Miranda Lambert On How ‘Three Chords and the Truth’ Built a Country Empire
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Twenty-one years after Miranda Lambert’s debut album “Kerosene,” the country music icon is reinventing herself again. Her new album “Crisco” is a blend of country and disco and brings a whole new sound to Lambert’s narrative lyrics.
Early in her career, Lambert said she was living and breathing the deeply emotional songs she wrote – many of which helped thrust her to the top of the charts. While it was cathartic, it was also exhausting.
“I have gotten a little older and been doing this for so long, I’ve realized that you don’t have to live every song you write. I’ve done enough. I can go pull from that. There’s a deep well there.”
In “Crisco,” she strikes a playful tone. “It was honestly one of the most fun times I’ve had in the studio, because most of the songs are feel good,” Lambert said about writing “Crisco,” and working with producer Jesse Frasure.
WATCH: Miranda Lambert on her career and ‘Crisco’
At first, Lambert only planned to create an EP. But, after writing the first few tracks, she said she decided to go “whole hog on it” (as they say in Texas). The record pays tribute to the country’s biggest legends. “There’s some really good Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline tear-in-your-voice songs, but it was super fun.”
Before the end of her New York City press tour, the three-time Grammy winner pulled up a barstool at The Manner hotel in SoHo to talk about it with L.A. Times Studios’ Faith Pinnow about the new album, which comes out on October 2.
“It starts with a song, and I always try to remember that. Like, I don’t have anything else around if I don’t have the songs, because the art is what drives everything in my life,” Lambert said, explaining how “three chords and the truth literally have built my beautiful life.”
Behind the scenes at the interview (Aigli Drakou)
The concept for the interview itself started with a song. In July, L.A. Times Studios’ Faith Pinnow was in Miami covering a World Cup match with her producer Harrison Malkin. On the last night of their trip, Faith played Harrison “Waxahatchie” from Lambert’s “The Marfa Tapes” album.
That night in Miami, Faith told Harrison that it would be a dream come true for her to talk to Lambert. Days later, Harrison emailed Lambert’s team to see if he could schedule an interview. They said yes, and revealed that her album “Crisco” would be dropping in the fall.
“The Marfa Tapes,” which came out nearly a decade ago, was one that Faith and her mom listened to relentlessly when they moved from Texas to California. It was recorded entirely outside and if you listen closely, you can hear the whipping West Texas wind in between the harmonies of Lambert and her long-time collaborators Jack Ingram and Jon Randall.
When Faith’s mom, Alwyn, passed away in 2023, the “The Marfa Tapes” became a touchstone – connecting her back to the people and place that she called home.
Check out “Crisco” in full here: https://ml.lnk.to/CriscoPR
And watch the music videos for “Crisco” and “Till The Going’s Gone” here:
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Host: Faith Pinnow
Producer: Harrison Malkin
Director of Photography: Christopher Yang
BTS / Photography: Aigli Drakou
Gaffer / B-Cam Operator: Vaishali Sahu
Sound Mixer / Boom Operator: Grace Linstrom
