Miranda Lambert's Tragic Real-Life Story

Miranda Lambert is a country music legend. Her songs are meaningful and oftentimes relatable, earning her a loyal fanbase. But not everything about the "If I Was a Cowboy" singer's life has been easy or joyous. She has had struggles to overcome to make her into who she is today.

"I'm a little rough around the edges sometimes," she told Good Housekeeping in 2012. "The best example I can set is to be real and show my flaws. I can be pretty intense, and I can be a downer." Lambert's life has certainly had ups and downs, including the trials she faced in her childhood and, later, her very public divorce from Blake Shelton and its impact on her. But Lambert has learned to take the good with the bad.

"Without the hard stuff — the chaos, the crazy schedule, the heartbreak, the falling in love, the falling out of love — I wouldn't be who I am," she told People in a 2022 interview. "I'm thankful for the lessons, even though they hurt at the time." This is Miranda Lambert's story and a look at how it has impacted her music.

Miranda Lambert has given multiple interviews about her life, but there was a time when she preferred not to speak at all. Her mother, Beverly June Lambert, shared an insight into what her daughter was like as a child in a 2014 interview with Marie Claire. "Miranda started off extremely shy," Beverly said of the "Gunpowder & Lead" singer. "She wouldn't speak. Not a word at school. If she had to order her own food, she'd just not eat."

But Lambert's life changed as she got older and found more confidence, and her mom credits this to her joining the debate club. "It was full-on meltdown, sobbing, bawling, 'Come get me, I'm quitting school,'" Beverly told Marie Claire. Although the songstress may not have welcomed her new hobby initially, things began to change when she got a taste of what it was like to win. Discovering her love for music also gave Lambert newfound confidence, which she revealed in an interview with Billboard. "It's like my personality came alive — this was what I was supposed to do but I didn't know it. I'm still terrified [of performing] sometimes, but I think if you're not, that's when you've gotta quit," she said.

Lambert is a confident woman who doesn't hold back — even if her decisions are sometimes frowned upon. Take, for example, when she called out fans for taking a selfie at her Las Vegas show in 2023.

Miranda Lambert has a close relationship with her parents, Richard Lee Lambert and Beverly June Lambert. "I had a great childhood," she told Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" in 2010 (via ABC News). "My family is awesome."

However, the singer's childhood was not necessarily what most would consider "normal." Her parents were both private investigators whose work focused on helping women and children experiencing domestic violence. "We didn't hide reality from our kids," Richard told Marie Claire. The stories she learned from these women impacted her life and music. "I saw my friends' moms coming in at 2 A.M. with black eyes," she told Good Housekeeping in 2012. "They'd share a room with me.

Miranda also recalls a time when the family found themselves struggling financially, which started when she was 6 years old. "My parents lost everything they had ... we were homeless," she told Good Housekeeping. "Our whole world turned upside down." They lived with her uncle for two years. In an interview with "Good Morning America," Miranda reflected on how the bank came to collect the keys. After staying with relatives for a time, the family would go on to find a second chance in Lindale, Texas, in a house that needed to be renovated. "Some of the windows were boarded up, and we never did get central heating. So when you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you had to run because it was freezing!" she said.

Miranda Lambert is an undeniable talent, but when it came to formal education, she struggled. Unlike music, she wasn't naturally gifted in athletics or academics. "It's the only thing that's ever come naturally to me," she told The Washington Post of her musical abilities (via The Gainesville Sun). "I had to work at everything. I (was bad) in school. I (was bad) at sports except for softball, but I had to work at that. I was a cheerleader but always had to stay after. Music was the first thing I did where I was naturally talented."

In an interview with Seventeen back in 2009, Lambert revealed that although she didn't flunk out of school, she "barely passed." While she may not have been a straight-A student, Lambert was recognized by her peers as someone who would make it big someday. She appeared in her high school yearbook as the student "most likely to be a famous singer," she told the publication.

