Miranda Lambert Says She's a Red Dirt Girl
When I interviewed Miranda Lambert for an upcoming feature about her new album, Revolution, our conversation ventured to her wide-ranging taste in music. "I love stuff that's not necessarily mainstream," she said. "I love mainstream stuff, too. I love it all, but I don't really know what draws me to people like Julie Miller and John Prine or Emmylou Harris or Gillian Welch. I don't know really what it is that makes me so infatuated and love them. I think it's just because it's real music. It's always real. They sing about real things. I just love the music. I just love finding new music."
In "The Airstream Song," a new track on Revolution, she refers to herself as a "red dirt girl." For people who didn't grow up around Oklahoma or Texas, I asked her how she'd describe that kind of girl. "I grew up in East Texas with red clay. She's someone who's country and that has strong roots in who she is and who's definitely down to earth," she said. "I took the ‘red dirt girl' from the Emmylou song, ‘Red Dirt Girl,' which is an amazing song."
Later I mentioned this line from the Dixie Chicks' song, "Heartbreak Town," about how hard it is to get a break in the business: "I've seen ‘em rise and I've seen ‘em fall/Some get nothin' and Lord some get it all." Asked if she could relate to that lyric, she replied, "I've seen a few rise and fall, but you know what's cool, too? There's room for everybody. There's room for every style because within country there are so many styles. It's getting more open-minded. Our industry's getting more opened to all kinds of country music."
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Jeff Dykhuis says:
That’s why i love Red Dirt music, so many different styles involved there too and Miranda fits in there just fine. Love her new album. Miranda is one of the few i still love in the Nashville mainstream, she has great taste in music, Buddy and Julie Miller, Fred Eaglesmith, Prine, great songwriters and musicians.
Trish says:
Miranda has risen in recent years. I think she is the 2nd most talented country female behind Carrie Underwood. The main thing that separates them is Carrie’s vocals which are outstanding.
Debbie W. says:
Miranda Lambert is the best country songwriter and live performer right now. Here’s hoping she is around for many years, and I truly believe she will be..! And “Revolution” is incredible!
Courtney says:
Trish, I think there is a lot more that separates Miranda and Carrie. Carrie is not much of a songwriter. She’s has a few songs here and there but her songwriting skills are nothing compared to Miranda. Miranda also has one of the most unique voices in Country Music. To me, this makes her above
Carrie. Don’t get me wrong, I think Carrie has an amazing voice, but Miranda’s songwriting skills are just incomparable to Carrie’s. I hope people soon see the talent Miranda has.
Robin says:
Carrie is a big fan of Miranda and has been pushing Miranda’s album in interviews. “Best” of the two I suppose depends on what aspect of an artist you prefer. I think they as a pair define what female country music is right now. You’ve got “the girl next door” and “the girl next door that’s a little honery”.
But, either way, this particular blog is not about Carrie. It’s about how awesome Miranda is and how she stands out - and that she does.
Shadow says:
Miranda says, “There’s room for every style because within country there are so many styles”.
All the Mainstreamers who keep coming on here complaining that Country is dead, or that it isn’t what it used to be, should listen to her. It might open up a whole new world of Country music to them that they never knew existed.
Redmaz says:
No Robin this blog is about more than Lambert. It about Red Dirt Music, Dixie Chicks, Gillian Welch, John Prine, Julie Miller too, and how it looks like Lambert was covering her tracks when it comes to Mainstream music. The “I love Mainstream stuff too” sounds like an after thought.
Shadow you are right, however most Mainstreamers don’t know about “ALL” of today’s music, and rarely ever go out of their comfort zone. It’s seems they wait for the music to come to them by way of…….”radio”. Of all places.
Beth Freeman says:
If we put Dolly and Emmylou in a blender in just the right proportions, we get Miranda–absolutely among the most talented singer/songwriters in the history of Americana. Frank picked another winner!