Miranda Lambert keeps referring to the version of her that was captured on her 2005 debut album, “Kerosene,” as “baby me.” Fortunately, as an artistic toddler, Lambert was a pyromaniac. The flame that began with that fully developed first record for Sony Nashville album turned Lambert into not just a figurehead for women in country music, at a crucial post-Dixie Chicks moment when the genre needed one most, but one of the most vital artists in the history of country. It was all there in her nascent major-label effort, most of all in the career-making title track, but also the less inflammatory, more sensitive material that surrounded it.
Now the “Kerosene” album has come off the back burner (sorry) and is being reissued by Sony in two formats. Shockingly, it had never come out on before on vinyl, so that oversight is being rectified with a LP edition out April 25. Digitally, the album is available now and bolstered by a never-before-heard outtake, “I Don’t Love Here Anymore.” (Listen to the just-revealed bonus track, below.)
Lambert has had a lot going on in her career lately besides nostalgia, including signing with the Republic label last year and releasing her first new album for the imprint, “Postcards From Texas.” But she was happy to talk with Variety about why she’s happy to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the record that brought her to the dance.
So many artists feel a little bit cringe about something about their debut album. They would change some things or were feeling some pressure from their record company on one front or another. Finding yourself as an artist at that age is hard for anybody.
Yeah, it is. And you know, when I heard we were gonna do this for “Kerosene,” I went back to listen again, and I was like, yeah, I am proud of this. I’m proud of where I was and where I’ve ended up. I want to share that because I want to encourage younger artists to make a record you would hand your hero. That’s kind of my rule. And I still feel strongly that I could walk up to George Strait and hand him this record and feel good about it.
The digital version of the re-release has this previously unreleased bonus song, “I Don’t Love Here Anymoe.” Is it an original recording from those sessions?
It is an original recording from those sessions, and I had forgotten about it, to be honest, and Marion (Kraft, her long-time manager) was trying to think about what we could do for the 20th anniversary and found that and dug it out of the archives. I’m really glad. I’d forgotten about it, and it’s nostalgic for me to hear it. It’s baby me, and it’s a little vulnerable because it’s such an old track. But I wrote it, and I’m just proud and excited to put it out there.
Does having a vinyl edition matter to you? Some people care about that, some people don’t.
I’m really excited about it. I’m excited that people care about vinyl right now. and I’m so happy that that kids are grabbing onto it again because it’s such a cool thing to collect.I come from that old school where it wasn’t kind of the thing back then, but I’m so thankful to have it.
It’s funny that you use the term “old-school” to talk about that era in the ‘90s and 2000s when vinyl was considered a dead format and most albums were not being issued on LP. Vinyl really skipped generations, and you’re of the generation where you definitely did not grow up with it unless it was in your parents’ collection.
Yeah, I didn’t. I only had CDs. Actually, I came from (cassette) tapes, and then CDs. But my dad has been slowly giving me his vinyl collection, so that’s been pretty cool to come all the way back around full circle.
Miranda Lambert ‘Kerosene’ vinyl
Courtesy EBM
Is the 20th anniversary of your major-label debut something you’ve put much thought into as it approached?
Kind of. I’ve said this a bunch, but some days I feel like I’ve been doing it 200 days, and sometimes I feel like I’ve been doing it 200 years. It just depends on the day. But I still love it, and I’m so proud of “Kerosene.” It set me up for the next two decades of music. … It’s funny how I don’t feel like I’ve changed much at all. My team’s been digging out some things out of the archives, interviews and shows and things from back in the day, and it’s hilarious to see. Because it’s baby me, but it’s also the same feisty thing that I am now. I just haven’t changed all that much, as far as who I am as a person and as an artist. I’ve evolved as a songwriter and as an artist and as a woman, but I’ve still definitely got that same fire that I’ve always had. … I think those honky-tonk days early on in Texas really helped shape who I was gonna be as an artist. I’m thankful for those times early on where I could sort of learn who I am. And that way, when I came to Nashville and everything was scary and new, I still had this foundation of who I am and what I wanted to say and how to stick to my guns.
And I have done that my entire career. You know, I probably came in a little too strong. I was naive enough that I was like, “I’ll go back to Texas if this doesn’t work. I don’t wanna change for anyone. I am who I am.” Now looking back, I’m like, dang, that was kind of brave — and, you know, I could have had a little more grace. But I just kind of felt really strongly about what I wanted to do and who I wanted to come out to the world as. And I’m thankful that I’ve got fans that have been with me since day one, and they’ll bringing their daughters to the shows and are raising their daughters on 20-year-old music. I’m just thankful that it stood the test of time.
Do you have a favorite sleeper song off the “Kerosene” album?
I think “Love Is Looking for You” is probably one of my favorites.
The album didn’t produce any huge, huge hits at the time. “Me and Charlie Talking” was the first single, and didn’t do much, but it was a good way to position you as a credible artist. The title track, which certainly turned into one of your biggest legacy songs, peaked at No. 15, which was considered a pretty good breakout for you at the time.
I never had a top five until “Revolution,” which was my third record, so it took a minute, for sure.
You worked with Tracy Gershon as your A&R when you started at Sony, so you had like strong advocates.
I had Tracy and (then-Sony Nashville head) John Grady at the time, going, “Hey, go make the record you wanna make, that’s why we signed you.” And I’m so thankful for that because it could have gone the other way, and it goes the other way for a lot of people. It was like, “We trust you.” and I came in there saying, “I want Frank Liddell to (produce) this record. I feel strongly about that.” And it was the right call for me. The fact that the label was like behind me and said, “Go do it,” it really was special, honestly.
People would ask me, “Are you the next Dixie Chicks? Are you the next LeAnn Rimes?” I would just always say, “I’m the first Miranda Lambert,” because I was trying to be uniquely myself and I think that’s what has gotten me through to the end of this 20 years. I’m starting a whole new era now, which is awesome, with the new record deal. I’m still very much in this business, and I think the reason I get to stay is because of authenticity, which is my favorite quality in any artist.
Of course, you moved on label-wise last year to Republic. Do you feel comfortable about working with the old label on this commemorative edition?
I do. I had 20 years at Sony and the whole career that I’ve had musically has been at that label, and I have some great relationships there. They have done some great things for me over the years, and so I’m glad that we’re working together to put this out, because it’s important. I don’t take it lightly that they’re working with me on this and that that’s just a huge part of the fabric of my story.
Miranda Lambert
Jack Guy
You are doing some stadium shows with Morgan Wallen this summer. Especially in country music, it feels like if major artists have a choice between headlining their own gigs or jumping onto somebody else’s stadium tour as support, they’ll almost always take that slot. Brooks and Dunn is also opening shows for him this summer. Is there a specific appeal in that for you?
Well, you know what? It’s just a huge stage. Especially with someone who’s a younger artist in another generation like Morgan, it’s a whole new dynamic and a whole new audience that may not have seen us before, and I’m thrilled about that. Like, “Let’s do it. Let’s go show ’em what our generation is all about.” My other favorite part of it is that I’m done about 8:30 and I can just hang out and watch the show. I’ve been playing shows for forever, and sometimes you just get a little tired of going on late. So this is gonna be awesome. And I think Morgan’s show is great. I think his music’s great. We have collaborated a lot and written songs together. and I just feel like it makes a lot of sense. He’s been very sweet and vocal about respecting what I’ve done in my career. And I think that now is the perfect time to sort of go show his fans who I am. and then vice versa — some of my fans that come to the show can see what he’s doing, and it’s a great opportunity.
On a whole other topic: There is a big Miranda-themed drag show coming up in Austin, we just heard.
I’m very excited about that. It is gonna be a celebration of all of the catalog, of all of the sassy songs, by all the drag queens. The reason I’m most excited is because I don’t have to do anything. I just get to show up and have a great time. I know that I over the years have been a part of the drag community with all of my feisty songs, and I’m so thrilled about that and that I get to see it up close and personal. My brother and his husband and all of their friends that I hang around with in Austin are gonna be there, and so it’ll be a special thing.
You being a drag icon isn’t something we all were aware of, but there’s so much Dolly drag and sometimes Shania drag, so it makes sense there would be Miranda drag.
Yeah, if you think about the names you just mentioned, once you get in that world, you’ve kind of made it — you’re like a one name-er at that point. We got Dolly and Shania, we got Reba, we got Cher, we got Mariah. I’m like, “Sign me up.”
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