Lambert's goal was clear — she had no intention of attending college and getting a degree. In 2019, she told The New York Times she was already contemplating ways to avoid higher education at the age of 16. Still, she said she was a "good kid."

"My whole life, I've struggled with ups and downs in weight," Lambert told Health in 2019 (via People). "I'm only 5'4″, so weight shows quickly on me. I've hit a comfortable place; this is pretty much my size." Acceptance came after years of unhappiness. "There was a time when I wasn't happy about the way I looked — but I was happy about where I was in my career, so I was like, 'I'll worry about that later," she said. But an interaction with a fan, who praised her for her confidence, is ironically what gave her confidence and inspired her to think beyond her weight.

The fluctuations in the "Hell on Heels" singer's size have made headlines, and she has felt the need to address them in the past. In 2013, she wrote a letter to fans on her website addressing her weight loss. "Though I NEVER care what the tabloids have to say about me, I wanted to address this certain story they are running this week and set the record straight. I DID NOT have surgery to lose weight. That is ridiculous," she wrote (via People). "I lost my weight the healthy and good old-fashioned way. Watching what I eat and working out with my trainer Bill Crutchfield."

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert made headlines when they performed "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" in 2005. Their chemistry was undeniable, and they would continue to spend time together despite Shelton being married to his first wife, Kaynette Williams. In 2006, Shelton and Williams divorced, and he and Lambert would later begin dating. "People made assumptions that were not true," Lambert told Good Housekeeping of her relationship with Shelton. "We were honest with each other: We talked, we hung out, and we wrote songs a couple of times." 

In 2011, Lambert and Shelton married. "I think that God has a person for you; Blake Shelton is in my life for a reason," Lambert revealed to Good Housekeeping. "He's supposed to be my husband." But not everyone was as happy about the marriage as they were.

Lambert's ex-boyfriend, Jeff Allen McManus, took to Twitter with his thoughts. "You were cheating on your wife, and Miranda was cheating on me when you two started up," he wrote in a since-deleted tweet (via Us Weekly). In a 2018 interview with RadarOnline, McManus commented on Lambert's relationship, saying, "I'm sure Miranda did Blake dirty just like she did me, but he wasn't thinking about me when he was cheating with her, so I don't know why he thinks it's karma," he said. McManus was referencing one of Shelton's tweets, in which he wrote, "Been taking the high road for a long time ... I almost gave up. But I can finally see something on the horizon up there!! Wait!! Could it be?! Yep!! It's karma!!"

Back in 2012, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton's relationship seemed solid. "My family loves him, and his family loves me, and that's so priceless," the songstress told Good Housekeeping at the time. But their relationship would crumble three years later. In July 2015, the two released a statement informing fans of their breakup.

"This is not the future we envisioned," read the statement provided to Us Weekly. "And it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately." Lambert was reluctant to discuss her divorce publicly but gave fans a glimpse into her heartbreak in a 2018 interview with HITS Daily Double. "It's very humbling to be hurt, and I have to be honest. My fans expect that from me," she said. In the same interview, she explained that she channeled her emotions into songwriting. "I was going through a divorce very publicly, and thank the Lord I am a writer," she shared. "That meant I could find some way to deal with it."

In a 2022 interview with CBS News, Lambert gave a little more insight into what it was like to constantly be in the headlines for her dissolving relationship. "I wasn't prepared for that," she said. "I don't think anybody is. And it's not nice sometimes, but I think you got to take it with a grain of salt."

The news of Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton's divorce would surprise many, and it was met with much speculation. There were various reports about what went wrong, but much of the blame for the split was placed on Lambert. In July 2015, TMZ reported that Shelton allegedly believed Lambert had cheated on him. The outlet also claimed that while musician Chris Young, who was rumored to be behind the split, was reportedly not the reason for the divorce — another unnamed man was.

Lambert was also painted as someone more dedicated to her music than her marriage. "He is eager to have children, but she really enjoys not being tied down. I think they both were off on what the time frame would be," a source told Page Six around the time of the divorce statement. "They are never together, and he was wanting them to move close to being together. She really loves her career and touring."

