Photo: Gizelle Hernandez/ABC
Luke Bryan said fellow American Idol judge Carrie Underwood “took me by surprise” during a recent episode of the show.
Underwood, nicknamed “Jukebox Carrie” on Idol, sang a rendition of “Oklahoma!,” from the classic Broadway musical. She turned to Bryan and pointed out, “you’re musical theater. I’ve seen your documentary.”
Bryan took the stage in his high school musicals as he grew up in Georgia. He shared that part of his life in Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary, a docuseries that premiered in 2021 and takes a look at Bryan’s passion for music, his family and more. He beamed when Underwood said she’d seen the documentary, and said “day made” as he shared the clip on social media. Underwood, who is from Checotah, Oklahoma, shared the same moment and said: “OKIE-Carrieokie! Sing-a-long with us!”
Bryan and Lionel Richie returned to American Idol again after making their debuts at the judges’ table in 2018. They previously appeared on the competition show with pop icon Katy Perry, who has since departed. Underwood joined the show as a first-time judge in the current season, 20 years after her career-launching victory in 2005. Her highly-anticipated return also reunites her with longtime host Ryan Seacrest. Watch Bryan’s reaction to Underwood spotlighting his theater experience and documentary here: