Gretchen Wilson

A highly popular female country vocalist, Grammy Award winner Gretchen Wilson is noted for both her singing and guitar abilities. Each of her three albums have easily reached the Billboard charts as well as performed impressively in sales.

Gretchen Frances Wilson was born June 26, 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois. In true country music fashion, her mother was only sixteen when she was born, and her father left when she was still a toddler. Growing up in a trailer, Wilson’s mother worked as a waitress in order to keep the family afloat.

At the age of fifteen, Wilson dropped out of the eighth grade and began work as a minimum wage cook and bartender in Illinois. With a divorce under her belt from Larry Rolens of Baywolfe, Wilson decided she needed a change in her life.

She moved to Nashville where she soon met Mike Penner, and the two became romantically involved. In November 2000, they welcomed their daughter Grace into the world. They are currently still together.

2000 also proved her lucky year in that she met John Rich of Lonestar fame. Impressed with her raw, untutored talent, the two joined forces to form a formidable songwriting duo.

After paying her dues, 2003 brought the record contract for which she had waited so long. She released Here for the Party with Epic Records in 2004, and the first single, “Redneck Woman,” broke onto the airwaves shortly thereafter. Practically overnight, Wilson became a household name in country music.

The single’s wide success helped launch the album to number one on the Billboard country charts. Before she knew it, Wilson had a platinum album five times over on her hands.

Following on this monumental success, September 2005 brought her second album, All Jacked Up. Although sales and chart placement looked initially promising, the album’s popularity seemed to wane quickly. Aided by a duo with Kid Rock, it did manage to reach platinum status, but it was nowhere near the level of commercial acclaim enjoyed by Here for the Party. Wilson and Kid Rock teamed up again on February 28, 2006 for the Twisted Brown Trucker concert.

She incurred a minor controversy when her single “Come to Bed” released a steamy accompanying video. In order to be aired on the CMT channel, it had to be labeled under a TV-14 S rating.

Rebounding quickly, the single “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today” earned her two Grammy nominations, and she earned more acclaim for the Kris Kristofferson cover, “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down.”

One of the Boys, Wilson’s third album, was released in May 2007.

Trying to improve herself and prove a better role model, Wilson publicly announced on September 3, 2007 her intentions to obtain a General Education Development (GED) certificate.

With seven Grammy nominations, her one and only win came in 2004 for Best Country Female Vocal Performance on the single “Redneck Woman.” She also earned the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 2005 as well as ACM Top Female Vocalist and Top New Artist in 2004.