Miranda Lambert: Queen of Feminine Rage 01:12:23

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Is this thing on? Hi, babies. Welcome to another episode of Dumb Blonde. Today, we have somebody who I absolutely adore, my sister from another mista, my feminine rage soul sister over here. I mean, the music she makes is just speaks to your soul. It's Miranda Lambert. How are you doing? Hello.

I'm so happy to have you here. Thanks for having me in your new pretty studio. I know. Did it scare you when it came in here? No, I love it. It's awesome. It looks like you. Aw, I appreciate that so much. What have you been up to? You're like in and out of Nashville all the time. You guys just got back from Europe, correct? Yeah, we went to Italy. It was awesome. It was like the first time I've ever been to Europe without work.

It's like I've never like just gone to Europe for fun. Yeah. I mean, which works out usually when we're like touring over there. You just stay for fun and make it a trip. But my manager, Marianne, had a big birthday. So we went to celebrate her in Italy and.

Ate all the pasta and took a brain break. It was nice. That's amazing. I don't know how to take a break without working either. So to be able to disconnect and like go to another country and just vibe out is like, I think they go into the other countries, the ticket, because the time zone is so, um,

like all of everybody here's asleep till like your five o'clock and then my five o'clock I'm already drinking wine so I'm like well I can't answer you sorry like catch me tomorrow yeah exactly so it was great we just got back but we have a record coming out so it's like

We had a busy year and then just took that two-week gap of like reset before the rest. Yeah. Absolutely. Where did you guys go? We went to Lake Como, which I'd never been to. It was beautiful. And that's in Italy, correct? Okay. And then it's like an hour from Florence. And then we went to Florence. And then we went to Tuscany, like in the hills of Tuscany. That's so romantic. It was so peaceful. And like they just...

do life better. Yeah. Do they just are, it's just everything slowed down. Like it's not, we're just chaotic Americans chasing all of our dreams and doing everything fast, you know? Yeah. Which I love that part about home. And I miss it when I'm like somewhere really quiet like that. I'm like,

It's fun for a few days. I'm like, okay, where's all the action? Where's the loudness? Is it hard for you to relax? Because I know like whenever my husband and I go on vacation too, like the first two days we'll be like, oh, this is great. And then the third day we're like, all right, we'll get back on the phones or we'll like start posting. And it's just so hard to break from that. I think it takes like three days sometimes.

to really like get in to like, or more sometimes just to calm down. You know what I mean? So two weeks we were, we kind of took just two weeks off. And so it was like,

a little panicky, but then once you settle into it, it's like, you really need to do it. You just don't know you need to until you get the chance, you know? Yeah. I think that's been my biggest lesson this year is learning how to relax and not pile on so much. Cause I'm, I'm, I think you're a lot like me too. We just go, go, go. We're just like trained to go. Yes. And this year I've been trying to teach myself to just kind of relax a little bit. Do you feel like

that's how it's been for you this year? Yeah, for sure. I mean, I've reached a pretty high level of burnout last summer and I didn't realize what it was until I was like, I think this is what they call burnout. Like just from just not taking a break or like a long enough one, you know, just a couple of days at a time just wasn't enough for like the amount of busyness. And so I just feel like we have to learn the balance. It's really hard when you're so driven to like,

Relax into doing nothing. And, but if you don't recharge, it's like, then you're only operating at 50% anyway. Absolutely. You know, like the recharging so important. It's just hard to do. It is. And I mean, you've been in the industry, what, 24 years? Yeah. That's a long time. So for you to just have reached burnout last year, you're a savage. Yeah.

Like you are an animal. Well, I think it's like, and it wasn't like the burnout where I'm like, I'm quitting forever. It was just like one of those moments. I've had those over the years. And honestly, a lot of it for musicians, as you know, because you're on tour is like,

August like when you're doing summer tours like I think y'all did last year we start yeah we started earlier last year yeah and so by the time August comes you're like have been hot all year you're playing outside you're just like August is usually like the everyone's like I don't want to tour anymore it's like yes you do it's just August right it's just what we do in August but and then you take a break and you're like okay I'm ready again but yeah it's um I don't know I just think

I'm starting to learn a better, how to balance like actually living your life because as a creative, if you don't let go, live your life, there's nothing to write about. There's nothing to like, there's no fuel. You know what I mean? If you just constantly are going to the next goal, it's like,

not sitting in the success either of what you've already done, you know? Absolutely. And I think that also comes with age too, because I'm actually four years older than you. And when I hit 40, I, my life was like, I've got to change something because I lived in chaos for so long. And I feel like from 40 to like 44, you kind of like learn to start stopping and smelling the roses. And it's like, you almost kind of like

can taste life if that makes sense. Like before it's like, you're just kind of going through the motions and then it's like, once you reach a certain age, you kind of get to a point where you're just like, wait,

I enjoy doing this or I, you know, like you love doing your dog thing and like, you know, stuff like that. Like you start to like the little things you start to enjoy and appreciate a little bit more. Yeah. And you sort of sit in it a little more. You just, that's the word. Yeah. You, my manager, you say you don't sit in your life. It's like, I didn't know how to do that. And I've learned, I'm learning how to do that. And I agree at 40, you just go, I really just want to

go after the good shit and not deal with any of the other noise that doesn't really matter in my life. And also spend my time, whether it be personal or professional on things that really add to my life. Like,

I do love what I do for a living. That's why I've done it for so long. But you can't love it all the time. You know what I mean? So it's like taking moments and also chasing hobbies and like doing other forms of art. Like I need to just sit down. I don't paint. I'm terrible at it, but I should try. You know what I mean? Like I can't draw a stick figure. So it's okay. It's like just, you know, I ride horses and like I love that. And it's physical and it's so good for your body.

and spirit. It's like, so taking time to do those things is important. Absolutely. I want horses so bad. We just finally bought 500 acres of land. And I'm like, the first thing I'm like, can we be like Noah's Ark? I want two of every animal. Like, I just want horses. I love that. Yeah, I'm ready. And...

It's going to make it harder to leave, though. Yeah, exactly. Well, you know, I always tell my husband, I'm like, I love you, I support you, but you chose this life. I don't have to go on every single tour with you. He's like, yes, you do. I'm like, all right, fine. So we'll discuss that, you know, in another five years. But you had talked about hobbies. Besides riding horses, what do you do to kind of get away from all of the chaos and just the lights, camera action besides riding horses? That's pretty much...

kind of the only one I have time for. Um, also go antiquing. Like I go to this place called round top it's in Texas and it's twice a year and it's, um, like literally miles and miles of just any kind of everything you can think of. It's like the biggest flea market ever in the world. That sounds like heaven. We need to go. It's fun. It's a girl's trip though, for sure. Where is this? It's in, it's like two hours from Austin. Okay. It's I'll, I'll,

We got to go. Okay. No, seriously. It's my friend's Junk Gypsies. They're like a lifestyle brand and they sort of are the staple of this brand.

vibe and they have a bed and breakfast. It's beautiful. And it's called the Wonder Inn. So cute. And so it's a girl's thing. We like go and ride around golf carts and drink wine and buy old shit. Oh my God. No, I just got into antiquing. Like we've started doing that. We actually did a lot of the stuff that's in the studio. We went to an antique store and got it.

