Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist - Miranda Lambert

Episode Date: November 3, 2019

Miranda Lambert is one of the biggest stars not just in country, but in all of music. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the Grammy-winning artist to talk about the roots of her Texas swagger, her new album "Wildcard," and its inspiration from her recent marriage to a New York City police officer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit Down podcast. My thanks, as always, for clicking and listening along with us. My guest this week is one of the biggest stars in all of music, not just in country music, but in all of music. Miranda Lambert, the nine-time female vocalist of the year. She won that award nine times in a row. She is huge. Joining me now on this podcast, the producer, Maggie Law. Hey, Maggie.

Hey, Willie. And the producer of the interview, Hannah. Van Winkle. Hello, Hannah. Hello, William. So we were both excited. Can I call you, William? Please do.

I like that formality. I think we should use it going forward for around the office for everyone, a sign of respect. We were both psyched for this one. I was because I like her music. I love country, as a lot of people know. I love all music, but I like country from having lived in Nashville for a while. But I just like her swagger. Totally.

She's such a country, like, strong chick. And I just, I want to put on a pair of Tony Lamas and just stomp around my apartment, like singing her belt in her songs. She's so fun. She's amazing. And she comes from just outside Dallas, town called Lindale, Texas. I think it's 80 miles. She said east of Dallas.

Some fun facts about her. In sixth grade, she was named most likely to become a country star. That worked out. So clearly this was coming for a while. Yeah. I think so. Her dad, this is an amazing story. Okay.

So her dad was a Dallas narcotics officer. He worked undercover on the campus of SMU, so the Methodist University in Dallas. And that's where he met Miranda's mom working as a narc. I'm not suggesting anything. I don't think he pinched her. I was saying, do we know how they met, like what the actual meeting was? Don't ask questions.

You don't want to know the answer to do. No, I'm implying nothing. But he was a cop and they met at SMU. And then later they started a private investigative firm. I love that. And Miranda talks about like being a part of some of the sting. I love it. I mean, imagine your mom's like, hey, just go knock on that door over there.

Just go play with that kid. Like, see what happened. Right. Yeah. And she's so casual about it. You'll hear in the interview. She's like, yeah, my mom will put me in my little cheerleading outfit. I go knock on the door and they'd take a picture of the guy when he opened it.

Like, what? Yeah. So she, I don't know. She just got a great story. She was on the show Nashville Star, 2003, which is a reality competition for country music. Yeah. Yeah, like American Idol for country. Yeah.

You know, stars is how it was billed. And they purposefully stacked the contestants with people that could write their own songs. So Miranda was on the show, wrote a song with her dad on the program, came in the third place. She said that's exactly where she wanted to be. I love that. She was like, I didn't want to come in first. I wanted to be in third. Yeah.

That's interesting. It is interesting. She thought it would be too much pressure. And then you get put into the machine if you win. Like, this is what happens next. Then she just took some of the notoriety she got and used it in her own way. And also, I mean, from what I can see, she's never. deviated from being herself.

She talks about it in the interview, like the first room she walked in in Nashville. She's like, here's how this is going to go. Yep. Which takes some guts as a young artist trying to make it in Nashville. I mean, I'm, you know, inch and closer to 40 right now. And I don't think I could have been able to say that to not even my parents, let alone a record label executive when I was in my early 20s. Like, absolutely no way. Right.

I'm just figuring myself out like and I'm to walk into this room where, by the way, these people sort of hold your future in their hands. Right. If you don't do what they say they're going to do, they could be like, okay, fine, we don't, we don't want you after all. Right. And to go in there with such conviction and such a knowledge of who she is, not only as a person, but as an artist and wanting to see that vision through, I just give her so much props for

being able to do that. She's like, I don't want to become a poppy artist. I don't want backup dancers. I don't want costumes. I don't want to be in a halter top. No. She's like, I'm going to write songs. I'm going to play them, take it or leave it.

And I guess when you're that talented, they take it. I guess so. On your terms. Which is so cool. Yeah. I respect her so much for it. She famously was married to Blake Shelton. They got divorced in a very public way.

And last year, she announced her marriage to a New York City police officer. This year, earlier this year, I guess it was, to a New York City police officer named Brendan McLaughlin. Yeah. And shock the world, I think. Seriously. I mean, if you follow her on Instagram, she talks a lot about, you know, her family and growing up and some of her work that she does out on the road with the, the, animals and so forth. But when she posted that picture of her and Brendan on their wedding day, which had happened,

by the way, a few weeks prior to when she actually posted it, it was just so cool. She looked so happy, beaming from the inside, really. And she mentions in the interview, you know, he sort of turned on light that I didn't know was off. She didn't know it was turned off. Yeah. And you can see it in those pictures. You really can. And you're so curious about it.

You know, Maggie, it's like, how did that come together? So many questions. How does it work? Yeah. And imagine, it's almost like this plot of a. rom-com. A little bit. The New York City

Police officer gets plucked and thrown into this celebrity world and how that all works. Here's a nugget I have unearthed. The rumor is that her cohorts in Pistolannies

which is her side project. So they were performing on GMA and... Good morning America. This is the other show. Sure. That which shall not be named. They heard the other two gals in Pistolannies

saw him and plucked him out from his No way. They said like, we think you'd be, we think you'd be a great match for Miranda. Bring him to a show that night. And they're like, we've got a guy for you. And he's pretty cute, by the way. Wow. Yeah. That's incredible. Oh my gosh. I love it. I mean, to have good friends like that that are much. Yeah. I know. Seriously. People out of crowds for you.

Maggie, who you got from work on in hand. Working on it. So that brings us to the interview. We did the interview here in New York City, where she spending more and more time, I guess. And we did it at the famed restaurant, 21, just a beautiful old, great New York spot. Totally. And we sat down in a beautiful room and we wrapped about music and relationships and being the daughter of two private investigators and the whole thing. So I think you're going to enjoy our Sunday sit down right now with Miranda Lambert.

Miranda, thank you for doing this. I appreciate it. Thank you. No more whispering, I promise. So congratulations on the album on Wild Card. I'm curious what it feels like even after all these years of putting out albums and having them succeed of what it feels like sort of on the eve of putting this thing out to the world that you've worked so hard on and waiting to see what people think about it.

Do you still get nervous about that? I get so nervous. I don't sleep for like three days before I put a record out. Really? Yeah. And what is that? Just, you know, it's my art. I mean, I guess like any artist is worried to like,

also with a songwriter it's like here's my diary of the last two years you know what I mean so I feel like very nervous but excited because my best

like reactions and feedback from fans has always been because I was honest you know and so the more honest I am whether it's a little painful or not

to be that honest is worth it but it still gives you butterflies to know that it's all going out there to the world is interesting that you say interesting that you say

painful because I've heard you say before that sometimes you press on something hard enough and you feel the pain when you're writing a song and you know that you're on to something. Yeah. Do you have that on this record as well? Is there pain there? This one is less pain, thank the Lord. I had a really, I kind of went really internal for the last record I did, called the Way to These Wings and I'd gone through a really hard time in my life and I wrote a lot of songs.

I mean, I really used it as a tool for healing. I used the music for medicine, truly. But then it was a double album. I'd a lot to say. I really honed to handle my craft as a songwriter on that record. But this time around, I was just like, I'm in a great place, and I was ready to have fun. And a lot of my career has been built on sarcasm and a little fire.

And so I was kind of ready to bring that back into the game. So what do you want to say to your fans with this record? Every one of these is a statement, as you say, about where you are in your life. What did you want to say on this one? Well, it's funny because the first single is it all comes out in the wash. And I kind of just want to say that because overall, I mean, that's something my mom and my grandma used to say, like, don't worry about a hun. It all comes out in the wash, you know, about anything that was either big or small.

But I feel like this record sort of speaks to that in all the ways. It's got a lot of fun on it and some more somber moments, too. but it's really just about like it's going to be okay. Yeah. Just keep your head up because it's going to be fun. Yeah, it all comes out on the wash is a fun kind of a foot stomper. The video you're driving the Bronco going mudding, doing all that kind of stuff. Yeah, that looked like fun.

Yeah. So that kind of sets the tone for the whole record. And is it say something good about where you are in your own life this year as well? It does. You know, I'm thankful because I have some great fans that have taken all the journeys with me. whether it was like pretty part of the journey or not. And I'm thankful that, you know, the kind of people will just come up to me and meet, greets or whatever lately and just be like, you look so happy.

And I'm really glad to hear that because I am happy. I'm just glad to know that, you know, even though they kind of saw me through the dark times, I'm back. You know what I mean? And that happens to all of us. I mean, there's ups and downs, but in my case, it's just public. So sometimes it gets a little rough, but just because it's all out there for everybody to hear and see, you know what I mean? But so is happiness, and that's where I'm right now.

