Nashville newcomer Miranda Lambert fanned the flames of her music into a red-hot career with her debut country album, "Kerosene," and its title track single and video.

"The video for my current single, 'Kerosene,' tells the story of a girl who finds out a guy has been cheating on her," Lambert said. "In order to completely burn his memory from her mind, my character gets to light things on fire with kerosene. Which was really fun for me - and it also made for a great video."

Lambert will perform for the first time at Nashville North USA in Taylorville on Saturday. TNT and the Dynamite Cowboys will be the opening act with guest Alisha Nicole.

"We're really excited about coming to Nashville North USA," Lambert said. "We love what we do, we're out there to have fun and entertain. People come to hear music to momentarily get away from their problems or everyday lives, and we're more than happy to provide that escape."

Lindale, Texas, native Lambert was first introduced to music through her father, Rick, a private detective who plays guitar and writes country songs.;during his spare time.

"I grew up on the songs of Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Merle Haggard and my dad," Lambert said. "We had music parties at our house on the front porch all the time.

"I was 10 years old and in the third grade when my parents took me to Dallas to see Garth Brooks. It was awesome. There I was in my braces screaming, 'Gaaaarrrth!' I was freakin' out."

Lambert, 21,.;first gained national attention when she won third place on the 2003 debut season of the country music talent show, "Nashville Star."

"I always say that 'Nashville Star' saved me from five more years in the honky tonks," Lambert says. "I was really worried in the beginning that I would get a record deal that would try and mold me into something other than who I am. But my record label is a big believer in what I do musically. They allowed me to be me, which made all the difference."

As a result, Lambert became the top-selling 2005 country debut artist with "Kerosene," which debuted as the No. 1 country album in the nation..;The accomplished and prolific songwriter wrote or co-wrote 11 of the album's 12 cuts, including its three singles, "Me and Charlie Talking," "Bring Me Down" and "Kerosene."

"I aspire to be known as a singer and songwriter that makes people think and feel," says the 2005 CMA Horizon Award nominee. "If I can do that, as well as create records that people enjoy, then I would consider myself to be successful."

Lambert finished in mid-October as the opening act on Keith Urban's "Alive in '05" tour and has been invited to join George Strait for his tour of 25 cities in the United States and Canada beginning in mid-January and running through June.

"I'm so honored that George would take a chance on a new artist like me," Lambert said. "I feel kind of like the little girl whose daddy just said, 'I'm proud of you, you're gonna make it, kid.'

"I've admired him my whole life, and as a singer/songwriter from Texas it's like winning the lottery."

WHO: Miranda Lambert.

WHERE: Nashville North USA, Taylorville.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.

TICKETS: $25; call 287-2103.

ON THE WEB: www.mirandalambert.com.