And I'm obsessed. My stepmom used to do it when I was younger and I was just like, why do you want old stuff all the time? And now I'm like, I crave it. - It has stories. - Yes, it does. It definitely does. And I don't know, something about going to an antique store and just browsing through people's old things is like,

so meaningful because you're like, where was this piece at? Or like who, this was in somebody's home at one time and it actually meant the world to them. Or like maybe it was a centerpiece that brought them together at dinner every night or, you know, like it's just little things like that. Yeah. It's just like, I don't know, just something that's simple that you don't have to think.

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Couldn't agree more. I love the fact that you and your manager are so close because that's the same with my manager and I. And one thing that I admire about you too, is you are so girl power. I'm the same way. And I don't think a lot of people get to see that side of you in the public eye, but behind the scenes, like everybody knows that Miranda is just female empowerment.

Where does that come from? Where do you think that stems from? Well, thank you for saying that. It is. I just think it's like...

There's room for all of us and we don't have to be best friends or fake friends. We can just sometimes lift each other up from afar or sometimes we can really dig in and kind of join together as a team. I mean, it's hard for women in a lot of ways to do a lot of things we're doing, but we're doing it and we're being great at it. And I, you know, my manager, my whole management office is women and I feel like

It's our job, especially when you get when you've been in something a long time and you've kind of honed in on your craft. I feel like it's our duty to like help the next generation and like be there to mentor them and to learn from them to like to stay in the know of like the new ways to do things in the music business. I mean, it's changing everything.

every single day, like how music is consumed, how the business works, how the fans are consuming the music, like every single part of it is so different from when I first started and it's changing every day. So I'm trying to learn of like,

you know, how everything works and to stay in it and to keep growing and to be inspired. But I can't do that alone. You know what I mean? I feel like it's important for us to like support each other and respect people that are really being their authentic self. Like that's my favorite thing about any human is like,

When someone's authentically themselves and really chasing after goals and being who they are, but also lifting up others, which you're great at too. You are really about lifting up other women. And we figured that out right when we first met and had dinner. And I was like, you can feel it from people. And we were in Italy. We were celebrating Mariano's birthday and she has a friend named Elizabeth who's very

very like I want to be her when I grow up parts parts of her she's just this most classy beautiful woman and super smart and um we were talking about this exact thing with women of all ages at the table just talking about you know the competition between women and how it can get really ugly and not so much in Nashville but just in life you know in Nashville we're lucky because the country music community is pretty supportive and so and lovely especially the women um

But she was saying, you know, there's a difference in wanting to win and wanting to beat everybody. Absolutely. And that really struck me. I thought, I'm going to take that with me because...

you know, we can all win. We can all win. We're all not all trying to get the same trophy anyway. We're all in our lanes doing our thing, but try it. It's when you start to go, I want to beat that person that it becomes a different game. That becomes an inner competition. So yeah, that makes, that's actually beautifully said. And thank you for giving me my flowers. I really appreciate that. That's one thing that I've always just loved about you. I remember the first night that we met, I told, I went home and told Jay, I was like, I love her.

He's like, no, I love it. We just had a great dinner and you're just so down to earth and obviously really smart and you know who you are. And I just appreciate that about anyone, especially someone successful that brings other people along. You know? Yeah. It's really important. No, I love that. Do you think that stems, we're going to swing back, we're going to go travel back in time to Longview. What was the name of the city that you grew up in? Longview, Texas. Longview, Texas. It's barely a city, but.

but isn't there like a little one that I cannot, I can never, okay. The yaya's that's your grant, your me ma. Can you take me on that journey? Yeah. I got on a tangent. I didn't actually answer your question. You're fine. You're totally fine. So to answer your question, the, I think the lifting up of other women comes from there. That's where, that's where it all started was the yaya's where my mom's mom, Wanda Coker, um,

She was my nanny. She had this group of girlfriends and they were like drinking, smoking, gambling, like y'all y'all's like, but they were so strong and they raised me. I mean, they were just constantly lifting each other up and being there for each other's families and fun and so many stories and so many recipes. And it just, but it was like the, not like the, the,

boring kind of like grandma hang it was like they were wild but they were so inspiring because they were just who they were and they would come to my shows and stand in the pit like at the front like the first ones on the back rack that's gonna be us that'll be all of us yeah and I'm like I just that was the first generation of the women that I grew up around and then my mom and her best friends who are basically my aunts I have a very small family so we have chosen family and um

that was the second generation of just all very successful and very driven and very strong. Um, and then now I have my own circle of really great gal pals that are all following their own passions and their own dreams, but are there for each other. And so, you know, um,

since I don't have children of my own, I want to use that like part of what I've learned for, you know, younger generation, especially of artists, because nobody tells you how this goes. Like nobody sits there and gives you a handbook of like, well, when you make it to this level, this is what's going to happen. And then you're going to have your first breakdown on week four of this tour. Like no one tells you like what. Those tour breakdowns are ruthless too. They're real. And no one tells you like what,

also what to do, like if you've made it. Or like, yeah, like it's a crazy world that you can literally go from one minute, nobody knowing who you are to being thrust into the spotlight. And like, you know, nobody sees the years of work it took for you to get thrust into the spotlight though. And nobody tells you how to handle that or what to say, or, you know, we don't all have Marion's in our corners. So we started, so I'm part of a label, um,

founder of a label called Big Loud Texas. It's a branch of Big Loud, which I love working with Big Loud in Nashville. They're just an amazing team. And they approached John Randall, who's one of my best friends and, you know, co-writer and just we've worked together for 20 years and about sort of keeping that outlaw movement from Texas going. I mean, so much of the music that

that influenced all music is Willie and Waylon and the boys. I mean, think about how, how much music came out of Texas that has influenced music over the years. And it's so important to keep that going. And so I'm really excited about it for so many reasons, but mostly because I've been through so much in this industry and, and personally in my life. And I feel like

I can be there for the 2 a.m. call or I can be there for the, hey, I met with this new manager. What do you think? Or just, I want to just be there

an artist for the artists. You know what I mean? That's amazing though, because not so, not many people and many females in your position, especially your position of power are willing to give back to the, to the new generation like that. And I think that you're setting an example and actually setting, creating a standard for the OGs and the country music to, you know, be there and kind of be like a, um,

I don't want to say coach, but like a mentor. Yeah. And like a sounding board too. And, um, and also seeing, you know, we, we only have one artist signed so far cause we're brand new, but his name is Dylan Gossett. He's from Austin and he's out there killing it. But like just seeing the fire in the eyes of like someone just starting, it reignites your fire. You know, it's like,

Oh man, I remember the day of like, it's all right. It's all in front of you at this point. And like the world is waiting for you to just come in, come into the world and fly. And I feel like being around that kind of energy, like,

that reminds me of the, I need to still have that energy when I, so when I do reach a level of burnout or I'm exhausted or, you know, when you do something for a really long time, you can't love it every day, like we said, but, um, I think being around that new fire and young people that are so hungry and so inspired is, is like, I want some of that, you know, and I want to give them some of the, the wisdom and some of the, uh, reminders of,

enjoy the ride because there's a lot of things that I don't remember because I was just going so fast, you know, and you have to stop sometimes. And like, like you said, like we're just now going, Oh, I could just look around and absorb what, and like live in what I'm doing right now. It's a big moment or a small moment, whatever it is, but I want to just be there for

anybody that just needs a sounding board of like because I've been there you know I think whoever you bring under their wing is under your wing is gonna fly because I mean who better to have guide them through this industry than you because you have been through everything that you could possibly think of in this industry your life is played out in the public your music is just beautiful and like no matter what everything you touch turns to gold like it you are just um you

you're an artist that every other artist should strive to be like, because it's like you pour your heart and soul on these pages and it resonates with everybody. It doesn't matter if they're a country fan, pop fan, like all genres, everybody knows who Miranda Lambert is. So I think that for you to have the attitude that you do and want to help these people that are coming up, they're just so lucky to have you. That's so sweet of you to say. I appreciate that. And I know because I know you and your husband, I know you see, um,

all that goes into the art part of it. Everything else is the business. Like, yeah, but the art part of it is where it starts and ends. And that takes almost everything out of you if you're doing it right. You know, and then the work begins. Yeah. So it's like, yeah, you know what I mean? And so I know you see it day in and day out with, with,

Jason and like just everything y'all having to do. And I, you know, I don't, I don't think people understand that the, the pouring out of the heart and the living, like a lot of the stuff we write, that's the songs that resonate with you, especially the sad, like the sad heartbreak ones. We had to live through that to get that on the page. And so, you know, sometimes I don't think people realize like this became a song because it was a laugh moment. Yeah.

