Miranda Lambert

The most significant country artist to emerge in the early years of the 21st century, Miranda Lambert simultaneously defines and defies the conventions of mainstream country. Whether it's rabble-rousing outlaw rockers or glammy pop in the vein of Shania Twain, Lambert doesn't reject Nashville traditions so much as enliven and personalize them. All of this was evident on Kerosene, the debut she released in 2005, but it was her 2007 sequel, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and its lead single "Gunpowder & Lead" that turned her into a star. From there, the hits piled up fast and furious, as ...