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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 5 November 2019
Miranda Lambert is bold, funny and ready to rock again

By KRISTIN M. HALL kind of built a career on
Associated Press being kitschy and a little
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — snide." She's had to build
Miranda Lambert is back, up that thick skin after years
as bold and fun as she ever of being hounded by tab-
was, with a new album of loids, whether it was about
rock and punk-influenced her marriage and divorce
country hits that reflect a to Shelton, her weight or
woman happily cracking her subsequent romances.
jokes on her haters and Now she shrugs it off as free
stepping into a new chap- press.
ter of her life and career. "My guitar player who has
"I kind of have my fire back been with me for 17 years,
and I'm not so internal and Scotty Wray, texted me
broody as I was four years yesterday and said, 'I just
ago," Lambert said of "Wild- read at the Kroger that
card," her seventh album you're pregnant. Congrats
dropping Friday. again,'" Lambert said, who
This is her first solo record noted that the lies spread
since putting out the ex- about her are almost al-
cellent 2016 double al- ways about her getting
bum, "The Weight of These pregnant. "Guys, some-
Wings," a highly personal This Oct. 9, 2019 photo shows country singer Miranda Lambert posing in Nashville, Tenn., to times I just eat cheeseburg-
and critically acclaimed promote her latest album "Wildcard," available on Friday, Nov. 1. ers. That's all it is."
record that came after her Associated Press But even as Lambert and
divorce from Blake Shelton played guitar on her first "Jay's idea to kind of cut it My Head" that he initially other female stars of the
and won album of the year three records, but this was in a punk way was brilliant thought might work for his genre, including Kacey
at the Academy of Coun- the first time he took the and I wasn't sure I could band. "I'm a kid of the '80s Musgraves, Carrie Under-
try Music Awards. lead as producer for Lam- pull it off, but sure enough, and I gravitate sometimes wood and Maren Morris,
"I'm 35. I went through a bert. we did," said Lambert. toward things that I grew are putting out the most
divorce," Lambert said. "Writing for this record, I She also wrote with Luke up on, whether it's the Cars lauded music of their ca-
"I'm thankful that fans al- don't know, I felt like the Dick, who has written songs or Joan Jett or whatev- reers, their music is mostly
lowed me that time to do color came back, so the with Dierks Bentley and er," Dick said. "I've always ignored by country radio,
that. I'm just going through imaging reflects that and Kip Moore, and as a side thought Miranda was the while the airplay charts are
stuff everybody else goes the songs reflect that," said gig, fronts a new wave closest thing to Joan Jett churning with dozens of
through." Lambert. "Even the ward- punk band called Republi- country has." male country artists.
Now Lambert, who sur- robe is a little bit brighter." can Hair. Lambert and her Lambert's natural wit and Lambert has been taking
prised many earlier this Joyce, who has worked longtime songwriting pal self-effacing humor come out other female artists on
year by announcing her with Eric Church, Little Big Natalie Hemby would go out on songs like "White her Roadside Bars and Pink
marriage to New York City Town and Brothers Os- to his East Nashville house Trash" or "Pretty Bitchin'" — Guitars tour for years, has
police officer Brendan borne, pushed her out of with a cooler of booze and in which Lambert declares, her own female trio, the Pis-
McLoughlin, is returning to her comfort zone on songs snacks for nighttime writ- "I'm pretty from the back, tol Annies, and created a
the rock 'n' roll sound that like "Locomotive," a Joan ing sessions and Dick would kinda pretty in the face." college scholarship for fe-
she displayed on her 2005 Jett-meets-Patty Griffin cue up different tracks as "My strong suit as a writer I male artists. But the Gram-
debut "Kerosene" with the rocker in which Lambert inspiration. He played her feel like is sarcasm," Lam- my winner can't wrap her
help of Nashville produc- barrels through fuzzed out a bit of a slick, new wave bert said proudly. "Whether head around radio's lack
er Jay Joyce. Joyce had guitars and harmonica. rock song called "Mess With it's sad or happy or fun, I've of support. q

Rudy Boesch, early fan favorite on ‘Survivor,’ dies at 91

Associated Press earning a Bronze Star for At 72, Boesch was the old-
Rudy Boesch, a retired heroism, and retired from est contestant ever on
tough-as-nails Navy SEAL the Navy in 1990 as a mas- the CBS show, taking third
and fan favorite on the ter chief petty officer. place the first year, 2000,
inaugural season of “Survi- Before his retirement, on “Survivor: Borneo.” He
vor,” has died after a long Boesch was honored as proved so popular as a
battle with Alzheimer’s dis- “Chief SEAL,” or “Bullfrog.” no-nonsense but loveable
ease. He was 91. The title marks his time as character that he was in-
He died peacefully Friday the longest-serving SEAL vited back for the eighth
night in hospice care in still on active duty. He re- season, “Survivor: All Stars.”
Virginia Beach, Virginia, mained involved after he During the first season,
surrounded by loved ones, left the Navy, serving on Boesch was a close ally of
said Steve Gonzalez, di- the board of directors of the winner, Richard Hatch.
rector of operations for the the UDT Seal Association. Boesch’s wife of 53 years,
Seal Veterans Foundation. “He was a legend in the Marjorie Thomas, died
Boesch joined the Navy in Seal teams long before in 2008. They have three
1944 and became one of ‘Survivor,’” Gonzalez said. daughters. In this Aug. 23, 2000, file photo, a group of "Survivor" contestants,
the first SEALs in 1962. He “Rudy was beloved by Funeral arrangements break into laughter during a live town hall meeting at CBS
served two combat tours all and will be deeply were not immediately an- Studios in Hollywood in Los Angeles.
during the Vietnam War, missed.” nounced Saturday.q Associated Press