Get to Know Shanna Underwood Means, Carrie Underwood’s Sister

Shanna Underwood Means is the sister of Carrie Underwood, an American singer who became famous after winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Shana, who is 54 years old, was born in 1970 and has become known for the fame of her younger sister, who is one of the greatest female country singers of her generation.

While it was through music that her sister brought fame to the family, Shanna is an elementary school teacher. This has not stopped her from being a well-known face among fans of Carrie Underwood and country music. However, not much is known about her life outside of her sister, even though there are many interesting things worth knowing about her.

How Old is Shanna Underwood Means?

Shanna Underwood is now 54 years old as she was born in 1970, although the exact date of her birth has not been made known. She was born in Checotah, United States of America, as the oldest of the three kids of her parents, Stephen Underwood and Carole Underwood.

Of American nationality and mixed ethnicity of German, Irish, Scottish, and English roots, she was brought up in a Christian family under the Baptist faith. Her childhood was a simple one, and she was raised together with her siblings, Stephanie U. Shelton and Carrie Underwood, on a farm in Checotah, Oklahoma.

The birth of Shanna came two years after her parents got married on April 19, 1968, but they have not shared with the public how they met and started dating. In April 2023, the couple celebrated their 55th year as a couple. While her mother had a career as an elementary school teacher, her father worked in a paper mill.

She Works as an Elementary School Teacher

Details about the educational pursuits of Shanna are not available in the public domain. However, it is believed that she trained to become a teacher as she has her career in the academic field, following in the footsteps of her mother by becoming an elementary school teacher.

While it is possible that she started teaching before the mid-1990s, records available show that it was around that period that she had her first known teaching job. She worked as a teacher at the Checotah Public School until 2000, when she left her hometown. The next place where she worked was at Liberty Public Schools, based in Mounds, Oklahoma.

A renowned teacher with many years of experience, she has been recognized for her efforts in educating kids. In 2012, she was awarded the Liberty Teacher of the Year and is now one of the most loved and respected teachers in the school.

Means is Married With Three Kids

More than just a happy child with a successful career, Carrie Underwood’s oldest sister is happily married to the love of her life, Martin Means. Shanna’s husband has always kept a better part of him private. Hence, information including his date of birth and career pursuits are not available.

More so, Shanna has not said anything about how she met her husband and how they finally got married. Nonetheless, it has been speculated that they married sometime in the late 1980s when she was in her late teens. More than three decades later, the couple is still very much together and happy.

Shanna’s marriage to Means is blessed with three amazing kids: Max Means, Breanna Means, and Cody Means. Her oldest child is her son Cody, born in 1988, making him 36 years old. He was followed by Breanna, who was born in 1991 and is now 33 years old. The youngest child of Shanna Means and her husband is Max. The youngster was born in 2007 and is now 17 years old.

Shanna Underwood Means Has Two Sisters

Shanna was not brought up as the only child of her parents. She has two younger sisters; Stephanie Underwood and Carrie Underwood.

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Stephanie is the second child of the family. She was born in 1973, three years after Shanna, and is now 51 years old. She has a very similar childhood to her older sister, who was also brought up on the farm. Like her sister, not much is known about her educational pursuits except that she attended Northeastern State University at some point.

Teaching seems to be one thing that runs in the family. This is because apart from Mama Carole and Shanna, Stephanie Underwood is also a teacher. She currently teaches Social Studies at Desert Oasis Elementary School. As regards her family life, Shannan’s sister is married, and she has a daughter named Sarah Carolein Cruz.

She shared the same dedication as her mom and sister to teaching, which is why, in 2022, she was crowned Teacher of the Year by the school, which is located in Surprise, Arizona.

The youngest sister of Shanna Underwood and the last child of the family is Carrie Underwood, who will not need so much of an introduction among followers of country music. She was born on 10 March 1983 and is now 41 years old. She is 13 years younger than Shanna and 10 years younger than Stephanie. 

Rather than following the same path as her sisters, Carrie chose the path of singing when she was a little girl. However, it was until 2005, when she was 22 years old, that she started professionally. Today, she is recognized as the highest-certified female country artist of all time and has sold more than 85 million records worldwide.

Some of her most popular albums include Some Hearts (2005), Carnival Ride (2007), Cry Pretty (2018), My Gift (2020), My Savior (2021), and Denim & Rhinestones (2022). Shanna’s sister has received many awards thus far, including 8 Grammy awards and sixteen Academy of Country Music Awards. She is the most decorated country artist of all time.

She Shares A Close Relationship With Her Mom and Sisters

Shanna, her mum, and sisters all have an amazing relationship and are very supportive of each other. The entire family has always rallied around Carrie, giving her all the needed support she has always needed to strive as a musician.

One strong indication of their closeness came in July 2023 when the sisters and their mom got matching tattoos. Carrie revealed in an Instagram post that their 74-year-old mom asked them to get matching tattoos, and they agreed. That was how they proceeded to have the paintings done in Las Vegas.

Describing themselves as the Underwood girls, the excited iconic country singer added that she would never have thought she would see a day when Mama Carole was going to get some ink, but it came true when they each had hearts drawn on themselves.