A night to remember! Miranda Lambert kicked off the 2021 Country Music Awards on Wednesday, November 10, with a killer rendition of her greatest hits.
Lambert performed a medley of “Kerosene,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Bluebird,” “Little Red Wagon” and “Gunpowder & Lead.” The “Bluebird” singer also celebrated her 38th birthday at the Nashville awards show, which she attended with husband Brendan McLoughlin.
Lambert — who is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year — sat beside her “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” duet partner Elle King post-performance.
“I am opening the show this year, so I can’t tell you much other than that. Some surprises,” the Casa Rosa owner teased on Monday, November 8, in a CMAs video. “I’m also done at 7:05 p.m., so I get to sit and enjoy my night, which is amazing.”
The “Mama’s Broken Heart” singer’s three 2021 nods bring her total to 58 throughout her career. That number makes Lambert the third-most nominated artist in CMA history.
“I’m so thankful to still be coming to the CMAs. It’s been, like, a decade and a half [that] I have gotten to be a part of it,” she said on Monday. “It never gets old. It’s also one of those nights where you get to reunite with friends. It’s a really cool night.”
Looking back, the “Tequila Does” songstress revealed that her past Album of the Year win is a “huge one” for her, because she puts “so much” into each record.
“It’s a whole lot of me coming out on tape,” Lambert explained in the CMAs teaser. “When I won for Album of the Year in 2010, it was a huge milestone for me. It’s the utmost compliment for a songwriter when your peers vote for your music.”
The “House That Built Me” singer has had a lot to celebrate recently, beginning with her husband’s 30th birthday on October 14. The next day, Lambert released “If I Was a Cowboy” as her latest single.
Later that month, Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe dropped their Pistol Annies Christmas album, Hell of a Holiday.
The Texas native was also inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26.
“It is truly one of the greatest honors of my life. I am beyond grateful to join such an amazing group of women,” Lambert captioned a series of photos from the special night via Instagram. “I’m still processing this and will be for a long time. Being part of this kick ass club has lit a new fire in me to keep pushing to be better. To keep learning new things and to hold on tight to the grit and determination it takes to achieve your goals.”
The Grammy winner continued: “I have a long way to go to be half as cool the 200 plus cowgirls that have also been inducted over the years but I’m ready for the journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the @cowgirlmuseum for trusting me with this honor. Thank you to my family and close friends for joining me to celebrate and to Eleanor Green for nominating me. My heart is full. 
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