Yeah, I mean, you've obviously, you got married this year. Yeah. You just had a nice post for Brennan's birthday yesterday on Instagram. I imagine that's at the core of your happiness this year. Yeah, I mean, when you truly find someone that loves you for who you are and that you genuinely are smiling, it's like it's a smile from the inside. You know what I mean? And it's a lot that kind of clicks on that you really didn't know was off. You know, I was like, I was trucking along just fine.

But then I realized I could be a lot happier. And I think my music definitely reflects that. How does he feel about being the subject in some ways of an entire album? I mean, this whole thing's new for him, obviously. But now your relationship and the way you feel about him is out in the public. Yeah, I think he's cool with it. I mean, he's pretty laid back and friendly and sweet and just like very going. the flow kind of guy, which is great for this life because you kind of have to go with the flow.

It's crazy, but it's awesome life. And I'm glad to share it with him and that he's open to it. And, you know, definitely feels good to be singing. So a few love songs. Let's not get crazy. I mean, I don't want to get too happy where I can't write a sad song. No, there are a couple of those there, too. Yeah.

Sure. So when you set down, Miranda, to write an album and you sort of stack the songs, what's your plan? I'm always so interested in a great songwriter like you. Like, are you trying to tell a story from track one till the end, or you just put out your 12, 14 best songs? You know, I've done both. The last record, I really had a plan, like a kind of a map and a journey of what I wanted it to be. And it was two albums. So, you know, I had a lot to say.

But this one, I just kind of, I didn't ever think it. I approached Wild Card with the same energy and excitement and open-mindedness that I approached my very first record kerosene, which was in 2005. I recorded it in 2004. And so I don't know. I think I just kind of went full circle and was like, I'm just kind of open to whatever. I used a new producer that I've never worked with before.

And every single other record I've ever done, including the Pistol Annie stuff, was with Frank Liddell. And so Frank and I had to talk and just thought it might be best for me to go explore. And we're still great friends. He gave me his blessing. And so that sent me on a whole other kind of emotional. kind of emotional path for what I was walking into to record Wildcard with Jay Joyce.

And I think it, you know, there was a new energy there. And I think that that sort of played into me kind of going, all right, the best songs, whatever the music takes us is where I'm going to go. You know, so there wasn't really an order or a plan. I just picked songs that I loved and wanted to sing live, you know. That's a big part of it. That's what I was going to ask you. Do you think as a performer knowing you're going to go into Bridgestone Arena in Nashville

one night and sing all these songs? Do you think, okay, how do I fill that space with some of these songs? You do, and I've built quite a long catalog over, you know, the last 15 years, so you start to realize what you're kind of missing in your set, and this time around I wrote toward that a little bit. For instance, mess with my head. It's like, I wanted this kind of rock vibe because I was missing that in my live show, and so now we put it in. It just kind of completes the whole look, you know what I mean. Yeah, sure. And you write all the songs or co-write all the songs on the album, as you always do.

Do you have a favorite story that you've told of these songs? Is there one song where you go, oh, that was good. I like the way I wrote that and put it through. You feel the same about all of them. Tequila does, is my baby on there. I mean, people say you can't pick a favorite because they're all your babies, but I think it's because I wrote it to

Texas friends of mine, Jack Ingram and John Randall, who have known for a long time. And we always kind of sneak away to West Texas through every riding cycle and like disappear into the desert for a couple days and really come up with some amazing ideas. And I think being with two Texans in Texas with tumblewees flying by, riding tequila just felt right. You know what I mean? It was like, this is exactly what we're supposed to be doing right now. And it's going to be an anthem. Any song with tequila in it, people love. It's trending right now. It's big. I think it's been trending for like, ever. I was going to say it.

For all of the world's live time. And you can be confident it's always going to be trying to. Yeah, but it's fun to sing it live because I've been doing it before. It came out already, but I had been doing it before anyone had heard it. People were acting in such a positive way because it goes from like a waltz to a two-step back to a waltz. It keeps you guessing. Sure. A lot of Texas in that song.

A lot. You always write your songs, as I said. I know that's important to you. Why is that? Is it hard for you to read the words of somebody else? and try to sell that story if it's not coming from you exactly? You know, I don't, on this record, on Wildcard, I wrote everything, but I haven't in the past.

