gretchen wilson

Personal life

The first of 2 children, Gretchen Wilson is from a small town with a population of 700. She was raised in a trailer park in Pocahontas, Illinois, by a single mother, who was 16 when Wilson was born. Wilson has a younger brother, Joshua. Her father left and baby two years after Gretchen was born. Wilson grew up in poverty, living in a succession of trailer parks as her mother struggled to pay the rent by working as a waitress at a diner. She left school during the ninth grade. At age 14 she worked as a cook and bartender and was singing for tips, busking in rural Illinois, at a place called Big O's.

Wilson has a daughter, Grace Frances Penner (born November 9, 2000) fathered by her longtime boyfriend Michael Penner. Wilson and Penner have since ended their relationship. The night she won her CMA Horizon Award, she stated that she felt bad for taking home such a wonderful gift on her daughter's birthday.

After seeing the movie Super Size Me, Gretchen Wilson announced a commitment to eating at McDonald's at every stop along her world tour.^{citation needed]}

Early career

Living on her own since The age of 15, Wilson sang in two bar bands by the age of 20. In 1996, she moved to Nashville to pursue her career in music, but found little initial success. She received her "break" when John Rich, formerly a member of Lonestar, suggested that she write songs with him in 2000. After some reluctance, she started working with him as a member of the MuzikMafia, an informal group of aspiring country songwriters and singers that met every Tuesday night. She also started singing as a backup singer on records.

She currently resides in Lebanon, TN.

Chart success

Wilson signed with Epic Records in 2003 and recorded Here for the Party in 2003. The first single, "Redneck Woman," was released in early 2004 and quickly became a hit reaching the top of the Billboard country singles charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Due to the success of "Redneck Woman," Here for the Party was released earlier than planned on May 11, 2004, and debuted at #1 on the Billboard country chart. It also reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Internet album sales charts. She built on the success on the album by performing as support artist for Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry.

The album and single have been released in markets outside the US and the album has reached #2 on the Australian country charts (behind Kasey Chambers) and the top 50 of the Australian charts. As of 5 July 2004, "Redneck Woman" was #1 on a world composite country chart (based on the US, UK and Australia), and "Here for the Party" was #4 as an album track.

Grammy Award history

Awards

• 2005 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
• 2004 CMA Horizon Award
• 2004 Grammy Award Best Female Country Vocal Performance

Discography

Albums

Singles

External links

• Gretchen Wilson official site
• Gretchen Wilson at Country Music Television
• Official Gretchen Wilson Fan Club Site
• Gretchen Wilson Videos