Steven Tyler says national anthem rendition was well thought out

(CBS/AP) Steven Tyler doesn't get why people criticized his version of the "The Star-Spangled Banner." He says he meant to sing it like that.

The Aerosmith frontman and "American Idol" judge endured plenty of jabs after his rendition of the national anthem at the AFC Championship game last month, but Tyler says he doesn't understand what all the fuss was about.

Pictures: Steven Tyler
Special Section: Super Bowl XLVI

"I don't know," he said. "As I said before, I put emphasis on, 'In the land of the free' and I went up," Tyler explained. "Oddly enough I hit the note so I don't know what they are talking about. I emphasized 'free' which was for freedom. It was well thought out prior to. I wasn't messing with American tradition."

Enduring negative criticism at that football game did not stop Tyler from enjoying pre-Super Bowl festivities with Carrie Underwood. The duo is in Indianapolis for CMT's "Crossroads," which brings acts from different genres together to perform. It's not the first time the two have sung together: They performed a duet at the Academy of Country Music Awards last year.

"I just love to sing and I love her stuff," Tyler said about Underwood.

The two rehearsed Thursday evening in North Greenfield, just outside of Indianapolis, ahead of their scheduled Saturday show (it will air the same night on the network). The former "Idol" champ says she enjoys working with the lively Tyler because he "makes everybody all warm and fuzzy."

Tyler is no stranger to Super Bowl Sunday. He performed the halftime show with Aerosmith in 2001. As for this year's halftime entertainment -- Madonna -- Tyler is a big fan. He told Access Hollywood, "I love that woman. She really gets the big picture."

Tyler recently got engaged to model Erin Brady.