With a tangled mess of blonde hair and a guitar in hand, country singer Miranda Lambert will pit stop at the Mullins Center on her “On Fire” tour tonight.
Lambert brings with her openers Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann. Young recently released his third studio album, “Neon” featuring singles “Tomorrow” and “You” – both of which appeared on the U.S. Billboard Country Songs chart at number one. Niemann’s 2010 album “Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury” shot to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums.
Lambert’s career took off in 2005 when she released her first major label record. After signing with Epic Records, Lambert released the album “Kerosene” which featured singles “Me and Charlie Talking,” “Bring Me Down,” “Kerosene” and “New Strings.” The album peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart, at No. 18 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and is certified platinum. Following the success of the album, Lambert was named the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist for 2007.
Her second album, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” also shot to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart upon its release in May 2007. As implied by the title, the album’s songs had an angrier message in them, but won Lambert the Academy of Country Music’s Album of the Year. The album also became certified gold.
Lambert toured for much of 2008, co-headlining a tour with country heavy hitter Blake Shelton, now her current husband. The two tied the knot in May 2011 in Texas, with Lambert clad in her mother’s wedding dress. Shelton helped Lambert co-write the second single off her latest album “Over You,” about his brother who was killed in a car accident when he was a teenager. Shelton also appears vocally on the track “Better in the Long Run,” from the same album.
In 2009, Lambert released her third album – “Revolution” – which became certified platinum. “Revolution” also won both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association (CMA) Album of the Year awards. Single’s “Heart Like Mine” and “The House that Built Me” hit the No. 1 peak position on the U.S. Billboard Country Singles chart.
In early Nov. 2011, Lambert released her fourth studio album, “Four The Record,” which debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard Top Country chart. The album also went Gold faster than any of her other records, which have all received either Platinum or Gold awards. With the high debut of the record, Lambert became the first country artist to have her first four albums debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart. “Four The Record” also hit number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, making it her highest charting album on the Billboard 200.
Shortly following the debut of “Four The Record,” Lambert went on to win the 2011 Country Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year for the second year in a row. In 2010, Lambert was nominated for a total of nine CMA’s, winning four for Song of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Last year brought Lambert her first Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her song “The House That Built Me.”
Lambert is not only known for her talent, but for her looks and attitude by the media. In 2008, Lambert was named the “Terrifying Woman of the Year” in Esquire’s Esky Music Awards and in 2009 Seventeen Magazine included her on their list of “Girls That Rock.” Critics also approve of Lambert’s looks as she has been featured on a variety of lists complimenting her. In 2009, she made People Magazine’s “100 Most Beautiful People” and in the following year, she appeared on Maxim’s Hottest Women of Country list.
Young, Niemann and Lambert will appear at the Mullins Center tonight, Feb. 16. Ticket prices range from $25.75 – $49.75.
Ashley Berger can be reached at [email protected].