Is it hard for you to relive those life moments time and time again? Like if you've had to write a song about heartbreak or something that you've gone through, you know, when you're going through it, I know that it's either from pillar to post, like it takes some time months before sometimes years before songs come out. Do they still affect you the same way they did when you wrote them?

You know, I think it's interesting, like on this new record, it's called Postcards from Texas. And it's, I went home to make this record because I just felt like I needed to go back to the root of it all because I was, I just left a label that I'd been on for 20 years and signed with Republic and with Big Loud. And, yeah.

New York. And so I felt this like new energy of like a whole new team that was so excited about the art and, and, you know, after 20 years in the business, they're like more excited than anyone's ever been that I've worked with. So it reignited my fire, but I really wanted to go back to like the root of what, where I started and what, like,

Like the honky tonks in Texas are how I got my grit. It's where I've learned my chops. You know what I mean? So I wanted to like go back and start there for this new start there again, I guess, um, for this new chapter of my life and career. Um, but I have learned like some of the songs I cut, like one of the toughest songs on the record that, um,

that I was almost 10 years old. It's called run and it's very raw. And it was a moment in my life and it's a solo, right? So with a solo, right? You can't hide anywhere. Everybody knows it's you, you know what I mean? You can't be like, well, it's my co-writer story. Yeah. You can't blame it on, you can't gaslight. Exactly. So like, you know, that part is like, I felt like that song, it's just an example, but it's one that I wasn't ready to sing before. Um,

But I also know that you don't have to live every song you write. I feel like once you get to a certain point,

I take that back. Every sad song. Like, I think I've been sad enough that I can revisit. Like, if that makes any sense, I don't think it's healthy to try to stay tortured so you can be good. No. You know what I mean? I think at the beginning, you think that in your 20s, you're like tortured artists. And there is an element to that that is true. And also when you're young, you have to like live out some stuff to be able to write about it. Right. And really sell it. Life lessons. Yeah, you have to be able to.

when I hear your stories, I know that you live them. Like, yeah, it's, you can, you tell it with your truth. And so, um, but I did learn like in the last, I don't know, probably decade that like, okay, you don't have to,

go and like find the sadness and the pain just you have your art like if you've been through enough you can revisit that and it's interesting to me too because sometimes I'm reminded as I'm singing in the studio which is hard for me sometimes like when you're going when you're tracking in the studio and like you're in the moment and then two months later you got to go back and stand in a vocal booth and like

revisit that emotion, whatever song it was. You know what I mean? So you have to go back there. Um, but then I remember reminded, that's why they call it a recording artist because you gotta get in character. Mm.

of whatever that song is. Funny or sad or burn their house down or whatever you're doing, you've got to kind of sell it in that moment. Yeah. I always call it turning trauma into art. Yeah. Because literally that's what you guys are doing. And I think that's what any creator, whether it's music, online, influencer, which I hate that freaking word, but...

I think anybody who pours themselves out on any sort of platform, you're turning whatever trauma you've gone through, big or small, into some sort of art. Yeah, I agree with that. And I think it's important because it makes people feel not alone in whatever they're going through. It makes everybody be on kind of that same playing field. It's like everybody has a life. Everybody has...

horrible stuff that's happened, have broken relationships. They also have a lot of highs that we can talk about. Absolutely. And, you know, I think we learned that too is it's really good to sit in the high moments. I don't think I sat in any of it for a while. I just didn't take time to really, you know,

Like spend enough time in the pain or spend enough time in the joy. Right. And I'm learning to do that a lot better now. Isn't it crazy how we do that as women? Being a woman is such an evolving journey. Oh yeah. It's wild. Like I, if I could give any advice to 25 year olds, it's just,

stop. Stop. Soak it all in. Like just enjoy every freaking moment of it because it goes by in such a blink of an eye. This episode is sponsored by AutoTrader. Credit scores, down payments, interest rates. Car buying can be a numbers game, but you don't have to be a math expert to get the keys to your dream car. Just use Kelly Blue Book My Wallet on AutoTrader. Crunch your numbers.

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Can we go back to your parents? Because I heard a really cute story that your parents took you on a stakeout when you were like three years old. My parents were private investigators. Yes. My dad was a police officer and my mom was a PI. And my dad, my mom talked my dad into being a police officer.

being her partner. So they were Lambert and Lambert. I'm like, real clever guys. Like, do better. I'm a songwriter. That's not acceptable. It's like Alpha and Omega. Exactly. They were, so they had a PI for my whole childhood and they mostly did Divorce and Child Custody, which is where I think I got a lot of my early songs because I'm like 17 writing divorce songs. It's like, you know what I mean? You had so much

you know material yeah so but yeah my mom took me on my first job her she had a job that was like going to I think it was Padre Island which is like yeah yeah and um she needed she had to be make friends with this like um lady and her three-year-old so she was like well perfect I have a three-year-old and so she's like brings me on that's my first plane ride and like

I guess the person they were working for won the case because I became best friends with this three-year-old and my mom knew all the dirt on this lady. So it was... I mean, all my whole life... One time I was...

I think I was in high school. I had to be in high school and I was a cheerleader and my mom took me on a job where I had to put my cheerleading uniform on and pretend to sell cookies for the cheerleading squad. And she was like, when you get in their house, um, ask to use their bathroom when they're getting their money out. And then when you get in there, see if there's any liquor, cause they're not supposed to be drinking. I'm like,

15. You're like, mom. I know. I'm like, I should be at cheer practice right now. She's like, no, this is what we're doing. So like, it just was normal for us. Yeah. And when I tell people all that, they're like,

It's so interesting because it was. But she would pick me and Luke up from school and her like tinted window, shady suburban. Not the shady suburban. Yeah, and she'd be like, here's your coloring books and a snack. We're going to be staking out for about five hours. Could you get anything past your parents? Oh, absolutely not. Yeah, I would think having PIs as parents, there's nothing you could do. No, I tried to sneak out one time to go to like a bar.

a bonfire party because we live in BFE, Texas. Like, that's what you do. I went to a pastor party one time. Same thing. Okay. And my mom was there when I got there. What? I was like, well, there goes that. Did she know that you were going there? Yes. That's why she was there? Yeah. And then she was, yeah, she was like, I mean, there's just no getting away with anything, which I didn't really try. I was a really...

I grew up in Little Baptist, Lindale, Texas. Football Friday nights, church on Sunday mornings. All Americans. Yeah, all American childhood. Although my parents were PIs the whole time. That was the difference. It's kind of like the double life type thing. It really was because my mom would be on a surveillance all night. Then we'd come home and she'd make us cookies after school. It seemed normal even though...

the dinner conversations were like literally all about child custody and divorce and it was all these high-powered like attorneys in Dallas and all this stuff but at the time Luke and I were like we don't really it's just our parents job you know literally so it's like it's just like what you just grew up with it yeah I just didn't even phase you as an adult though people like they were what they were proud of this you know so it was interesting and I do think I got a lot of a lot of material we also took in um

When I was about 14, my parents started taking in abused women and children that were victims of domestic violence situations. Because with my dad's law enforcement background, it just kind of made sense. And so from like 14 until out of high school, I've shared my room with moms and daughters of whoever was in need at the time. And I really think that I learned a lot.

about life. I mean, because I was kind of sheltered in a way and I had this like really sweet small town childhood. I saw the ugly up close and personal, you know, in our own home. Like my parents, I would wake up in the morning. My parents had been out all night, like rescuing this mom and their kids or whatever. And so,

I feel like my early music, Gunpowder and Lead specifically, I really absorbed a lot. Like, I was old enough then to, like, really understand, like, oh, man, this world can be a really, really bad place. And, you know, see women that were just really at the bottom of their barrel and still have the strength to, like, get out and try to pick themselves up and get back on their feet. And so...

I think a lot of the early songwriting stuff I had came from the stories and the experiences that I had with those families. You've done it so wonderfully, though. I feel like you have embodied, when I was introducing you, the queen of feminine rage, but it's like you make rage so hot. It's crazy. I love that. Seriously. I'm going to use that. That needs to be on a t-shirt. No, literally.

You do. And it's like, you know, because you have this sweet, like just sugary voice, but you're packing a powerful message. And I remember the first time I heard gunpowder and lead what I was just like this. I hadn't even gone through a domestic violence relationship at that time. I think gunpowder and lead dropped when like 2007.

six seven maybe yeah eight I think seven okay yeah so I hadn't even gone through that but I know when I went through my domestic violence relationship that was my anthem dude I was like I'm gonna burn this motherfucker down pookie it used to get me hype all the time I love that and I'm glad and I think that um also the ones I saw like and we you know this is a whole situation but

that go back, I think that's where my fire started because I was like, I literally am going to go burn your husband's house down for you. Like the stories I would hear would be so awful. And then they would try to give it another chance. And I know that's such a, such an issue in such a case by case situation. But at 16, I couldn't understand then like why, why,

why we, you got out. Like, can't we want to keep you here? And so I think my, like, as you say, my rage started when I was like, well, then I'll just go burn the house down. Then she can't go back. You know what I mean? It's like, I think like, I didn't know, I didn't know how to process all of that, but living with those women and their, their daughters that were just like,

like I said, just in the most horrible situation. And like, it also made me really thankful for a family that, that was fine with Luke and I being exposed to that. Like, you know, my mom didn't try to shelter us to the point where we couldn't handle that. And it taught us both a lot. I think it's beautiful because, you know, some people might've looked at that and been like,

you know, some kids don't know how to deal with so much emotion coming into their own home, but for you to be able to look at it and use it kind of like as your muse for music is actually a testament of how big your heart is to be able to see people that are suffering, um, that your parents brought in and to be able to just kind of like make an anthem and music and just paint a picture of a life that you hadn't lived, but you got to witness. Yeah. And I actually wrote gunpowder and led with

a good friend of mine, Heather Little, and she had been in a domestic violence relationship. And so that was, I actually wrote down the idea when I was taking my concealed handgun class. When I was 18, my dad's a gun safety instructor, police officer and all that. So he was like, you're going to get your concealed. He was teaching the class and all the things. I love that. Yeah. And so, and so

And they teach you all the parts of the gun. We were right in the middle of having those families at our house. And I had started writing songs with this girl named Heather Little, and she was amazing. She is amazing. And she had two babies, and she was like,

just living in a little farmhouse, but she was an amazing songwriter and I met her at a songwriting competition and I was like, can we make music together? Like, especially when you're little small towns and you don't really know what you're doing yet, you know? Um, and we, um, I was taking my concealed class and they were like talking about the parts of the gun and I was like,

gunpowder and lead, not sugar and spice. That's what we're going to write. You know what I mean? And so it was really, it was really special to get to write that with her because it was her story and I had seen it so close with other families. Writing music has been a huge part of your life because you write, you've been writing songs with your dad since you were little, correct? Yep. You guys, I think I read something where like he would take out the guitar and you would literally fall asleep in between him and the guitar. Yeah.

When did you know that you were going to take this serious and like college wasn't your thing? When did you know that you were just going to be a star that you wanted to be a star or did you ever set out to be a star?

Well, dad is a singer-songwriter. He's really good. He had a band when he was a cop. They were all cops in the band, and they called it Contraband, which is ridiculous. They were narcotics officers. I love that. So it was like pretty freaking clever. We got to Google this. Is there anything on Google with that? I don't know. It was way back in the day. Probably not. We'll look and see if there is. And so I really think, I mean, I got my kind of,

Grew up with just thinking, like, I thought all the hag songs dad would sing were his songs. You know what I mean? But he's a great singer-songwriter. And I guess I just wasn't very good in school. Like, I wasn't... I barely made it on grades. I didn't like it. I'd learn differently. I'm a creative. Like, now...

Looking back, I needed Adderall or something. But my mom's like, don't put her on medication. Let her be creative. Back then it was like, we didn't know what all that was. You know what I mean? I know. And I appreciate parents like that not saying anything to parents who do put their kids on medication. But I'm one of those parents now too. I just don't believe that. Let your kid be creative and see how their brain develops. And then once they're old enough, then let them decide that on their own. Yeah. Well, I'm thankful my mom. Because now I know. I'm just like...

over here doing this. You know what I mean? But I just was like starting to think like, what am I going to do? Like live in this small town and I don't want to go to college. I'm not going to be good at college for sure. And I entered this contest called the

It's called the True Value Country Showdown. And it was in Longview. It's this club called the Rio Palma. And I just heard an ad for it on the radio when I was working in the garden. And my mom, I went inside and was like, I was 16. And I was like, I want to enter this contest. And I'd always just been like, they always tried to get me to sing and it needed to be my idea because I was a teenage girl. So anything their idea, I was like, no, absolutely not. You know, yeah.

And so I just decided to do this contest and people were like, she's really good. Like, like she has something. And it was the first thing that ever came naturally to me. Like, like really good. I say that lightly. I was 16, but I had something, you know what I mean? Especially for like the small town little competition. It was like, Oh, people were paying attention to it. So it wasn't just like mom and dad going, you can sing girl. You know what I mean? Um, and, um,

I think that's what just started it. I was like, what if I could do this? Like, so I started, um, playing guitar. My dad taught me three chords. It's all you need in country music. I've heard that too. I think Jay's told me that too. And, um, I wrote my first song and it was like, it was like my end of my junior year. And I just went to my parents and was like, I, I really want to chase this. Like, I don't, I don't want to go to college. And dad's like, well,

If I use the money that I saved for college for you, that's all there is. And there's no plan B. So, like, you're going to have to make this work. Because if not, you're on your own. Like, we'll put that money we set aside towards this career that you want to chase, but then it runs out. That's it. So you got to make this. Like, if you're serious, you know. And I was. And so my mom started being my booking agent. Yeah.

