Miranda Lambert

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Miranda Lambert

Background information
Birth name Miranda Lambert
Born November 10, 1983 (1983-11-10) (age 24)
Origin Lindale, Texas, USA
Genre(s) Country
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals
Acoustic guitar
Years active 2001–present
Label(s) Epic
Columbia Nashville
Associated acts Blake Shelton

Miranda Lambert (born November 10, 1983 in Longview, Texas) is a two time Grammy Award nominated American country singer-songwriter who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star, where she finished in third place and later signed to Epic Records.[1] Lambert made her debut with the release of "Me and Charlie Talking", the first single from her 2005 debut album Kerosene; this album, which was certified Platinum in the United States, also produced the singles "Bring Me Down", "Kerosene", and "New Strings". All four singles were Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Lambert was transferred to Columbia Records Nashville[2] for her second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which was released in early 2007. Although its first single (the title track) failed to make top 40, the follow-ups — "Famous in a Small Town" and "Gunpowder & Lead" — became her highest-charting singles to date, both reaching a peak of #14.[3]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Lambert grew up in Lindale, Texas. Her father Rick is a retired cop who in later life became a private investigator in partnership with her mother Beverly. Miranda was taught to shoot by her father at an early age and later became an avid deer hunter. Her parents took her to a Garth Brooks concert when she was nine and this started her interest in country music. Her father wrote and performed country music and she soon began singing in talent contests under his tutelage. Miranda has a younger brother named Luke.

At age sixteen, Lambert began appearing on the Johnny High Country Music Review in Arlington, Texas, the same show that helped launch the career of LeAnn Rimes. Lambert quickly landed a recording session in Nashville, but left the studio after she became frustrated with the "pop" sound of music. She then went back to Texas and asked her dad to teach her how to play guitar so she could write her own songs.[4]

While still in high school, Lambert made her professional singing debut. She fronted the house band at the Reo Palm Isle Ballroom in Longview, Texas, a long-running venue that has showcased Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson.

[edit] Music career

[edit] Kerosene

In 2003, Lambert auditioned for the talent competition Nashville Star, eventually becoming a third-place finisher on the show. On September 15, 2003, she signed with Epic Records; her debut single, "Me and Charlie Talking" (co-written by her father and Heather Little), was released in summer of 2004 as the lead-off single to her debut album. Titled Kerosene, Lambert's first album comprised twelve songs, eleven of which she co-wrote. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts,[5] and eventually gained a Platinum certification by the RIAA for shipments of over one million copies,[6] selling more than 850,000 up to March 2007.[7] Overall, the album produced four Top 40 singles on the Billboard country charts. Lambert also toured with Keith Urban[8] and George Strait[9] in early 2006. In 2007, she toured with Toby Keith.[10]

[edit] Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Lambert's second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was released on May 1, 2007. She wrote eight of the album's eleven tracks,[11] including its second single, "Famous in a Small Town", her highest-charting single to date. Much of the track of "Gunpowder & Lead" on that album was written while she while taking a concealed handgun class in her home town.[12]

In 2005, at the 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Lambert won the Cover Girl Fresh Face of Country Music Award. She was also nominated for the Country Music Association's Horizon Award in 2005; in 2007, Lambert also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her single "Kerosene". She also won the Top New Female Vocalist award at the 2007 ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards. At the 2008 ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend unexpectedly won Album of the Year.

In 2007, Lambert began dating country singer Blake Shelton.[13] Lambert also sang background vocals on Shelton's 2008 single "Home".[14]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Chart Positions RIAA Label
US Country US 200
2001 Miranda Lambert[15] self-released
2005 Kerosene 1 18 Platinum Epic
2007 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 1 6 Gold[16] Columbia Nashville

[edit] Singles

Year Song Chart Positions Album
US Country US Hot 100 US Pop 100 US Digital CAN Country
2005 "Me and Charlie Talking" 27 Kerosene
"Bring Me Down" 32
"Kerosene" 15 61 82 25
2006 "New Strings" 25 125
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" 50 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
2007 "Famous in a Small Town" 14 87 32
2008 "Gunpowder & Lead"A 14 70 84 66 41
  • A Current single.

[edit] Other songs

These recordings were commercially released through compilations or other artists.

Year Song Album
2007 "Jailhouse Rock" (by Elvis Presley) Elvis: Viva Las Vegas (Original Soundtrack)

[edit] Awards

Year Award Category
2005 Country Music Association Horizon Award — Female (nominated)
2006 CMT Music Awards Female Video of the Year — "Kerosene" (nominated)[17]
Breakthrough Video of the Year — "Kerosene" (nominated)
2007 Grammy Awards Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Kerosene" (nominated)
Academy of Country Music Top New Female Vocalist (Won)[18]
Female Vocalist of the Year (nominated)
Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year (nominated)
2008 Grammy Awards Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "Famous in a Small Town" (nominated)[19]
2008 CMT Music Awards Female Video of the Year — "Famous in a Small Town" (nominated)
2008 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist (nominated)
Album of the Year — Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Won)[20]
Single Record of the Year — "Famous in a Small Town" (nominated)

[edit] Touring

Lambert's road band and crew consists of the following[21]:

[edit] Band


[edit] Touring personnel

  • Jordan Powell — tour manager
  • Chris Newsom — monitor engineer, production manager, stage manager, backline tech
  • Jason Macalick — front of house engineer, backup bus driver
  • Tony Boykin — personal trainer, production assistant, security
  • Crysta Lee — merchandise manager
  • Sean Semler — lighting director
  • Charlie Sherman — bus driver
  • David Sherman — bus driver

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fabian, Shelly. "'Nashville Star' Gave Buddy Jewell and Miranda Lambert Big Career Boosts". About.com.
  2. ^ Columbia Nashville - Miranda Lambert Artist Site
  3. ^ Billboard - Miranda Lambert Chart History
  4. ^ Texas Wrangler, Page 3, Washington Post 15 May, 2007
  5. ^ Whitmire, Margo. "50 Squeaks Out Another Week At No. 1". Billboard. March 23, 2005.
  6. ^ Draper, Jimmy. "Miranda Lambert's one tough country singer on 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'". San Francisco Chronicle. August 26, 2007.
  7. ^ Tucker, Ken. "Hacker Takes 'Nashville Star' Crown". Billboard. March 2, 2007.
  8. ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Billboard Bits: Foos, Montgomery Gentry, Lambert". Billboard. May 24, 2005.
  9. ^ Fabian, Shelly. "On the Road with George Strait - Well, Kinda...". About.com.
  10. ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Toby Keith Pencils New Album, Tour In For June". Billboard. April 10, 2007.
  11. ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Miranda Lambert Not Withholding On Second CD". Billboard. January 19, 2007.
  12. ^ Texas Wrangler, Page 1, Washington Post 15 May, 2007
  13. ^ Blake Shelton talks about divorce and new girl Miranda Lambert
  14. ^ Blake Shelton Gets The Hint
  15. ^ Miranda Lambert - CD Review
  16. ^ "Miranda Lambert surprised with gold album". The Tennessean. June 6, 2008.
  17. ^ "2006 CMT Music Awards Nominees". Billboard. March 17, 2006.
  18. ^ Tucker, Ken. "Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, Strait Big Winners At ACMs". Billboard. May 16, 2007.
  19. ^ Fabian, Shelly. "Miranda Lambert - 2008 Grammy Nominee Profile". About.com.
  20. ^ Tucker, Ken. "Chesney Wins Again, Lambert Surprises At ACM Awards". Billboard. May 19, 2008.
  21. ^ Band and Crew gallery

[edit] External links

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