Country darling Carrie Underwood brings 'Storyteller' tour to Wells Fargo Center

Carrie Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol back in 2005, but five superperforming LPs, a pile of Grammys, and numerous unforgettable singles later, you could argue that the 32-year-old sweetheart from Oklahoma is bigger than the show that gave her her start (as well as most of the other winners).

She's the crossover country artist that could - à la Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, and Faith Hill. Last fall's Storyteller is just as charming as the rest of her discography - folksy, twangy, and hewing to some classic country tropes: trucks, jealousy, gossip, and revenge. "Dirty Laundry" and "Church Bells" are worth the price of admission alone. It doesn't hurt that, in addition to those soaring pipes, she's got a million-dollar smile and seems like a genuine darling.

She chooses her songs (and cowrites some of them, too) based on what she likes from a radio experience. "I want 31/2-minute movies on the radio. I love that there's a beginning, middle, and an end, and it all makes sense," she has said.

"I just love songs about strong women . . . rooting for the woman and seeing that she does something powerful that she never thought she could do."

For the Storyteller Tour - Stories in the Round, Underwood is performing, literally, center stage, surrounded by the audience. The tour started in January in Jacksonville, Fla., and continues through May. It's no accident that the tour dates coincide with husband Mike Fisher's NHL Nashville Predators season, which gives the couple, who have an 11-month-old son, Isaiah, more shared time at home, according to tasteofcountry.com.

Carrie Underwood is to perform at 7 p.m. Monday at the Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. $42-$75.50. 215-336-3600, wellsfargocenterphilly.com.