Carrie Underwood delivered an on-the-fly a cappella performance of “America the Beautiful” at the inauguration of President Trump on Monday (Jan. 20), due to some technical difficulties.
Her rendition has received his praise across the internet and among her country music peers, with many calling her a “pro” and a “class act.”
How Much Was Carrie Underwood Paid to Sing at Trump’s Inauguration?
While the country singer was invited to sing at the traditional transfer of power, she was not paid to perform.
Actually, no artists receive payment to sing at an official inauguration ceremony. It’s likely that travel expenses are taken care of, but an actual paycheck is not issued for performances.
That doesn’t mean she didn’t make money off of the momentous occasion, however.
As with many nationally televised events, Underwood saw a spike in album sales following her appearance. Songstats shows an uptick in her song streams on iTunes, as well as YouTube and her various social media channels.
Who Pays for Presidential Inaugurations?
Per the Federal Election Commission, a presidential inaugural committee is appointed by the president-elect every four years. This group is in charge of planning and funding every activity surrounding the inauguration, including the parade and the many balls and galas, but not the swearing-in ceremony itself.
The grand moment the president-elect takes the oath of office is planned and paid for by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
Inaugural committees are eligible to collect donations for these events. President Trump’s committee raised more than $170 million. The Presidential Transition Acts of 1963 and 2015 also grant the use of taxpayer funds for the ceremony.
Carrie Underwood has been, well, busy since winning Season 4 of American Idol in 2005. Since the confetti fell, the country singer has released nine albums and embarked on seven tours. She’s also tried her hand at acting and launched a handful of businesses.
Over the years she’s become one of the biggest success stories to come out of the show, winning countless awards and amassing a staggering net worth of over $100 million.
Keep scrolling to see 20 things Underwood has done since her time on the reality singing competition.
Carrie Underwood and her husband, Mike Fisher, owned a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom, 2-half-bathroom home in an affluent Nashville suburb called Brentwood. The 7,000-square-foot mansion features a wet bar, fitness center and tennis court, as well as a four-car garage, walk-out basement with heated marble floors and extra appliances, including a sub-zero fridge and wine fridge. That house is where Underwood suffered a devastating fall in 2017.
The couple sold the luxurious home for $1,410,000 in March of 2019, after they moved into the massive dream home that they had spent several years building from scratch.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker