You say you want a ‘Revolution’.. Country star Miranda Lambert performs at Hanover Theatre
November 17, 2009
By Nancy Sheehan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Now, don’t you worry yourself one little bit. It’s really quite safe to go to the Hanover Theatre to see country star Miranda Lambert Thursday night. A heart-stopping performance will be your biggest risk.
Yes, her most popular song to date is called “Gunpowder and Lead,” and the title cut from her debut album, “Kerosene,” adds extra meaning to the term “torch song.” But Lambert, who turned 26 last week, says she has mellowed a few notches from the wild-eyed young thing who wrote those incendiary tunes at 18.
A mellower Lambert doesn’t mean a singer-composer who has lost her edge, however. Her new album, “Revolution,” has garnered rave reviews from critics across the board. It debuted, as had her previous two releases, at the top of Billboard’s country albums chart, making her one of three country artists since these kinds of records have been kept whose first three albums all landed the No. 1 spot on release day.
Add to that two Grammy nominations, a solo tour (of which the Hanover show is a part) and high-profile gigs as a special guest on superstar Brad Paisley’s tour, and her accomplishments rank in the impressive range.
Lambert takes it all in stride. She plays the part of the guitar-slinging blond bombshell on stage but, born and raised in Texas and now living in Oklahoma, she says she’s just a country girl underneath all the makeup, glitz and glitter. We had a chance to pose a few questions to her recently and believe she means that.
Q Many of your songs involve pain and strife — even guns. Do you believe life is good or basically a struggle?
A Excellent question, I think life is a good struggle. Nothing comes easy in life and people need to work hard to make it, no matter what one’s profession is. I love what I do and hope to get to continue making records and entertaining people at my concerts. Hopefully listening to the struggles in my songs, folks can forget about theirs for the hour and a half that they come to my show.
Q What is the best thing you did so far today? So far in your (still young) life?
A There are really too many best things to try and eliminate and come up with just one. However, I would say it’s sticking to my guns — sorry for the pun. Following my heart and making the kind of music I believe in and love. When you do something that is a little outside the box, it’s often scary to pursue that route, but I am glad I did.
Q How do you keep an even keel in such a competitive business?
A This may sound strange, but in country music a lot of artists are very supportive of one another. Yes it’s competitive, but truly it’s just like a large family. There is room for all kinds of artists, and as a group we make up a pretty diverse spectrum. I have a wonderful family that supports me and a great relationship with a good man, and if I have some downtime here and there I get to go home and just hang out with my animals on my farm in Oklahoma.
Q What do you do to get back up when you feel down?
A I write a song.
Q Critics seem to love “Revolution.” How did you feel when you read the first rave review?
A Ecstatic. Of course, I am thrilled that the critics love my album, but it’s equally important that my fans love my music. That’s what keeps them coming back to see me in concert.
Q You have had many successes. What is the biggest challenge you face now and how do you plan to deal with it?
A I think life is full of successes big and small, and every day almost presents a challenge. I am not sure what’s ahead. I just make music and continue to do it as long as I can.
Q You have said people can hear all sides of you on “Revolution.” How many sides are there and can you describe the main ones?
A I mean that I completely opened up to write this record and showed a very vulnerable side. The song “Heart Like Mine” is describing a lot of my life — my brother Luke is the smart one in my family! Everything except I don’t smoke cigarettes is taken from real life. Like every person, I have many sides. The main one would be “the performer” when I am on stage. I am there to entertain and show folks a good time. I love it when the fans sing along to my songs. The other side is the young girl home on the farm in Oklahoma, no makeup, hair in a ponytail, feeding my animals.
Q Which of those personality aspects are we most likely to meet up with on a given day?
A Good question, I would say it all depends where you see me. On the road about to do a show, you get the performer. On the street in my town in Oklahoma, you get the no-makeup girl buying food at the feed store.
Q At the very core, in essence, who is Miranda Lambert?
A An all-American girl just happy to be alive who gets to do what she loves.
Q Any marriage plans? (She has been romantically linked to country singer Blake Shelton.)
