Miranda Lambert Returns to Stage Following Surprise Marriage to Join Dierks Bentley in Nashville

Dierks Bentley brought out Miranda Lambert during his show at Nashville‘s Bridgestone Arena Friday night, for what was Lambert’s first public performance since announcing her surprise marriage last weekend.

During the show, Bentley brought out Keith Urban, who joined him on “The Mountain.” After that, he brought out Lambert, and the trio performed a stripped-down set together, reports The Tennessean. They sang “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “The Bottle Let Me Down,” Loretta Lynn’s “Blue Kentucky Girl” and the Dixie Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away.”

Lambert and Urban were not the only guest stars at Bentley’s show. Thomas Rhett joined Bentley in disguise for the opening act Hot Country Knights. Tenille Townes also performed before Bentley’s main set and was brought in to perform Elle King’s part in Bentley’s “Different For Girls” later.

Back on Feb. 16, Lambert announced her marriage to Brendan McLoughlin, a New York City police officer. Although the couple married in late January, she managed to keep it secret until she tweeted photos from the wedding two days after Valentine’s Day.

“In honor of Valentine’s Day I wanted to share some news. I met the love of my life. And we got hitched! My heart is full. Thank you Brendan McLoughlin for loving me for…. me,” Lambert wrote, adding a heart emoji and the hashtag “the one.”

Lambert and McLoughlin reportedly met in November, when Lambert was in New York City to perform on Good Morning America with her Pistol Annies bandmates Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe.

Three days after McLoughlin met Lambert, his son with ex-girlfriend Kaihla Rettinger was born. McLoughlin was also engaged to Jackie Bruno, but the engagement ended after Rettinger told Bruno about the baby when she was seven months pregnant, according to PEOPLE.

Lambert and McLoughlin are reportedly planning on keeping their relationship long-distance while Lambert tours and keeps her 400-acre Tennessee estate. McLoughlin is still working as New York police officer and has 50-50 custody of his 3-month-old son. In order to keep his job, McLoughlin reportedly has to have a New York state driver’s license and live in one of the city’s five boroughs or neighboring counties.

Since becoming famous overnight, McLoughlin was reassigned to a more “covert position,” according to TMZ. He was reportedly put on diver duty, meaning he takes his superiors around the city to wherever they need to go. He is a member of the Midtown South Precinct in Manhattan, which includes Times Square.

Lambert was previously married to fellow country star Blake Shelton from 2011 to 2015. She dated Anderson East and Turnpike Troubadours Evan Felker. Her next scheduled performance is on April 1 at Bridgestone Arena for Lynn’s birthday concert with Pistol Annies.

Photo credit: John Shearer/Getty Images for Essential Broadcast Media