I mean, I really wrote a lot for the weight of these wings, but that was the album where I had probably the most that I had written or co-written, because for one, in your early albums, I was touring 250 days a year, like right when. So I wrote a lot, but I was also open to other songs, and thank God because some of the biggest songs in my career are songs I didn't write, but or songs that, to me, it's made the best song when, it doesn't matter. And I, you know, when I hear a song that someone outwrote me, I go, dang it, but I need that. You know, like, how's the built me?

Or Mama's Broken Heart or Little Red Wagon. Like, those are three staple songs in my career, and they were outside songs. And so I'm not really like a stickler, like I'm writing everything on this record. You know, I like to be open. But you've been writing songs for a long time, haven't you since you were a little girl? Well, I've wrote on every single record I've ever done. Yeah. Yeah.

And what do you remember, the first song you wrote when you're a little girl in Texas? Yeah, I wrote a song when I was 14. I think it was called something like about a dreamer. It was about a 14-year-old girl named Mandy Lee. My name's Miranda Lee. I wanted to move to Nashville and be a country singer. Very literal. It wasn't very good.

But it was a start. It was a start, yeah. And was that when you were writing and learning to play guitar with your dad? Is that who inspired you to write and play songs? My dad, yeah, he plays guitar and rides. And I've grown up with music my whole life. I mean, my dad would be sitting on the porch playing guitar and unfalsly on his lap. I mean, for as long as I can remember.

So he gave me a guitar when I was 10 and then gave me another one when I was 14. And I just was like, it was their idea, so I didn't want to do it. You know what I mean? You're a teenager. Yeah. And then I decided, when I decided it was my idea about 17, I went and asked dad if he could teach me a few chords. And he didn't say this, but I know he was thinking, like, finally. You know what I mean?

Right. But you were good at it right away when you were a teenager? Yeah, I wasn't very good at most things. I mean, I really struggled in school. And I didn't make cheerleader my sophomore year of high school. So, joined the choir, which was probably the smarter move anyways. My mom would say, you know, you do. You sing well, you probably shouldn't be yelling in 30-degree weather.

I'm like, I don't think about that. But, you know, just growing up in a small town in Texas, like football with everything. And so when I started discovering music, I realized, like, I wasn't that good at sports, not that good at academics, but music came really naturally to me. And I was finally like, okay, this might be my thing, you know. And I love your dad's band, I think was called Contraband. Yes, and he was a narcotics officer. So, I mean, it was all like.

It's just the perfect name for the job to that. Isn't it? I don't know if, I mean, your big fans know, but I don't know if everybody in the country realizes that your parents run a detective agency. They did my whole life. Yeah. And why did that shape you? I mean, sometimes you worked with them from time to time? So my dad was a police officer in Dallas.

Yeah. He was a narcotics officer with a sideband called contraband. And then my mom became private investigators as partners. And, yeah, my mom would sort of, I think I did my first job when I was four. I mean, you know, you'd have to watch people and just people had kids was kind of like a natural progression. So, plus we thought it was cool. You know, but like my mom had me put on my cheerleading uniform one time and go knock on a door because I was supposed to be selling cheerleading cookies. But it was just, yeah.

You were in there. I was in it. I mean, bless her heart, though, she probably couldn't afford a babysitter. So she was like, just coming to eight kids. I'll put you to work. So let's go back to the music then. So at what point did you realize? I've got a little talent for this, and this might take me somewhere.

When did it become sort of a focus for you? Well, I was working in the flower bed one day, and there was an ad on the radio for this True Value country music showdown at the bar about 40 minutes from my hometown. And I had never, I had been singing a little bit, but I was in the choir and I was singing church, but I was just, I don't know, I wasn't like in it, in it. I was in high school, you know what I mean?

I was just doing that. But I went in and told my mom that I wanted to enter it. And she was like, okay, kind of shocked because I'd always kind of been like, I don't want to sing. They would always try to get me to sing and stuff. And I just wasn't interested. Again, not my idea yet. When it was my idea, though, I was way in.

And she goes, what are you going to sing? Because you had to sing, like, an original song. And I was like, well, I'm going to sing one of dads. So I did that. I ended up the contest and I sang one of my dad's songs. And I got, like, third. But I felt the first time when it felt like to be on stage, like a club. It was like neon signs and people and smelled like beer.

