Date of Birth 26 June 1973, Pocahontas, Illinois

Birth Name Gretchen Frances Wilson

Nickname Redneck Woman

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. Her two subsequent albums All Jacked Up and One of the Boys have also reached the top of the US country charts.

Wilson was born in Pocahontas, Illinois to a 16-year-old girl. 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 8th 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 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 worthless gift on her daughter's birthday.

Gretchen is also a third cousin once removed from sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson from Heart.

On February 28, 2006 she appeared on Kid Rock and The Twisted Brown Trucker Band's "Live" Trucker as she performed "Picture" recorded at Detroit's Cobo Hall 3/26/04.

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. The song's suggestive video received a TV-14 S rating when aired on CMT. One of the Boys, her current album, was released on May 15, 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.

In 2007, Wilson displayed her rock and roll vocals on the cable TV special VH1 Rock Honors, singing Heart's hit Barracuda, along with Alice in Chains and Heart member Nancy Wilson on guitar.