I love how supportive they were, though. They were the kind of parents that were like, you can be anything you want to be. And I'm so thankful because my brother is like brilliant and he is a techie and he went to UT and he's valedictorian. Oh, we love that. Yeah, exactly. And I'm over here like, I'm going to play some country tunes. But I started playing bars in Texas anywhere that would let me play. My dad would pay people to let me play. I would play during set changes. I mean...

My mom drove me around in an expedition. Like, have you ever seen Cool Moms Daughter, the movie? Yeah, I haven't seen it, but I do know about it. Okay, well, it's Loretta's story. And they're, like, driving around in a car, and she's going to radio stations. That's exactly what it was. Like, bologna sandwiches. Like, just trying to figure something out. And...

And then, you know, so my dad saw that I was serious and it was like, okay, we're all doing this as a family. Oh, and my little brother was 14. He built me my first website. He still runs our website today. So it was, it was really like, I don't know how people, I don't know how people without supportive families do it. It's gotta be that 10 times harder. And I'm so thankful that I had a family that was behind me. You know, that's where your loyalty comes from.

Yeah. Yeah. Like you have such, you're such a loyal woman and I think it stems from just your family just rallying and just being there for each other.

So take me on this journey. When did you decide to come to Nashville? Cause you know, I know you're a Texas girl. I'm a Texas girl too. I was born in Houston, but you know, we all eventually leave, but we always come back. When did you make that big decision? I mean, you're, you're driving around with mom shopping songs, I'm assuming to radio stations. When does,

that click that you're like, you know what? I think I'm going to go to Nashville. I got auditioned for... Well, American Idol was happening at the time. It was the first season. So it was Kelly Clarkson. She had just won. And she's a Texas girl. And my mom was like, you could do that. You got to go try out for Idol. And I wasn't interested in it because I wasn't a pop singer. And back...

in those days of Idol it was like pretty pop driven and they didn't let you do originals and I was writing songs and I'd been playing the bar scene for almost three years and I had a little independent album called Miranda Lambert and

that I made in Dallas. Lambert and Lambert. Yeah. And it was like 10, it was 10 songs and we made it in Dallas. It was just a little, I was selling them out the back of my mom's car. We printed 3000. Like let's not brush over the fact that you're playing in Texas bars. Okay. Like the Texas bar scene was rowdy back then. They don't, they weren't letting girls play at all. That's why I was playing during set changes or like until I started being

being like, that's how I learned my chops though. Like, I learned immediately how to deal with a drunk asshole and immediately how to sing way louder over clinking beer bottles. Yeah. Like, I'm going to have to quit doing ballads. I'm going to have to do some rockers. Yeah.

You know, so I learned a lot in those days of like honky tonking because that is not a glamorous scene and it's not a female empowering scene. It's way different than Nashville honky tonks. I feel like Nashville honky tonks are a little bit glamorous. Yes. And the ones in Texas are a little bit more, a lot more seedy.

I don't know if you ever watched I Wrote the Bull at Gillies. That's kind of like what it reminds me of. I'm wearing a ghillie shirt on the cover of my record. I grew up wearing one. Not I Wrote, not the movie. What is it called? It's Urban Cowboy with John Travolta and Susan Spacey. That was my love story growing up. Little girls grew up watching Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. I grew up watching Urban Cowboy. Oh, yeah. Same, same.

But that was glamorous to me, though. That's the funny part. You know what I mean? Yeah, me too. So a little show popped up called Nashville Star. And I auditioned. My mom was like, I think you should audition. And I was like, I don't know, because those things are rigged. And will I be like some little, I don't know. I just wasn't sure of what. And all the contests that I had ever done were like,

and shady. And I was just like, I don't really, I can do this. It's just going to take me a really long time. I can do this. I can grind this out. And my mom was like, well, what if though? What if you could get seen by like the person you're supposed to be seen by to get you further in your career? Because I'm playing for like $200 a night. You know what I mean? And so I auditioned in Houston. I did not try because I had a terrible attitude. And I just did the wrong song and it showed up with a shitty attitude. And my mom was like,

I didn't make the top 30. Actually, that was Dallas. I tried out in Dallas. I didn't make the top 30. Hey, Prime members. Have you heard? You can listen to your favorite podcasts ad-free. Good news. With Amazon Music, you have access to the largest catalog of ad-free top podcasts included with your Prime membership. To start listening, download the Amazon Music app for free or go to amazon.com slash ad-free podcast. That's amazon.com slash ad-free podcast to catch up on the latest episodes. With

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Sign up today. Why did you have an attitude you just didn't want to be there? I just didn't want to be there. And we got in the car and my mom didn't start the car. She just turned and looked at me. No one wants their mom to do that ever. She turned and looked at me. And it's silent in the car and we're this close. She's like, that was terrible. You wasted my time. I drove all the way to Dallas for you to audition and you wasted everybody in there's time. You wasted your time. You wasted God's time and my time. And we're not doing that.

She goes, and I know you don't want to do this, but I also don't want to drive you around in this expedition for the next 10 years. So you're going to go to Houston and you're going to give it your go. And if you give 100%, I'll never mention it again. And I was like, okay. So we drove to Houston and I had an attitude adjustment. And I sang an Amy Lou Harris song and I ended up winning the whole thing for Houston and got a national star. And so...

that was at college. Like I was almost 20 and, or I was 19 and like,

Like my mom dropped me off at DFW. I'd never flown by myself like ever. And so I was like crying and I had like my comforter, like I was going to some dorm somewhere. Emotional support blanket. Cause I was like moving to Nashville pretty much. You know what I mean? And so, so when you won that and that meant you had to move to Nashville. When I won for Houston, um, I went on to regionals, which were in Nashville and got the top 10 for the contestants. So I got on the show.

And we all lived in a house. It was a reality show. We all lived in a house together. Gotcha. And I'm like 19 from Lindale, Texas. I was the youngest by 10 years. I was like, I don't even know what I'm getting into. They just thrust you into the spotlight. Kind of did. And I'd never been on TV before. And so that was my intro. And I got third in the competition, which was better because...

um, the contracts for those things aren't the best. Yeah. So like getting first, you're like locked in. So third was good, but I got a record deal out of it with Sony that I was on for 20 years. So that's amazing. I never knew the reality story part, but yeah, well it's the show didn't last and it's not, you know, it was really didn't, all it did for me was exactly what I wanted to do, which was Tracy Gershon was, um, working at Sony and she was like,

This girl has something. This is authentic. And, you know, that's my favorite part about anyone is authenticity. And so I was just my true self on that show. And it really got me exactly where I needed to be. And then it was another three years before that.

I had a record deal or had a record out or anything, but... When did your first album drop? 2005? 2005. And that was Kerosene. Yeah. You came out the gate swinging. You did your homework, girl. Oh, listen, baby. You know, you're one of my favorite humans. I wanted to learn about you. So Kerosene drops. I mean, you are literally just...

pretty much thrown into country music and it takes off from there. How are you feeling? Like, is dad happy, first of all? Oh, my parents are like still, I mean, they're so proud. They're proud, but it was, man, it was a ride. It was a journey. Like, it was scary because...

we didn't really know what we were doing. I mean, you know what I mean? It's like Texas has its own scene and we kind of knew what to do there, but like this was, we're making, we're doing it. And yeah, Kerosene did really well. I mean, it sold a million copies and, um,

It kind of launched me into it. And then I just went on the road forever. Forever. As soon as that happened, I went on tour with Keith Urban in 2005. We love Keith. Yes. It was so funny because we saw Keith at one of the award shows and I was like, I don't get the appeal of Keith. And then I saw him on stage and I was like, good. I get it. I get it now. That guitar in his hand, girl. Yeah. No, totally. A whole different ballgame. Yeah.

I totally get it. He taught me, like, we came straight out of, like, the bars in Texas to Key Durbin Tour, and their show is incredible. Like, he's an incredible artist. Yeah, and a showman. And performer, yes. And I was like, the first show, I called my whole band. Like, we had a band meeting.

And I don't even think we had like this broke down bus. And I was like meeting on the broke down bus right now. We have to watch his show every night because this isn't just like dive bars in Texas anymore. This is like the big guns. Was it arenas? Yes. So you went straight from bars in Texas to arenas. Yes, that was my first tour. And I was like, oh, this is how it's done. Goodness. And so we watched Keith every night. Like we had to, we just had to really,

I literally found my band at a guitar center in Greenville, Texas. Like we came out of nowhere. So like, it was like, oh, we have to, this is the big stage. This is it. And so, and then I went on tour with George Strait and I mean, I just was on the road, literally. Well, still am. Yeah. No, literally. I mean, that's, but that's what launched it. And I literally just,

did it like old school. Like we just, we opened, opened, you know, we had 15 minutes and then we'd get in the middle slot and then finally became a headliner. But I mean, it's just been the road since then. It's been amazing. It's been beautiful to watch cause I've been around watching your career since it started. So I just, I just think it's amazing. Um, can we talk a little bit about your new album, uh, postcards from Texas? Damn it, Randy. Yeah.

Okay. Somebody made a special contribution to this, to the lyrics on the album. Yes, they did. Somebody. My husband got his first cut on this record. First cut on any record ever. Yes. And disclaimer, my husband is a retired police officer, not a songwriter. Yeah. And we're going to get into how you guys met in a second, but I just, I want to hear this story. Literally. So during 2020, we like,

obviously everybody's at home board and I'm a songwriter. So I'm like, let's write songs. Like, and so he was like, I don't know how to write songs. I was like, yeah, you can, you can do it. You know? So we start, I get the guitar out, we start writing and he's actually really good. Like he, he has some really good lines. I mean, being a New York police officer, he's lived enough life to like have some good lines in there. Um, and so we would write a little bit, we probably wrote like four or five little tunes during COVID. And then, um,

And then, like...

One day he was just talking shit. And our friend, Jesse Frazier, who is your friend too. They come on tour with us. Yeah, I know. Those are the writers that he's up with. Yeah. I love Jesse. Jesse Alexander. Yes. All the Jesse. We love all the Jesse. He was talking shit to Jesse Frazier. Like, you know, he was like, right. It's not that hard. It's easy. Jesse was like, Oh, okay. Yeah. So he made Brendan come in and do a literal rap with me and Jesse and Brendan. Like,

Like he had tracks pulled up and he made Brennan sit there. He came from the golf course. He was in his golf outfit. And he was like, we were there for like four and a half hours. Right. I mean, it's, it's a lot. And he was like, Oh, it is really hard. No, it's work. He taught him a lesson. Yeah. When you sit in a ride or like when my husband does those writers camps, like I'm like, how does your brain, my brain would explode. It does sometimes. Like I wouldn't be able to put two words together by the end of the day. Like you can't. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

I mean, I can't. I'm just like... But anyway, so that happened, and we got a great song out of it. So now he's just like, I'm a songwriter. Okay, whatever. We love that for Brennan. Exactly. He's one of those people that's down for anything, and he also is good at everything, which is annoying. And so getting ready for this record, John Randall and I were co-producing it, and we're sitting there...

doing like pre-production, which we were drinking tequila, talking about the music really is what we were doing. And he got the guitar out. Every time that happens, we're going to write a song. It's just how our chemistry is. And we kind of started talking about like,

you know, leaving Sony and signing with a new record label and really just like talking about having a situation that doesn't serve you anymore and moving on from that and what a fire it lights under you and like how you know when you need to close the door on something. Mm-hmm.

And John Randall's my buddy, but his name's actually Randy. And so we always say, damn it, Randy, to him. That's a great merch, too, by the way. And so we started writing this song, and Brendan kept popping in while he was watching football. And I was like, are we doing this? Or are you like, in or out? You're going to have to turn the game off. Like, pick a side. Pick a side. You're a songwriter now, dude. Exactly. You're a songwriter, so get your pen out. Yeah. So he...

we started writing it together and he wrote some of the greatest lines in the song. I mean, he really, and JR was looking at me like, dang, he's killing it. Like,

And so it was, it's really special actually, because also the situation I wrote this song about, Brendan is my husband. So he's had to hear me bitch about it for so long that he kind of knew the story better than I did. Right. You know, so he had the same emotion in it that I did. And so I'm real proud of him and he's super excited about it too. Like when we cut it in the studio, he didn't, he wasn't there all day and,

He came in in the afternoon and I was like, I want to play you something. And so the whole band like knew he'd written it. So we're all just staring at him. We're like, push play. We push play. He's like,

he won't say it, but he got a little misty eyed. He was like, you got a song? Like it was awesome. So it's, and it's one of my favorites on the record. I love that. What can we expect from postcards from Texas? Is there anything different? Are we going to get, you know, the spicy Miranda? Are we going to get the lover girl Miranda? Cause your ballads are just as beautiful as the spicy stuff. Like what, what is, what does this embody on this album? You know what? It's,

In country especially, like, we kind of do, like, every two or three year album cycles. So I feel like every record I've ever made has been, like, kind of a snapshot of, like, where I was in those two or three years. Sort of, like, as life progressed.

But this record feels like two decades worth of information a little bit. It's why I called it Postcards from Texas because number one, it felt like home. It sounds like home. It's very honky tonk. It's like back to the root of everything I've ever loved and that has influenced me. But it's also, there's all of it. Like I put Damn It Randy and Wranglers in my set the last couple of weekends. And it feels like,

right up next to Kerosene or Gunpowder or Mama's Broken Heart, it feels like those songs could have been on any record I ever made. So I feel like there's something from every kind of period of my life in a way. And some of the songs are old. You know, I've written about a decade ago and they just needed to find their home now because I'm ready to sing them now. Some are songs my friends wrote and

I think there's a song for every emotion on this record. There's fun. There's nostalgic. There's heartbreak. There's burn your house down. I'm excited. There's frustration with Randy. Everybody's got a Randy in their life. Yeah, absolutely. I'm excited. And it drops September 13th, correct? Yes. So everybody listening to this podcast, go get that album.

I wanted to circle back to you and Brendan. How did you guys meet? Take me on this journey with your love story, because I know the world is so curious about you guys and I've got to see you guys in person. And I think it's adorable. I feel like you guys are like yin and yang and just kind of like balance each other. We really are. We're really, we're really best friends, honestly. And it's,

you know, a girl from Lindale, Texas and a guy from Staten Island, New York. It's like just happenstance that we even crossed paths. We met in the city. Brennan was a cop and I was doing Good Morning America and we kind of crossed paths and we met up at

after our show, I was there with Pistol Annie's. Oh, I love them. My gal band. I love the Pistol Annie. And we were doing a song called I Got My Name Changed Back from when I had to change my name back from when I got divorced, which takes a very long time. And so we wrote a song about it and we were doing it on the show and on Good Morning America and...

