Carrie Underwood’s gift hits write note with museum

Here's the rest of the story we had mentioned earlier this week, as reported now by NewsOK.com...

Checotah native donates original sheet music of a song she co-wrote

MUSKOGEE — Country music superstar Carrie Underwood has donated original sheet music of her song "I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore” to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The hall of fame unveiled the gift from the Checotah native Thursday evening at the hall of fame and museum, where officials also talked about plans for a multimillion-dollar expansion and statewide music trail.

Underwood, keyboardist Rocky Frisco and yodeler Ramona Reed were inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in September.

Underwood said then, "This is where we all come from. This is where we all call home. So the fact that throughout all our lives and careers, the fact that we’ve had this amazing state behind us is a wonderful feeling.”

Underwood co-wrote "I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore” for her 2005 debut album, released six months after she won "American Idol.”

The sheet music, framed with her signed photo and dedication to the hall, will be displayed immediately at the museum’s home in the historic Frisco Depot.

"It’s astounding what Carrie Underwood has done for us,” said Andrea Chancellor, hall of fame board member. "She has remembered us by putting together a true piece of art that shows her tie to Oklahoma.”

Board President Max Boydstun said the gift is the kind of artifact he can imagine going into a Carrie Underwood exhibit in the planned museum expansion.

>> More on the planned Oklahoma Music Trail at NewsOK.com

ETA: Carrie formally donated the sheet music for "I Ain't In Checotah Anymore" on Thursday night at a dinner at the museum.