And people were like, you're good. And it was just this whole, like a lot switched on right then. I was 16 and almost 17. And because, again, it was my, the first thing I was ever, like, didn't have to work so hard at. Like, I always had to stay after school for sports or academics and just extra hard. Had to work everything. And that day was when it kind of flipped over when I was like, oh. maybe I should see about this.

So that's when my dad started teaching me some chords on the guitar. And I started really trying to write songs. So what's the leap from that bar at 16 years old to, okay, I'm going to go to Nashville and really try this? I went to Nashville to record a few demos. And there were like these little pop songs that really didn't say much. And that's when I came home and I started really learning guitar and starting to, I was like, I have some, I have seen.

a lot. I mean, being pretty sheltered in a small town in East Texas, I'd still been exposed to a lot of life. My parents, being private investigators, and my parents also took in women that were victims of domestic abuse. So all through my teens, I was sharing my room with moms and daughters and kids. And so I just, even though I was pretty sheltered, I'd been exposed to a lot of actual real life happening around me, you know. So I started writing and I realized that I could do that. Like, I realize I had something to say that was more meaningful than a few little pop tunes, you know? Yeah. And I'm so glad because it was such a good lesson for me, really young.

But, you know, definitely the turning point was Nashville Star is where, like, all kind of happened. Of course. Because I played bars in Texas for, like, I don't know, three years. And that's rough go. I mean, well, first of all, a lot of clubs don't hire girls. I mean, just wasn't the thing they did. my mom would be with my agent and she would get hung up on a lot and told no a lot but um then i got the opportunity to try for national star and i was skeptical because contests are

skeptical of those you know what i mean yeah and i had to move to Nashville and all this but it was the thing that changed my whole life really so you did well on that show and then the record label started calling i got third yep which i wanted because i also wasn't ready to win first because you're like thrown in to this crazy cycle. And I also, the winner of the show had to record a song. We all three recorded songs, the top three. And I didn't really love it. I didn't love the song.

And I didn't want that to be my first thing out of the gate. So I was kind of praying, I'm so thankful for this opportunity, but I really don't want to win because I need some time. I'm 20 years old, you know? And so third was like exactly where I needed to fall to get some, my head around what was happening. But I got signed because, you know, you know, the labels saw me performing.

And it definitely got me out of the honky talks. Yeah. Thank goodness. Well, it seems to me listening to your music from kerosene, as you mentioned, which was 2005 forward. Your sound and the way you write songs has been consistent. It's been the real you from the beginning. Were there people at the beginning in Nashville who wanted you to be something else?

You mentioned those pop songs. Because I can't tell you how many women I've sat across from in music and said, I came to Nashville, I went to L.A., and they said, here's what you're wearing, here's what you're going to sound like, and it wasn't what they actually felt like they ought to be. Did you get some of that when you first started? I don't know what was wrong with me, I guess, just like young and overly confident in who I was, but I walked in to the label meeting when I was supposed to sign that day. I just said to this whole conference room of men, like I'm wearing my little, I wrote the

Bullock gillies tank top and some jeans into booth, and I'm like, this is who I am. I, because at the time I had made a little homemade CD, like we printed like 3,200 of them. And I was selling around the back of my mom's car at shows, you know what I mean, and doing little gigs. But I was getting somewhere in my mind, I thought, you know, like Texas is a whole different animal because it has its own scene of music. Like, you can really do big things just in the state alone. And to me, that was kind of like my path. and I knew I could be who I was and do that. So when I went to the label in Nashville, I was like,

if y'all's plan is to make me like, you know, the pretty girl, like wear halter tops and dance around, I'm not going to do that. That's not what I'm about. I'm going to sing and write. I want to be Merle Haggard, not Brittany, although I love Brittany. Who doesn't? But I can't dance and I don't have abs.

So that's out. So, but that was my plan. And I just said it. And knowing right then they could have said, well, then we don't want to sign you, but they didn't. They just said, okay, go make your record and we'll see. Wow. And I turned in kerosene. And now we're here.

So it worked. But it's so crazy because it's not like that for so many people to really get to be who you are and for it to actually carry you through your career. But I've just really sucked my guns about it. That's one piece of advice. My mom gave me that I value so much growing up was know who you are and stick with it, you know. It's really gotten me far. But that's probably not how it was easy. If somebody's telling me, do this to get what you want.