We just crossed paths and he came to the show and... When you guys crossed paths, did you check him out? Well, my friend Angelina, my bandmate, she was eight months pregnant and she was wearing giant heels. She was towering over everyone and she was like...

standing there like frustrated because she's like in heels pregnant on the street in New York and she was looking around and she was like oh there's a cop over there and he's hot hot cop everyone hot cop like like tapping us on the shoulders and we're like yeah he's cute but it's eight in the morning we've been up doing glam since 3 30 like I can't be bothered all I care about is my look in the back of my eyelids right now because we had a show that night and my security

invited him. They kind of knew some of the same people. So my security team invited him to the show and we gave him one ticket. No plus one. No.

I love that. And he still came. He came by himself. And we met up after the show. I didn't even see him before the show. We met up after and just kind of hung out and talked. And I didn't really know. There wasn't like an agenda, really. It was just like, hey, nice to meet you. I was wearing like a Waylon Jennings t-shirt. And he's like in his gold cross. I'm like, this is going to be weird. But he was super cool. And yeah.

And then we just kept in touch and we wrote each other literal letters like old school. That's sweet.

It is. That's actually really romantic. I was like, do you want to be pen pals? He was like, write letters with a pen. And I was like, yeah, he's eight years younger. So that was like really mind blowing to him. Jay's five years younger than me. Yeah. Sometimes people actually write things down on paper and put them in an envelope and send them. Yeah. It's all texting. And so we just hit it off. Like we're just very, we're very different, but we come from the same background. Like he's from law enforcement and first responder family. All his family's cops and firemen.

And so was mine. And so that just felt like homey. Like that felt like we came from the same, cut from the same cloth. Yeah. Even though we're from like New York and Texas. Yankee and Southerner. Exactly. Exactly. But also I feel like we have the same mentality from both of those places. Like super sweet, but like don't mess with us. And if you don't like us, we really don't care. Yeah. You know? And so our attitudes sort of like they aligned. And he's someone in my life that is not a yes person. I don't,

believe in surrounding yourself with yes people at all. And I don't do that. I mean, my friends and family and my management team and everyone in my life is like truth tellers and they don't, I don't, I don't think it's healthy mentally. It keeps you honest. It sure does. I don't like that, that, you know, I just don't think it's healthy for people to surround themselves with people that are

disagreeable or not in it for the right reasons or something, you know, I wouldn't want that anyways. I want somebody to be like, no, you're fucking up right now. Or you could do this better. You know, a hundred percent. I think it's important. And, um, Brendan's just very honest. I mean, he's a harsh New Yorker and I like that because he just tells it like it is. He doesn't sugarcoat. He doesn't, he calls me on my shit and I want someone like that in my life, but he's also super supportive. Um,

It's also essential to growth. You know, you're never going to grow if somebody is just letting you do something over and over and over again. No, and you and Jay seem that way. Like you really balance each other. Like when I've been around y'all together and just even seeing from afar, I just feel like it's really, it's genuine and it's honest. Yeah. You know? Well, it's like you said, we're best friends. Him and I have been through so much shit and it's like, yeah,

half of it's not pretty and you know I talk about it on my podcast all the time like we've been through some shit and there's nothing that that man could do that I would ever just never you know want to work through with him yeah like I just love him that's my person and I feel like that's how you and Brendan are too it is I told him like I'm I'm a ninja for you like I will fight through anything with you and I feel like that's so important and I think you know

Going through other relationships, you learn through those things and you learn what's important and you learn about communication. Yes. And what you did do and what you didn't do. And so I think, you know, I came into this marriage with such a strong sense of like what I want and what I want to be for someone and a partner that I want to be and the partner that I need him to be. Yeah. And, you know, voicing that, number one, and communicating all of the things right away, not...

not harboring resentment or not telling them right away is like something that's so important to us. It's important in any relationship because too many relationships harbor resentment and then that just creates distance. And when you have distance in a relationship, that's when people drift apart. Yeah, for sure. And also when you have distance physically, like Brendan's back in New York a lot and I'm on the road and it's like, you, you can't have distance. I

Emotionally and physically, that's not going to work. No. Jay and I have a two-week rule. I like that. Where, like, we don't go more than two weeks without seeing each other. We've had that rule since we first got together, and we've stuck by it. There's been a couple times where I've had to, like, go over two and a half weeks because our schedules have been busy. But as soon as, you know, I can, I get straight to him. I think it's important to really reconnect, you know? It is. Make this new school year an opportunity for your kids to learn important life skills with Greenlight.

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I just want to bring up the fact that you were the first female that had a Broadway bar open. Yes, ma'am. I mean, come on, girl. Yes, girl. Yeah. I'm very proud of that. I really am. You should be. That is something to celebrate because in a world full of men, it's like, here's Miranda Lambert. It was really cool to have tickets open, Casa Rosa, because it was like all the guys. And I love...

The guys in country music are always so supportive of the women. They really are. I know that conversation always happens about just the harder time we have and the uphill climb that it is, but we have the country music community is always super supportive. So supportive. And I love that. I preach that on this podcast because coming from the arena that my husband was in, like the country rap or whatever it was that he was in,

it was so, so drama filled. Whatever he was doing. Like, I don't know. I don't really, cause I just always felt like my husband was more than that, you know? And I don't ever want to put them in a box, but when coming into the country scene, it, it has blown our mind how so sweet and supportive and loving. And like, we did not think it was going to be so accepting as it has been. So it is to know that the men support you too. And they're just out there like, Hey,

Yes, they do. And I appreciate that. But I was really proud to like on that row, on Broadway of all those boys' bars. It was like, all right. But I mean, you know, it's...

Like you said earlier, I meant to bring this up, but you said, you know, people don't see what it took to get there. Everybody, anyone that's really found their success and like really hit their stride probably spent 10 years getting there. Absolutely. Pretty much. I was like, overnight successes are 10 year successes. Yes, absolutely. It's worth the work, but I just think sometimes people this day and age because of

all the platforms and socials and everything that we have, that's like, so everything's right now, you know, I still think on either side of that, you got to put in the work. Yeah, absolutely. So even if you blow up on a social media platform or whatever, that's awesome. But get ready for 10 years of work. Cause like, that's what it takes to really sustain. Absolutely. I've been doing my podcast six years and it's, I'm in season eight and it's just now getting the notoriety of the past two seasons that I've been working

praying for and manifesting, you know? So yeah, no, it's definitely a work in progress.

let's talk about your Vegas residency. You were just in my city. We got to go out there and see you perform. The show was amazing. Thank you. I took so many notes from your show that I wanted for like our set and for like the opening of my, um, my podcast and stuff like the, the lights, just like everything. I was just like, I want that. I want this. I want that. You know, it's fun in Vegas because there's no such thing as too much of anything. Yeah.

