While most of the action took place on the stage for the Academy of Country Music Awards last night, there were some backstage moments that gave some insight into the artists” off-stage life, including how reigning male and female vocalists of the year, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, plan to spend their one-year anniversary. (Relive the ACMs with our live blog)
*Taylor Swift, who snared the fan-voted Entertainer of the Year award, contemplated how to reward her adorable Scottish Fold cat, Meredith, who appeared in this video Swift made soliciting votes. “What should I give her? Milk or something to celebrate? Is that what they do?,” she asked reporters in the press room. Someone smartly suggested tuna, which seemed like a winner to Swift. “We should celebrate. The cat definitely helped with the viral video. I don”t think she knows that she helped, but I”m excited about it.” Swift added she is “intensely” writing the new record now, her follow-up to “Speak Now.” “I hope it”s good. Keep your fingers crossed.. I would love it if it was good.”
*On the eve of “The Voice”s” return to live shows (following the taped blind auditions) ACMs co-host Blake Shelton joked about his relationship with fellow “Voice” mentor Maroon 5″s Adam Levine and the pair”s appearance on the cover of People Magazine last week. “Adam and I were both cracking up about it,” he said. He”s not a fan of the term “bromance,” but fully confessed,” I do think [Adam”s] very sexy and attractive.” Hmmmm, today came reports that Levine and his model girlfriend had split…. Was Blake a third party? Additionally, we”re not sure sure that Shelton was joking when he said co-hosting the ACMs with Reba McEntire was totally cramping his partying: ” I”m also trying to get fired. I”m longing for the days…where I was just the guy out in the audience, drinking my face off. It”s hard for me to have this type of responsibility and be professional…at some point, you”ve got to be a wastoid. That”s what people expect of musicians and celebrities and stars and I”m ready to step back into that role of being wasted all the time.”
*After winning album of the year for her last three albums, including last night”s victory for “Four The Record,” Miranda Lambert said she”s happy stopping at three. “I really wanted this really bad but I”m good now. I don”t need to win another ACM ever, I”m so thankful, I don”t want to be greedy. Winning female [vocalist] is a complete shock, I”m humbled, but I do believe a time come with certain awards when you pass the torch and I”m ready to do that.” As her first anniversary with husband Blake Shelton nears, she says don”t expect a romantic date for the two: “I think he”s going to be at ‘The Voice,” and so I think I”m going to be home [alone] with the dogs.”
*Even though he”s out touring with Brad Paisley on the weekends, “American Idol” champ and high school senior Scotty McCreery, who won best new artist, said he”s not quite ready to fly the coop permanently. That”s why he decided to stay close to his hometown of Garner, N.C. and attend North Carolina State University next year in Raleigh. “My dad went there. I”m 18. I”ve still got a lot of learning to do. I”m not sure if I”m ready to make the move away from home. For right now, it”s the best spot for me,” he said. He added that he may look at transferring after two years to a college in Nashville. Regardless, any university will have to work around his schedule. “We”re going to work my college around the road,” he said, saying he”d only have classes two days a week.
*Lady Antebellum”s Dave Haywood, who announced his engagement recently, has gotten some good wedding advice from his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley, both of whom tied the knot over the last few years. “I have asked [Hillary] a couple of things: What did you do for the flowers? Charles has been married a couple of years. I do get male and female perspective on wedding planning, it”s all encompassing,” he said. Kelley added that he has also given some musical advice: “I told him if he has live music [at the reception], they have to know how to play ‘Mustang Sally” and ‘Let”s Stay Together”.”
*After years of struggling, the Eli Young Band broke through in a major way with song of the year, “Crazy Girl.” Lead singer Mike Eli said the band members” wives were just as happy about their victory as they were. “They were crying more than we were. We cried a lot. They”ve been with us through the struggles, they”ve seen the hard times. There were times we didn”t have vehicles. We all lived in one house. There have been some rough moments.”
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