Miranda Lambert is pleased to have been honored with the Country Icon Award at the People’s Choice Country Awards 2024.

The “Wranglers” singer, 40, thanked her fans and reflected on her decades-long music career while accepting the award, which was presented to her by a fellow country star Parker McCollum. (McCollum, 32, collaborated with Lambert on “Santa Fe,” one of the breakout tracks from her latest album. Postcards from Texas.)

“It’s so strange for me to stand here and hold up an icon award. I mean, for me, it’s an icon that I grew up with,” she said while accepting the award at the Grand Ole Opry on Thursday, September 26. “My father played Jerry Jeff Walker, Merle Haggard, Guy Clark, John Prine. These are my icons. The fact that I’m receiving this award tonight is just overwhelming.”

The three-time Grammy winner added, “It’s a lot of years, tears, beer and Tito’s.”

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Reflecting on the “great memories” of her career, Lambert continued: “Twenty years later and some days I feel like I’ve been doing it 200 years and some days I feel like I’m just getting started “Thank you to the most loyal fans in the world, the country fans. Thank you to God and all my friends, my country music community for allowing me to do this great job. I’m so excited for what’s next.”

Before accepting her award, Lambert attended the event with her husband Brendan McLoughlin – stuns in an all-black ensemble while performing her hits “Kerosene” and “Dammit Randy.”

In addition to receiving the Country Icon Award, Lambert was nominated for two awards during Thursday night’s show – Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year – but lost both categories Lainey Wilson And Dasharespectively.

In August, it was announced that Lambert would receive the award at the second annual PCCAs, hosted by country music legends Shania Twain.

“Miranda Lambert’s groundbreaking albums have been a tour de force in country music for more than 20 years and continue to capture the hearts of fans around the world.” Jen Nealsaid the executive vice president of live events and specials at NBCUniversal Entertainment in a press release. “We are delighted to recognize her career, strong individualism and innovation in the industry with the Country Icon Award.”