Gretchen Wilson's Graduation Party

Gretchen Wilson photo by Kristin Barlowe, courtesy of SonyBMG.

June 3, 2008 — A lot of students have a graduation party thrown for them by their parents after receiving their high-school diploma. Rarely does someone get a party, a visit from a country act and free food from a major record label.

So Gretchen Wilson’s graduation party Monday at Sony BMG headquarters in Nashville was an unusual event. The staff signed a congratulatory cap-and-gown portrait, Montgomery Gentry made an appearance and she received a locket from Tiffany & Co. with the inscription "Class of ’08."

"I think," Gretchen said, "I was supposed to be the class of ’92."

Gretchen had only finished eighth grade when she left home and quit school on the same day at age 15. Some 93 million Americans over the age of 25 never finished high school, according to Bernadine Nelson, Director of Adult Education for Tennessee’s Wilson County. And that number includes 33 percent of Tennesseans.

Gretchen shoehorned studies for her General Equivalency Degree in between parenting, touring and recording and passed her G.E.D. test in April. The test is difficult enough that 40 percent of current grads would not pass it, and Gretchen reached proficiency level despite the multitude of people and opportunities tugging at her sleeve.

"She did an amazing thing," Bernadine noted.

Looking back, Gretchen realizes she defied the odds. She had no back-up plan when she decided to pursue country stardom.

"The chances of that happening was one in a zillion," she observed.

Had it not worked, Gretchen would have likely floundered with few options. Particularly impressive in Gretchen’s achievement, Bernadine noted, is the fact that Gretchen could easily have passed up that diploma, given her financial success. But Gretchen wanted to set an example for her daughter and has discovered she’s inspired many of her fans to take more control over their own destinies.

"Even if you’re already set in life," Gretchen said, "it’s such a valuable thing for yourself, for your inside."

Montgomery Gentry brought along representatives from the University of Phoenix, who donated a free scholarship for Gretchen to award to someone through her charity program, the Gretchen Wilson Foundation. The scholarship is worth an estimated $50,000.