Gretchen Wilson
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| Gretchen Wilson | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Gretchen Frances Wilson | |
| Born | June 26, 1973 (age 33) Pocahontas, Illinois |
|
| Genre(s) | Country | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar | |
| Years active | 2004 - Present | |
| Associated acts |
MuzikMafia Big & Rich |
|
| Website | http://www.gretchenwilson.com | |
Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973) is a Grammy Award-winning American country music singer and guitarist. Her debut album, Here for the Party, topped the US country charts in 2004 and reached #2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Contents |
[edit] Personal life
Wilson was born in Pocahontas, Illinois to her 16-year-old mother. Wilson's father left the family before Wilson was two years old. Living in trailer parks and relative poverty, Wilson's mother worked as a waitress to support the family.
Wilson dropped out of high school during the ninth grade at the age of 15. She found a job working as a cook and bartender, singing for tips. She bolstered her income by busking in rural Illinois.
Wilson and ex-boyfriend Mike Penner[1] have a daughter, Grace Frances Penner (born November 9, 2000). The night she won her CMA Horizon Award, Wilson stated that she felt bad for taking home such a wonderful gift on her daughter's birthday.
[edit] Early career
Gretchen began singing for Kmart as a child, stunning shoppers with her powerful voice. Living on her own since the age of 16, Wilson sang in two bar bands by the age of 20. In 1996, she moved to Nashville to pursue her career in music, singing back-up and recording sample songs. Wilson initially found success to be elusive. In 2000, however, she met John Rich, a former member of Lonestar, who invited her to become his song-writing partner.
[edit] 2003 – 2005: Chart Success
Wilson signed with Epic Records in 2003 and recorded Here for the Party within the year. 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.
After the success of the single and the album, she released the title track Here For The Party as second single. It was also successful peaking at #3 on the Country chart. Other two songs were released as singles, both reached the top 10.
Released in markets outside the US, the album reached #2 on the Australian country charts (behind Kasey Chambers) and the top 50 of the Australian charts. As of July 5, 2004, "Redneck Woman" was #1 on a world composite country chart (based on the US, UK and Australia). The album went on sell more than 4 million copies in the US and 5 worldwide, so it was certified four times platinum.
Also in 2004 Wilson appeared in the music video for the single Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy (released by Big & Rich).
On September 27, 2005 Gretchen released her sophomore album All Jacked Up which peaked at #1 on both Top 200 and Country album chart, but, after initial decent sales, the album fell off the charts selling just 1 million copies and was certified Platinum. The title track All Jacked Up peaked at a disappointing #8 on the Country singles chart and it was the only song off the album to reach the top 10. The second single was I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today which peaked at #22, missing the Hot 100 completely. The third and the fourth single were Politically Uncorrect and California Girls which peaked respectively at #23 and #25 on the Country chart.
[edit] 2006 – present: New single and new album on stage
On Febuary 28,2006 she appeared on Kid Rock and The Twisted Brown Trucker Band's "Live" Trucker as she performed "Picture" recorded at Detroit's Coboa Hall 3/24/04.
On November 2006, Gretchen Wilson released a new single called Come To Bed, a song produced by her friend John Rich who also sings the background vocals. She's recording a new album which will be released in 2007. Gretchen's "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" is nominated for two Grammy Awards, Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song.
In 2006, Wilson contributed a well-received cover of Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Coming Down on the tribute CD The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson.
[edit] Grammy Award history
| Category | Genre | Album or Song | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Country Album | Country | All Jacked Up | 2006 | Nominated |
| Best Female Country Vocal Performance | Country | "All Jacked Up" | 2006 | Nominated |
| Best Country Song | Country | "All Jacked Up" | 2006 | Nominated |
| Best Country Collaboration w/ Vocals | Country | "Politically Uncorrect" | 2006 | Nominated |
| Best Country Female Vocal Performance | Country | "Redneck Woman" | 2004 | Won |
| Best New Artist | General | N/A | 2005 | Nominated |
| Best Country Song | Country | "Redneck Woman" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Best Country Album | Country | Here for the Party | 2005 | Nominated |
[edit] Awards
- 2005 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
- 2004 CMA Horizon Award
- 2004 Grammy Award Best Female Country Vocal Performance
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album | Chart | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Here for the Party | #2 US | US : 4.6 million (5x platinum) |
| 2005 | All Jacked Up | #1 US | US : 1.1 million (1x platinum) |
| 2007 | One of the Boys | To Be Released May 15, 2007 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US Country | |||
| 2004 | "Redneck Woman" | #22 | #1 | Here for the Party |
| 2004 | "Here for the Party" | #39 | #3 | Here for the Party |
| 2005 | "When I Think About Cheatin'" | #39 | #4 | Here for the Party |
| 2005 | "Homewrecker" | #56 | #2 | Here for the Party |
| 2005 | "All Jacked Up" | #42 | #8 | All Jacked Up |
| 2005 | "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" | - | #22 | All Jacked Up |
| 2006 | "Politically Uncorrect" (w/Merle Haggard) | - | #23 | All Jacked Up |
| 2006 | "California Girls" | - | #25 | All Jacked Up |
| 2006 | "Come To Bed" (w/John Rich)A | - | #32 | One of the Boys |
| 2007 | "One Of The Boys" | - | - | One of the Boys |
ACurrently active on charts.
[edit] External links
- Gretchen Wilson official site
- Gretchen Wilson at Country Music Television
- Official Gretchen Wilson Fan Club Site
- Gretchen Wilson Videos
- Interview with Gretchen Wilson
- Review Gretchen Wilson - Here For The Party
- Interview de Gretchen Wilson
- Review Gretchen Wilson – Here For The Party (Limited Edition)
