Ever since marrying country superstar Miranda Lambert early in 2019, New York City police officer Brendan McLoughlin has had to get used to spending time at awards shows and on red carpets occasionally.
Lambert says it’s been a pretty smooth transition, actually.
“It’s fun to bring a husband into this whole family that was from New York City and didn’t know a lot about country music,” the singer told People at the 2021 ACM Awards, which marked the superstar pair’s latest excursion into country music industry nightlife.
“He gives me new joy about it because he’s kind of bright-eyed and excited and ready to have fun!” Lambert adds. “It reminds me, like, how dang lucky are we? This is really fun.”
But it’s not all carefree glitz and glamor for McLoughlin, especially during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, when his wife and her fellow stars are working with a skeleton crew of their usual staff on the red carpet. In the absence of her usual entourage, Lambert says her husband has had to step in.
“Brendan was holding the jackets and the guitar case today, poor thing. I’m like, ‘Hey, thanks for coming to the ACMs, can you make me another drink?'” the singer jokes. “He loves it, actually. He’s super glam, like, he’s one of those ‘Dapper Dan’ type dudes.”
McLoughlin doesn’t have any problem with being enlisted as a helper for his famous wife’s red carpet events, Lambert insists. “Brendan’s a trouper. He’s just fun, and he’s a great date, no matter what we’re doing,” she says.
Still, she knows he’s hoping to up the flashiness even more once the pandemic passes. “He likes the whole glam part of it more than I do, so I think he’s a little sad that we’re not doing the whole real show thing with the red carpet, but I’m sure he’ll show up in a tailored jacket,” Lambert said ahead of the awards show.
She kept busy during the ACM Awards on Sunday night (April 18), performing not one but three times. Lambert and rocker Elle King opened up the show with their fast-paced “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)“; later on, she was also a last-minute fill-in for Chris Stapleton‘s wife and backing vocalist, Morgane Stapleton, during his “Maggie’s Song.” Then, Lambert kept the acoustic vibes going with “In His Arms,” a collaborative performance with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall, a song from their Marfa adventures.
2021 ACM Awards Show Photos:
The 2021 ACM Awards took place in Nashville on Sunday night (April 18). Luke Bryan was crowned Entertainer of the Year, while Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris were named Male and Female Artist of the Year, respectively.
The three-hour show was also packed with performances from Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Little Big Town and many more. Artists were at the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe, as well as on Lower Broadway, at the Station Inn and along the Nashville riverfront.
Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton co-hosted the show.
See Pictures From the 2021 ACM Awards Red Carpet:
The best dressed on the 2021 ACM Awards red carpet brought color — lots of color — for an awards show that promises to be a celebration. Photos show stars like Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Chris Young, Kane Brown and more wearing the hottest and often most expensive designer outfits, or suits they designed themselves, in the case of Jimmie Allen.
Check out a full gallery of country music’s hottest stars on the ACM Awards red carpet. Who do you think is best dressed and worst dressed?
The 2021 ACM Awards took place at the Bluebird Cafe, Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sunday (April 18).