Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson (born 26 June, 1973) is a US country music singer. Her debut album Here for the Party topped the US country charts in 2004 and reached #2 on the Billboard album charts.

Early career

Gretchen Wilson was born in Granite City, Illinois. She was raised in a trailer park in Pocahontas, Illinois, 36 miles outside St. Louis on Interstate 70, to a single mother, who was 16 when Wilson was born. Wilson grew up in poverty and moved to a succession of trailer parks as her mother struggled to pay the rent through working as a waitress at a diner. She left school after the eighth grade and was working as a cook and bartender at 14. By 15, she was living on her own. She was singing in two bar bands by the age of 20.

Related Topics:
Trailer park - Pocahontas, Illinois - St. Louis - Interstate 70

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She moved to Nashville in 1996 to pursue a career in music but found little initial success. She met John Rich in 2000, formerly a member of Lonestar, who suggested that she write songs with him. After some reluctance, she started working with him as a member of the MuzikMafia, a informal group of aspiring country songwriters and singers that met every Tuesday night. She also started singing as a backup singer on records. She has one child (out of wedlock), a daughter named Grace Frances Penner.

Related Topics:
Nashville - John Rich - Lonestar - MuzikMafia

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