A When I have some, I will be sure to share.
Now, don’t you worry yourself one little bit. It’s really quite safe to go to the Hanover Theatre to see country star Miranda Lambert Thursday night. A heart-stopping performance will be your biggest risk.
Yes, her most popular song to date is called “Gunpowder and Lead,” and the title cut from her debut album, “Kerosene,” adds extra meaning to the term “torch song.” But Lambert, who turned 26 last week, says she has mellowed a few notches from the wild-eyed young thing who wrote those incendiary tunes at 18.
A mellower Lambert doesn’t mean a singer-composer who has lost her edge, however. Her new album, “Revolution,” has garnered rave reviews from critics across the board. It debuted, as had her previous two releases, at the top of Billboard’s country albums chart, making her one of three country artists since these kinds of records have been kept whose first three albums all landed the No. 1 spot on release day.
Add to that two Grammy nominations, a solo tour (of which the Hanover show is a part) and high-profile gigs as a special guest on superstar Brad Paisley’s tour, and her accomplishments rank in the impressive range.
Lambert takes it all in stride. She plays the part of the guitar-slinging blond bombshell on stage but, born and raised in Texas and now living in Oklahoma, she says she’s just a country girl underneath all the makeup, glitz and glitter. We had a chance to pose a few questions to her recently and believe she means that.
Q Many of your songs involve pain and strife — even guns. Do you believe life is good or basically a struggle?
A Excellent question, I think life is a good struggle. Nothing comes easy in life and people need to work hard to make it, no matter what one’s profession is. I love what I do and hope to get to continue making records and entertaining people at my concerts. Hopefully listening to the struggles in my songs, folks can forget about theirs for the hour and a half that they come to my show.
Q What is the best thing you did so far today? So far in your (still young) life?
A There are really too many best things to try and eliminate and come up with just one. However, I would say it’s sticking to my guns — sorry for the pun. Following my heart and making the kind of music I believe in and love. When you do something that is a little outside the box, it’s often scary to pursue that route, but I am glad I did.
Q How do you keep an even keel in such a competitive business?
A This may sound strange, but in country music a lot of artists are very supportive of one another. Yes it’s competitive, but truly it’s just like a large family. There is room for all kinds of artists, and as a group we make up a pretty diverse spectrum. I have a wonderful family that supports me and a great relationship with a good man, and if I have some downtime here and there I get to go home and just hang out with my animals on my farm in Oklahoma.
Q What do you do to get back up when you feel down?
A I write a song.
Q Critics seem to love “Revolution.” How did you feel when you read the first rave review?
A Ecstatic. Of course, I am thrilled that the critics love my album, but it’s equally important that my fans love my music. That’s what keeps them coming back to see me in concert.
Q You have had many successes. What is the biggest challenge you face now and how do you plan to deal with it?
A I think life is full of successes big and small, and every day almost presents a challenge. I am not sure what’s ahead. I just make music and continue to do it as long as I can.
Q You have said people can hear all sides of you on “Revolution.” How many sides are there and can you describe the main ones?
A I mean that I completely opened up to write this record and showed a very vulnerable side. The song “Heart Like Mine” is describing a lot of my life — my brother Luke is the smart one in my family! Everything except I don’t smoke cigarettes is taken from real life. Like every person, I have many sides. The main one would be “the performer” when I am on stage. I am there to entertain and show folks a good time. I love it when the fans sing along to my songs. The other side is the young girl home on the farm in Oklahoma, no makeup, hair in a ponytail, feeding my animals.
Q Which of those personality aspects are we most likely to meet up with on a given day?
A Good question, I would say it all depends where you see me. On the road about to do a show, you get the performer. On the street in my town in Oklahoma, you get the no-makeup girl buying food at the feed store.
Q At the very core, in essence, who is Miranda Lambert?
A An all-American girl just happy to be alive who gets to do what she loves.
Q Any marriage plans? (She has been romantically linked to country singer Blake Shelton.)
A When I have some, I will be sure to share.
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