Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson is a country music singer. She made her debut with the single "Redneck Woman" in March 2004. That song went on to top the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and it hit #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2005.

After making such a strong debut with "Redneck Woman," Wilson released her debut album, Here for the Party, in 2004. That album peaked at #1 on the Country Album Chart in the US and #2 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Her second album, All Jacked Up, was released on September 27, 2005, and topped the Billboard 200 and the U.S. Country Album chart. Both of Wilson's first two albums were certified platinum.

Wilson's other albums include 2007's One of the Boys, 2010's I Got Your Country Right Here, 2013's Right on Time, 2013's Under the Covers and 2017's Ready to Get Rowdy. Also in 2013, Wilson released a Christmas album, Christmas in My Heart, which featured her rendition of Christmas classics including "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," "Silent Night" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

Wilson's awards have earned her the aforementioned 2005 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the 2005 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Award, the 2004 ACM Top Female Vocalist Award, the 2004 ACM Top New Artist Award and the 2004 CMA Horizon Award.

In 2008, Wilson performed the National Anthem at the Republican National Convention (RNC), which she described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience at a "historic moment." Wilson also performed at a campaign rally that same year in Cincinnati, Ohio, for John McCain and Sarah Palin's presidential ticket.

Wilson is an active philanthropist, having raised over $1.5 million for children's charities such as Make-A-Wish and St. Jude's through her benefit performances. Wilson served as national spokesperson for Country Bands Together, a national obesity education and counseling/support campaign sponsored by Allergan.

She is an advocate for adult education, having dropped out of high school and earned her GED in 2008 through an adult education college.