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Miranda Lambert stays busy and likes it that way
BY JON FERGUSON, Staff Writer
Miranda Lambert, the "Fastest Girl in Town," is showing no sign of slowing down as she and Dierks Bentley have launched the "Locked & Reloaded Tour," which brings them to Reading's Sovereign Center for a show tonight.
Lambert has become one of country's music's biggest stars since she released the album "Kerosene" in 2003.
An accomplished singer and songwriter and an electrifying performer, Lambert has recorded hit songs like "Gunpowder & Lead," "The House That Built Me," "Heart Like Mine" and "Over You."
She has won a Grammy Award and numerous CMT Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards.
As if her solo career wasn't enough, Lambert, 29, who is married to fellow country star Blake Shelton, last year launched the band the Pistol Annies with her friends Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley. The trio's debut album, "Hell on Heels," went to No. 1 on Billboard's country chart.
Lambert recently took some time from her busy schedule to answer a few questions via email.
ENTERTAINMENT LANCASTER: What makes the combination of you and Dierks Bentley a good time for a concert-goer?
MIRANDA LAMBERT: Dierks and I have been friends for a while, and we have had a lot of fun touring together in the past. We are known for our distinctive music styles, but I think they are complementary and that our audiences have a lot in common, too. We are ready to bring Thomas Rhett along and come have a blast with our fans in Reading!
EL: Have you changed the show much as you transition from 2012 to 2013?
ML: The set for the "Locked and Reloaded Tour" is totally different than last year's "On Fire Tour." There will be different lighting and other exciting visual elements that I've never used before. I have made a new set list for the beginning of 2013, but as always, I like to include songs from all four of my albums, focusing on my newest music, such as my current single, "Mama's Broken Heart." I like to throw in unexpected, rockin' cover songs, too. Expect the unexpected and to hopefully have a lot of fun.
EL: So far in your career you've released an album every other year. Can we expect a new album in 2013? Given how busy you were last year, have you been able to write many new songs?
ML: My trio, Pistol Annies, just finished recording our second album, so definitely look for it in 2013. We can't wait to share more of our tell-it-like-it-is stories that we've heard called "music for housewives." Angaleena, Ashley, and I have been writing since "Hell on Heels" came out in 2011, and we really kicked it into high gear this past fall. Throughout all my Pistol Annies' writing, I have started writing a little for my new album, but there aren't a lot of firm plans for it yet.
EL: What do you get from the Pistol Annies that you don't get as a solo artist?
ML: I love sharing the stage with my two talented, lovely friends, Ashley and Angaleena. It takes some of the pressure off me! They are amazing singer-songwriters, and when we get together, we always have a good time and create pretty original art. Our songs express things that most women think but just won't say. It's kind of a different vibe from my solo music, so it is great being able to be adventurous and to get Ashley and Angaleena's voices heard.
EL: For you, what makes a good song? Also, what song do you wish you had written?
ML: Two of my favorite songwriters are Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn. They have a no-holds-barred approach to tell real-life storytelling in their music, and their songs are timeless because of that authenticity. The songs that I pick from other writers to record on my albums are ones that I wish I had written because I only want to sing songs that feel real to me personally. "The House That Built Me" is probably the best example of that. Even though I didn't have a hand in writing it, I feel like it draws on my past perfectly.
EL: Do you and Blake Shelton have any plans to tour together?
ML: We don't have any current plans, but if the right time comes along, I think Blake and I would be open to touring with each other.
jferguson@lnpnews.com
Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley
Locked & Re-Loaded Tour
Tonight at 7:30. $28-$52.75
Sovereign Center
700 Penn St., Reading
(610) 898-7469
www.sovereigncenter.com
www.ticketmaster.com
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