Miranda Lambert humble despite ACM success

The big award at Sunday’s Academy of Country Music awards is put to a public vote. If you go strictly by volume, the singer acknowledges, “I’m not there yet” in terms of the tickets and music sales of fellow nominees Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift.

They are, she says, “people who are out there making history.”

So it’s a perhaps a disconnect that the 27-year-old singer is the one going into the MGM Grand Garden ceremony with the most performing nominations with seven. (Zac Brown’s nine nominations top Lambert’s seven, but four of his are in writing and production categories.)

But she says Entertainer of the Year stands for “someone that has represented country music in an awesome way all year long. Somebody that has worked their butt off on the road. And the fans are the ones buying the tickets. They’re the ones that see the shows.”

While Lambert started 2010 as Paisley’s opening act, she was headlining her own arena tour by year’s end.

“We’ve actually had tons of ticket sales this past tour, so I feel like maybe I’m just feeling humble (to think) I don’t know if I should take it home yet.”

She also notes that her success has been more limited to country radio, while hits by Lady Antebellum and Swift cross over to pop formats.

“I have worked so hard to get to be a headliner. In that way, I do feel like I deserve to be in the category,” she says, adding with a laugh, “I’m going to get there eventually.”

Lambert rehearsed her new single, “Heart Like Mine,” several times at an ACM run-through at the MGM arena on Friday, before a round of quick interviews with reporters on the arena floor.

Everyone wanted to know if it was weird to have her fiance, Blake Shelton, co-hosting the show with Reba McEntire.

“He’s nervous, but he’s so quick and so great at ad-libbing. Probably too good at ad-libbing,” she said. “I told CBS, my advice for you is a three-second delay. You never know what’s going to come out of his mouth. And you might not want that on live television.”

She also acknowledged dieting all year to get into prime photo form for her May 14 wedding with Shelton in Texas.

“I’m really excited about the wedding,” she said. “We’ve spent a year planning, and everything’s in place. Just little details now. I’m kind of ready for it to get here. It’s like when you’re little and you know you’re going to Six Flags in a month. ‘I’m ready now!’ ”

The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards can be seen locally at 8 p.m. Sunday on KLAS-TV, Channel 8.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.