ He has these Willie-isms, right? He lays back and then he speeds up…it was a challenge (laughs) being in the studio trying to harmonize with him, but in the end, we got it, and I can’t wait to get the album, to hear it, surrounded by other incredibly talented artists, and Willie, as well! (laughs) Yeah!”