Gretchen Wilson and Her Redneck Revolution

GAC Music Beat

By Ronna Rubin

Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson pretty much single-handedly created a redneck revolution when she blasted onto the scene in 2004 with "Redneck Woman."

Oct. 16, 2006—Gretchen Wilson pretty much single-handedly created a redneck revolution when she blasted onto the scene in 2004 with "Redneck Woman," her debut single. The anthem of hard-working, kid-rearing, suds-drinking, four-wheeling women struck a chord with the masses, earning Wilson a quadruple platinum award for "Here For The Party," the album that spawned the hit.

Wilson also took to the small screen with ease, creating music videos for "Redneck Woman" as well as "When I Think About Cheating," "Here For The Party," "California Girls" and "Politically Uncorrect."

She talks about the video-making process and chats about some of her favorite videos when she visits My Music Mix at 9 pm ET, Monday, Oct. 30.

Not surprisingly, some of Wilson's favorite videos are ones she feels touch women's hearts. One such clip is Keith Urban's "Tonight I Want To Cry." "It's a different side of him that I hadn't seen and I think it's nice for women to see feelings," the 33-year-old tells host Nan Kelley.

Brooks and Dunn are like big brothers to Wilson, hosting her as their opening act in 2004. "Those guys are such professionals and they were so good to me," she says of her time on the road with them. She picks the duo's clip, "Only In America," as one of her favorites in part because it was the hit they had on the charts during that time.

Wilson taped the GAC show at the Plowboy Mansion near Nashville. It is the largest residential log structure on record and the current home of the Muzik Mafia, an exclusive creative trust that includes, as members, Big & Rich, Cowboy Troy and James Otto. It was her membership in this exclusive "club" that gave Wilson her big break. "It was a dream, a fantasy. It's (success) still shocking for all of us in the Muzik Mafia," she says. "It was like a movement, a band of brothers that refused to hear that we weren't commercial. That wasn't good enough for us."

Big & Rich's "Holy Water" also made Wilson's list of favorite videos. "It's a real honest and open song and I like to see these sort of topics touched on."

It may surprise some that Wilson did not include any of her own music videos on her list of favorites. "I'm a girl. I'm never happy with the way I look on television," she says with a 'been there, done that' smile.

Touring dates for Gretchen Wilson:

Oct. 20, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, Calif.

Oct. 21, Arizona State Fair, Phoenix, Ariz.

Dec. 2, Grand Casino Tunica, Robinsonville, Miss.

Dec. 9, Rock Crusher Canyon, Crystal River, Fla.

(Ronna Rubin, a 21-year veteran of the music industry, can be contacted at ronna@gacmusicbeat.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)