Miranda Lambert says Dolly Parton is 'all over' her new album

Miranda Lambert is opening up about the deep Dolly Parton influence running through her new album, Crisco, which blends classic country with a disco-tinged, 1970s countrypolitan sound. 

"Dolly's all over this, energy-wise," Lambert told Billboard, describing how the project took shape. 

"I feel like Dolly's one of those people who will be here forever, even if it's not on this Earth, but she's always been an angel, anyway... I feel like she's going to show up even more in our music and just keep influencing and blazing the trail even from up there."

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Lambert traced the album's sonic direction back to her duet with Chris Stapleton, A Song to Sing, which she wrote aiming to capture the sultry, glittery spirit of the classic Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton collaborations she grew up loving. 

That influence carries through tracks like Crisco and Two Things Can Be True, both steeped in lush harmonies, piano and string arrangements characteristic of the era. 

"I've never recorded with strings in my career, which is crazy," Lambert said.

Lambert also shared a personal memory of Parton offering her advice early in her career, one she's carried with her ever since. 

"I got to the studio, I walked in and there's cameras and lights everywhere. She grabs my shoulders and says, 'Honey, find your good light. Always find your good light,' and she turned my shoulders to the pretty light. I use that every single day when I'm doing camera stuff. I was like, 'Thank you, Dolly.' But in general, 'Find your good light' meant way more than that."

Lambert has described Crisco as a deliberately lighter departure from much of her past catalog, writing in a statement, "I've made a lot of records with a lot of heavy subjects over the years. This album feels mostly lighthearted. It's refreshing to get up on stage and sing something fun. I don't think I've ever smiled that much in the studio." 

The album also features a guest appearance from Ella Langley and a cover of Jim Croce's 1974 hit I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song.

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