Gretchen Wilson didn’t exactly have an easy life
before she became a country star, but she certainly
doesn’t feel sorry for herself or for the obstacles
she’s overcome. Rather, she’s proud of the
struggle that made her the thoughtful, successful artist
she is today.
Born in 1973 in the tiny town of Pocahontas, Illinois,
Wilson was raised by a single mother, who had Gretchen
when she was only 16. Wilson lived with her mother in
a trailer park, and the family could afford little.
In fact, the family’s struggle with finances was
so great that Wilson was forced to drop out of school
after eighth grade.
She joined her mother at a local club, working as a
cook and tending bar. When she wasn’t working,
Wilson was focusing on her dream of a music career,
even becoming a singer with two local bands. By 1996,
she was ready for the big time, and left Illinois for
Nashville.
For the next seven years, Wilson would divide her time
between tending bar and performing in clubs. She also
managed to lay down several demos, hoping to catch the
attention of a record producer. During that period,
Wilson also joined the Musik Mafia, a group of aspiring
singers and songwriters all hoping to get their big
breaks in Nashville. Wilson and fellow musician, John
Rich, who met through Musik Mafia, together penned what
would later become Wilson’s first hit single,
“Redneck Woman.”
Still, it wasn’t until 2003 that Wilson was signed
with Epic Records. The following year “Redneck
Woman” hit the airways, becoming an instant hit
and was quickly followed with her debut album, “Here
for the Party,” which would later go quadruple
platinum. With the success of her debut album, Wilson
was getting noticed by such country superstars as Brooks
and Dunn, who invited her to open on their latest tour.
From that point on, Wilson was on fire, and Gretchen
Wilson concert tickets were a hot commodity. In 2005,
Wilson won the Grammy for Best Country Female Vocal
Performance for “Redneck Woman.”
Her sophomore album, “All Jacked Up,” was
released in 2005 and has already gone platinum.
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