Carrie Underwood Enshrined in People’s Choice

Carrie Underwood attends The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards - Press Room The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA January 07, 2009 B) Tony DiMaio / Retna Ltd.

Jan. 8, 2009 — On a night in which country music had a significant presence at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, Carrie Underwood topped all musicians at the 35th annual People’s Choice Awards, claiming three trophies Wednesday night.

She won Favorite Female Singer, "Last Name" took Favorite Country Song, and Carrie was also tabbed Favorite Star Under 35, a category introduced to mark the 35th anniversary of both the People’s Choice ceremony and People magazine.

"Thank you so much," the former "American Idol" winner said in accepting her honors. "God has blessed me with a wonderful life, a wonderful career and the most amazing fans I could ever dream for. People being fans and people voting for me are what gave me a career in the first place, and it’s so amazing that they continue to support, come out to concerts, buy albums and of course give me People’s Choice Awards. It’s been an amazing night. Thank you so much, and God bless."

Carrie joined Rascal Flatts provided the only full-fledged musical performances on the show. She delivered "I Know You Won’t," a dramatic ballad that started out as a sparse piano-and-vocal piece and ended with a full band and string section. The song appears on her Carnival Ride album, which thus far has yielded three hits.

Rascal Flatts claimed Favorite Group, and Kid Rock’s "All Summer Long" — which reached the Top 5 in the country charts in 2008 — earned Favorite Rock Song.

"What a surprise," he deadpanned. "I’ve always said that I don’t do what I do to prove the critics wrong. It’s too easy. What I do is I love music, and I do it to prove the people who like it right."

Jewel also appeared on the show in a segment in which a fan received a free makeover.

Country also had other tangential connections to the awards. "Dancing With The Stars," the ABC show that launched Julianne Hough, won Favorite Reality/Competition Program. Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed June Carter Cash in the 2005 film Walk The Line, earned Favorite Female Movie Star. Katherine Heigl, the sister-in-law of Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, delivered the acceptance speech when 27 Dresses was tabbed Favorite Movie Comedy. And Jordin Sparks — fresh from back-to-back Nashville sets on Sunday and Monday that had her on stage with Vince Gill, the Time Jumpers, Brad Paisley and Phil Vassar — shared Favorite Combined Forces with Chris Brown for "No Air."

Between the fan votes and Carrie’s triple win, Jordin’s acceptance speech seemed apropros: "I feel like I’m on ‘Idol’ again!"

The Batman movie The Dark Knight won in five categories.