I mean, I've had, you know, the whole, you need to lose weight, you need to gain weight, you need to wear this instead of that, you need to change your lyrics. And I just, I mean, stubborn. So usually whatever they suggested, I would do the opposite for a little while. There's a theme here. Yeah. A person and authority tells you to do something and you do the opposite. Exactly.

Yeah. It's worked out of all. Not in like a spotful way. Just I told you all I am who I am kind of way, you know. So then what was it like for? kerosene, forgive the pun, to explode the way it did. I like that. See what you did there.

I didn't even mean to do it. I couldn't think it was another word. To go platinum and to go number one and do all those things. Your first time out of the gate, what was that feeling? It was really crazy. I mean, I was working really hard in a lot of days. And, you know, but I had a platinum selling album and it was number one at Billboard when it came out, but I didn't have a hit yet.

I mean, I didn't have even a top five song until my third record. So I still had a lot of mountains to climb, even though I came out of the gate pretty swinging pretty hard. I still had a lot of, you know, obstacles. Radio wasn't necessarily embracing my fiery personality. So, I mean, you weren't satisfied in other words. You said, I'm here. I'm in the door now, but I've got some work to do. Yeah, I had a lot of work to do.

And I went on a lot of tours. And I had to work really hard to get country radio to pay attention to me and to understand who I was. And when Revolution came out on a third record, I finally had some traction with radio. I worked on the relationships a lot. But, you know, and I get it. I had songs like gumpowder and lead and kerosene. It was kind of a little bit maybe too feisty for some people's days. But, you know, we got through it.

and I ended up getting a number one. My first number one was my first top five. It was on my third record. So it took a minute, but we got there. And you won a Grammy? I want a Grammy. For the house that built me. Yes.

That song's just so special. It's amazing. I was watching the video again. Such a special song. Because there's nobody alive who can't relate to that going back to the place you came from, whether it was a good memory or a bad memory. Exactly. That's what that song is about to me.

They just captured that emotion so well. When I first heard that song, I was driving on the highway, and I'd gotten a pitch CDs with like, you know, 10 songs that are, you can cut these if you want. And that one came on and I had to pull over. I mean, it just struck me so hard because it's our story. I was like, how do they know? Yeah. It's everyone's story, you know?

I know. I told I was watching it take because I did that. I went back to my couple years ago and I knocked on the door just like you do in the video and people let me come in. And it was like, first of all, it's nothing like you remember it. But it's like, it does. It all comes rush over. over you. So I can see why you won a Grammy for that award. Yeah. It's that song so special. I'm just glad to be part of it. I really am. Yeah. I want to ask you, too, about your, who you are

in Nashville and what you've helped lead in terms of women coming to the forefront. There's been a lot of talk about that lately, but you and Pistolanis were out a few years ago before all this talk even started about getting women on the radio more often. Have things changed in the last few years, or at least since you started in Nashville in terms of women's voices being heard on the radio? you know, I feel like it goes in waves. I think it goes in waves for artists individually, and also it's sometimes heavy on the female side. And then for the last, I don't know, six years it's been really heavy on the male side. But I think people getting up or about it, but if you go back and look at country music history,

it's sort of done that the whole time. I don't think it's ever balanced out, not since I've been on the scene. You know, I don't think it's ever had a balance between equal amounts of females on the radio. I don't know if it ever will, but I found my spot and I was thankful for it. Carrie found her spot and she was thankful for it. You know what I mean? And Carrie Underwood, because we started at the same time. And I just feel like she's still fighting the same battles that I am.

Do you feel like you're still fighting sometimes? Well, yeah. I mean, I absolutely do. but I think we're all fighting for a spot, you know, wherever our little niche lands, we just want to get there and then keep it. And no one never tells you when you are 17, what happens when you actually make it? And then you go, okay, now what? How do I stay here?

Where do I go now? What do I do? And like, you just got to keep navigating your journey. And I live and breathe country music. So whatever is happening, I'll always find somewhere to be because I love it so much. but it's, you know, I'm out on tour right now and seeing having a single at radio that's working, the people are hearing it on a radio, it does help still. And there's arguments about it's country radio still, you know,

so important because of all the streaming and all the ways people can hear music now. But I think every single way is important. Any way you can get heard is important because I'm standing on the stage. I have a front row seat to if people know it or not. You know what I mean? Right. Well, also, one of the ways you attack that is you are out there. You're touring so hard right now.

