Sophia Michaels
Inhaling the sweet berry and rose-scented breezes and wandering through Main Street shops with names like Guns and Guitars is sure to leave its mark on a girl who dreams of lighting up the stage with her own brand of country storytelling. Raised in hardscrabble circumstances in Lindale, Texas, Miranda Lambert seemed to know instinctively from an early age that her diligence would pay off someday.
In fact, Lambert played the local circuit of talent competitions and fairs, and she made an appearance on Johnny Highs Country Music Revue, a local Texas variety show, before landing a spot on the career-changing Nashville Star in 2003. Although she finished third in the national country singer/songwriter competition, it garnered Lambert the visibility she needed to sign with her first label, Sony Music.
Recalling her roots is a win for Miranda Lambert
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“The House That Built Me,” written by Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas, almost emerged on a completely different path. Originally slated for Blake Shelton to perform, the country singer recognized the connection the song had with his then-girlfriend, Lambert, and campaigned for her to record it.
Sung with emotions pulled from Lambert’s family dinner table, it emerged as the singer’s first Grammy win. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010 awarded Miranda Lambert with Best Female Country Vocal Performance for the touching melody that went on to earn the number one spot on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs Chart.
‘Platinum’ digs deeper than Miranda Lambert’s roots
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Lambert’s second golden gramophone was received at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014 for her album Platinum. Throughout the album’s tracks, one can see the doors of home swung open to face the world.
The songwriter is at once irreverent and candid in her observations, as in the title track’s “Platinum” in which she portrays the irony and trappings of fame.
“Priscilla,” on the other hand, is poised to become a feminist anthem. Where “Platinum” takes a light-hearted jab at the dark side of stardom, “Priscilla” digs into the very heart of being tabloid fodder in the entertainment industry. “Rings, we gotta wear the real big rings/Big smiles like figurines.”
Miranda Lambert’s Grammy nominations and chart-topping songs
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Lambert’s performance of “A Greyhound Bound for Nowhere” on Nashville Star offered a glimpse into the talent the emerging country star brought to the stage. Since her national debut, Miranda Lambert has gone on to earn 18 Grammy nominations as a solo artist and one as a member of the trio, Pistol Annies.
Her first nomination at 2006’s 49th Annual Grammy Awards recognized her for the song “Kerosene.” Nominations for singles at the 50th and 52nd ceremonies followed for her performances of “Famous in a Small Town” and “Dead Flowers,” respectively.
The Recording Academy has continued to acknowledge Lambert’s artistry in performance as well as songwriting. “Tin Man,” a collaborative effort between Lambert, Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram merited a “Best Country Song” nomination at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017.
Lambert weaves a cautionary tale on the adage, “be careful what you wish for.” Its unassumingly sparse phrasing balances the emotional poignancy of a heartbroken into “pieces” following a romantic breakup.
Miranda Lambert’s found comfort in her own skin
Lambert again finds herself among the ranks of country music nominees for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020. She’s nominated as a solo artist for “Best Country Song” for “It All Comes Out in the Wash,” which seems to be a return home of sorts. She’s found peace with who she is and the road she’s traveled.
Lambert’s collaborative album with Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel, is nominated for “Best Country Album.” In it, the trio explores the hypocrisies of tradition while adding some funky rifts to classic country instrumentals.
With two Grammy wins, Lambert appears to be savoring the journey.
Written by: CheatSheet