Miranda Lambert is open about not being a perfect person. "I am who I am. I am honest about being flawed," she said in an interview with HITS Daily Double. "That's all I can be, you know? I cuss. I drink. I get divorced and get my heart broken. I break hearts."

During a 2017 performance at Joe's Bar in Chicago, Lambert told the audience, "I got divorced, so I started drinking a little extra" (via Fox News). The "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)" singer also commented on her drinking habits in a chat with "Sounds Like Nashville." "My assistant packs — I call it my nanny bag — she packs a bag of liquor for emergencies, for meltdowns and things like that," Lambert said.

Some have become alarmed over Lambert's use of alcohol as a crutch following her heartbreaks. "Friends and family have been so concerned that they've been considering an intervention," a source alleged to Life & Style in 2018, following a claim she had split from Evan Felker, whom she began dating earlier that year. "They're worried her drinking is out of control and that she's just numbing the pain of another failed relationship," the source added.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Miranda Lambert is a bona fide animal lover. Not only are her pets an important part of her family, but she launched the MuttNation Foundation, an animal charity. In an interview with Modern Dog Magazine, the singer said, "Just like music, animals have always been a part of my life. We have never been without pets. I can't imagine how that would be."

Some of her furry friends have included pets named Cher, Delta Dawn, Thelma and Louise, Jessi, Waylon, and Bellamy. Sadly, she has mourned the loss of some of her pets over the years. In 2020, Lambert posted on Instagram about how she was devastated by her dog Waylon's death. In 2008, he was adopted alongside his littermate, Jessi, when they were both found on the roadside in Oklahoma. "He was a rock in our family and always held down the fort. He lived his life with no fences. The way we all want to live," she captioned the photos of Waylon. Less than a year later, Jessi also died. "I can't put into words what a dog's love does to a heart. But if you have one, you already know," she captioned pictures of her and her beloved pet on Instagram.

Lambert experienced heartbreak again in 2023 with the death of her Great Pyrenees. "Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our sweet Thelma," the singer wrote on Instagram. "She spent her days lounging in the barn and her nights keeping watch over all of us. ... I loved her with all my heart."

It is not just the loss of her pets that Miranda Lambert has publicly mourned. In February 2022, she also lost her dear friend and talented guitarist, Scotty Wray, due to heart complications, The Sun reported. Lambert shared the news with her fans in a touching Instagram tribute complete with a carousel of photos of herself and Wray during happy times. This included pictures of the two performing onstage and getting matching arrow tattoos.

"Last night I lost one of my most treasured friends, band mates, and road family members, Scotty Wray," Lambert wrote in the caption. "We met in 2001 in Greenville, Texas. I was 17. That was the beginning of our journey together. We went through so much life together on and off the stage." She wrote about the ups and downs of their journey together, noting that they "made it out of some rough patches together." Lambert also referred to Wray as family and praised him for being reliable. She ended her post with a sweet message: "Heaven is lucky [because] that honky tonk band up there just gained another guitar pickin angel."

Miranda Lambert has performed on televised award shows and appears extremely comfortable onstage in front of large audiences; however, she is dealing with anxiety behind the scenes. "I'm always anxious. I will worry myself into oblivion," Lambert told Marie Claire in a 2015 interview.

In an effort to cope, she tried to create structure, but it did not have the desired outcome. "I was trying to make everything regimented, and it caused too much stress. I learned everything doesn't have to be perfect. That sometimes it's OK to say, 'I don't want to be the boss today. I have PMS. Bother someone else.' I like things better flawed anyway."

The pandemic brought new challenges and uncertainty for Lambert, which made her feel even more unsettled. "My anxiety about the state of the world right now is still through the roof," she admitted to her fans in an Instagram post. Her honesty on the topic is refreshing. Frankly, it's comforting to know that even the Miranda Lambert doesn't always have everything figured out.