You're going to take a break for a couple of weeks and then start the Wild Card tour. How much fun is it for you to be up on the stage? And when do you ever chill? Do you ever just like go home and relax? It seems to me you're either writing an album or you're out on tour. I'm usually working somehow because I had a really good run. I had eight months off this in 2018 off the road. Yeah.

And it wasn't off. I wrote and made a Pistol A's record. And we put that out last November, which was awesome. It's my passion project. But not touring, not getting on the bus every weekend. It was hard for the first month. I call it reentry. It's like, what do I do?

But then I realized I was like off on weekends and went to birthday parties and to dinners. And I really got to live some life. And it was great. I mean, because I love what I do. I live what I do. but just having some time to, like, be home. I ride horses and I can, you know, so, like, I just making, like, canned goods out of the garden and just really refreshed me. And I needed to miss the road because I haven't been off the road since I was 17.

Stick around to hear more from Miranda Lambert on the Sunday Sitdown podcast as we walk the streets of New York City and talk about hitting the road on her latest tour. Welcome back to the Sunday Sit Down podcast. Now more of my conversation with Miranda Lambert. You like being in New York City? I do. I really do. There's so much creative energy here. And that's completely opposite of where I'm from.

Yeah, I was going to say it's not East Texas. No, and I've only been to New York. I mean, I've been coming here for however long, 15 years, but I came to work. I didn't come to play. So getting to just disappear in the city and taking the sights and sounds and the food. Oh my gosh. It's just, it's really been cool. But you might grow up coming here all the time.

We did. We were about 40 minutes away, so we drive in. But that's such a good balance. I mean, our closest city with 80 miles and it was Dallas. So this is like, but I really enjoyed just, I don't know, kind of getting to wander around and not have to work every time I'm here. Right, you know what I mean? Right, have a little fun.

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good way to do it. It's come in small doses. Small doses. Three, four days. That's it. Eat a bunch of delicious food and then go home and eat. That's the way to do it.

So you're heading back out on the road, and you will be out there through December, I guess. I'll be out to December. Well, we're end to November, and then... Take a little time. Well, I have an acoustic getting in Hawaii, so it's work, but it's Hawaii, so... Is that really work? Yeah. Especially after the end of the tour and before Christmas.

It's like, yes, I'll take that. Yes, absolutely. But that'll be a good break, and then... But I love it, you know? I truly, like I said, having eight months off made me really realize that I want to be on the road. But I finally found that balance. I mean, it took to 35 years old, but I finally found you can work and be out on the road and also sit in your life and have a minute. So every day I work on the balance of having both.

I find that too, that you feel like if you're sitting, you're not doing something wrong. I should be doing something. That's part of being driven. Yes, yes. It's also very important for your mind and soul to just enjoy. Yeah, absolutely. I don't think we do that until after our 20s. I think you're right.

Arguably into your 40s. Yeah. It goes on for a while. Yeah. Just get slow now. You got some more years. Thank you. My big thanks to Miranda Lambert for a great conversation.

Her new album, Wildcard, is out now. And Hannah, country artists, I feel like in particular, always touring. Always. Like always touring. You cut an album, go out on tour. So she's going to be home for a couple weeks and then go out another tour. But she did point out she took like eight months off to sort of like settle out for a while. I mean, God bless her.

She's been making music since what, 2003-ish, circa. And she's put out on an album like every two years, every three years, touring behind every single one. And I'd give her a lot of credit again for recognizing like, hey, I need to take a little bit of a breath here, which she did earlier this year. But the work ethic of this woman is incredible. Yeah, she's been on the road since she was 17 years old. Insane. She's touring every, like, that's insane. That's almost 20 years of being on the road for her.

But she sounds like she was like, I took that break and it was nice, but like I was itching to get back out there. You have the talent, but you also have the hustle to be a successful. She is. And then Maggie, she walked away, got on her big party bus. I love it. I don't know where they went, man, it looked fun. You have a party breast that brings you. to your interviews, right?

I need a party bus now. Yes, you do. The subway is not working as well as it used to. I won't get that ordered up right for you. The party bus. Guys, thanks very much. Great to have you with us as always. And thank you for tuning in this week.

If you want to hear more of the full-length conversations with my guests every week, be sure to click subscribe to never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday today every weekend on NBC. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on Sunday Sitdown Podcast.