Yeah. And so like, which can be a really bad thing, but it also can be a good thing when you're talking about fringe and rhinestones. Yes. I mean, you can never have enough fringe and rhinestones. Give me all the fringes. Exactly. So that was really fun to get to put that together. It was two years. We wrapped it in March. That's a long residency. It was long. You know, that it's, it's like, everyone was like, how was it? I'm like, it was amazing, but it's, it's a different kind of hard than the road because you're still, you're,

away from home but you're in one spot and the party comes to you instead of you taking the party to them so that's it was a good break from the road and it really like when I got back on Elvira you know my bus which you you met her yes um it was like I missed this and I didn't ever think I would say that yeah you know so you know like at the end of a tour you're like I don't want to see this bus again no we're we're clamoring to get back on tour we can't wait to get back on the bus but you have to it's good to miss it and Vegas helped me do that and it also just

was so fun with like the production stuff. Cause you could just take it to a whole nother level because you're not putting it in trucks every night, you know? So I'm really thankful for it. And I got to love your city. I mean, the strip isn't Vegas. No, it's not. And that's all I knew of it from going to the ACMs for 18 years in a row. But I really learned to love like the outskirts. We stayed in the burbs and like, you know, I walked my dog every day and made eggs and like had a real life there. And, um,

And I love the desert. And just, I really, I really, I went to a Knights game. I loved it. It was my first hockey game to ever go to. It was really fun. So I just, I found like the things of Vegas that aren't like, you know. How beautiful are the sunsets? The sunsets are incredible. The weather in December is amazing. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And the food scene's amazing, even off the strip. So like, I just really, I...

grew to really love the locals, too. I made friends with a lot of people that I've seen there for work, but they live there, so we'd go to their house for dinner, and it felt like, oh, this is just...

a really great community not that I don't love the strip but for two days and you're good you know yeah yeah no I had never whenever because we're selling our house out there now but whenever I would go out there people like do you live on the strip and I'm like absolutely not no one I will not go to the strip unless there is a reason like my husband has to be having a show or I'm going to see you or like I'm never gonna step foot on that strip unless I have to yeah

The house that built me, by the way, when my dad passed away in May was the only song that got me through. I think I cried my eyes out for like a month straight with the house that built me playing in the background. So that song is such a blessing. Like it's just one of those songs I'm so thankful to have. It is beautiful. Like if you listen to the words, just you literally paint a visual in this song and like you just walk people through just a moment in your life, a snapshot in your life. And thank you for that.

Um, lastly, can we talk about Mutt Nation? Yes. I tell me all about it. I know what your pup was here. I know me too. I'm so upset you didn't get to meet Chachi, but he's getting groomed today. Well, he's, he got sprayed by a skunk two months ago and he still smells like shit. It stays forever. Nobody told me that you're not supposed to put water immediately on a dog when they get sprayed by a skunk or else it locks the stuff in. I've done that.

Yeah. It's been a nightmare. I use douche. I've used marinara. I've used everything on this dog and he still smells like shit. Miranda. I cannot. It's the worst. Yeah. My dogs now, like when I kiss him on the nose, I swear it was like six months. Oh, don't tell me. I know. I'm sorry, but,

Good luck, Godspeed. The tour bus is going to smell like skunk. Oh, man. It's rough. So tell me about Mutt Nation. Mutt Nation is my heart and soul and passion. Like, music and Mutt are my passion, and luckily I get to mix them a lot. Yeah. But we're actually doing a show in Nashville on October 5th. You'll be on tour. Or at Ascend for...

to raise money for Mutt Nation. But we started it in 2009, just me and my mom, honestly. Like, it was a little mom-and-pop operation because I'd just grown up with, like, rescuing dogs. I guess that's what our family does. You guys rescued humans and dogs. Come on in. Whoever's, like, three-legged, one-eyed, come on in. And so...

When I was finally getting somewhere, my career manager, Mariana, was like, now is the time for you to pick your platform. You can use your platform for something great. What are you thinking? And I'm like, for sure, dogs. And my mom and I had been involved in rescue and stuff. And so we started Mutt Nation. And it'll be 15 years. It's 15-year anniversary this year. And we raised over $10 million. Wow.

to, we're not a shelter. We work with shelters. That's kind of what we do. With mom's PI background, I felt like it was kind of perfect because she could vet all these organizations that we're able to give to. And when, you know, when I was just starting out, like in 2009, I was like, I'm asking my fans to give to something. I want them to know where their dollars are going. Not just like, we're saving dogs. Like, what does that mean? So

I wanted it to be very personal and like for me and mom to kind of have our hands in everything that we gave everybody we gave money to. And so,

My mom uses her PI background to vet all these shelters and all that. We still do. We give 50. Mom gets shit done. She also told me to tell you hello. She really wants to know you. And I said, right before I came over here, I called her because it was her birthday yesterday. Oh, happy birthday, Mom. And she said, will you tell Bunny to keep Bunny in? I like her. Oh, my goodness. I love her. I can't wait to meet her. She's awesome. But anyway, Mutt Nation is basically we...

We kind of support shelters. We do disaster relief when there's natural disaster. We send funds and resources to help the animals in the crosses.

We work with U.S. war dogs to pay for medication for the retired U.S. military dogs. I'm in. Who do I give my money to? We do so much. We do prison programs with the prisoners and the pets where they can rehabilitate each other. I love that. And then the dogs are up for adoption. And so much more. There's so much. But I don't have enough time to tell you all of it. No, you're fine. It's...

You can look it up. It's MuttNation.com, and we have it all on there. But it's really amazing. I'm so proud of it. And that's another thing I'm trying to learn is the more time I could have room in my life, the more time I can spend on that. And, you know, there's one thing to talk about it in interviews and do a show for it, but I really like to be boots on the ground. I really like to go to the shelters. I go to a lot in Nashville and just –

Love on the dogs and try to post about anybody that's been there a long time. I'm like, show me your longest resident. So if you ever want to come with me when it's not so hot, I would love to come walk dogs. And you know, that's another thing I encourage people to do is,

If you can't give money and you can't adopt a dog, you can always just go volunteer even an hour of your time. Just getting them out of their enclosures and walking them and human interaction. It just increases their chance of adoption so much. I would love to get Bailey involved in that. That's probably something that she would love to do. That would be great. There's so many great shelters in Nashville that we work with. Metro was one of them and Nashville Humane and also Williamson County here in Franklin. So yeah.

We got to get together on that because I know that you love animals. No, for sure. And I'm definitely going to donate because I didn't know. I knew, but I didn't know like everything that you had involved with. Yeah, it's really personal for me. And it's really, we have a director named Nina who's, you know, updates us weekly on things.

There's tiny things that we do to where it's just a little, a beagle needs a wheelchair. Oh my goodness. We bought a beagle wheelchair or we'll give like thousands of dollars to like Hurricane Harvey relief where I actually went and was part of that whole rescue. So it's just, we run the gamut, but we get to pick everything. And so when we ask people to give money, they know exactly where it's going. I love that. And maybe when we do start building on this land, maybe we can start helping with the dogs or something. I would love that. That would be like,

just a life goal. I just love dog nose, you know, like any dog knows. I just want to kiss it. What is it? Horse nose. Listen, I am going to get some horses soon. I promise you, I'm going to talk daddy into it, but Miranda, it has been so fun sitting here with you and thank you so much for coming. Is there anything you, besides the album that you want to plug before you, we sign off? I think that was it. We talked about my nation and the album and, um,

I think we did. Oh, one more thing I was going to, because I was going to tell you, I have a brand called Idle Wind and it's in Boot Barn and I want to give you some boots. Let's do it. I need some. I need some for tour. That's what I was going to say. I thought you could have some boots for tour. That would be amazing. I would love. I'll text you and get your size or you can go on there and pick out whatever you want. Okay.

I'll get some jeans. They're stretchy. I'll hook you up. Yes, I need that because these hips, let me tell you, I'll hook you up with Mimi and she'll get that over to you. But I don't mind paying for it either. Like I would love to. I listen. I support the cause system, right? Thank you. Thank you so much. And you guys know where to find Miranda. If you don't just Google Miranda Lambert and you can find all of her socials. She's on TikTok, Instagram. I think you're pretty much everywhere. All the things, baby. And I cannot wait to have you promise me you're going to come back and see me. I will. I will come back.

Yay. Thank you guys so much for tuning in to another episode of dumb blonde. I will see you guys next week. Bye.