Redneck Woman Gretchen Wilson Celebrates First #1!
Rednecks both real and honorary stomped into Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in downtown Nashville Monday (July 12) to shout their "hell, yeahs" to Gretchen Wilson and John Rich (of Big & Rich), the writers of this year's turn-the-tide hit, "Redneck Woman." ASCAP, the performance rights society, hosted the bacchanal. Wearing blue jeans, a white tank top and a belt-buckle the size of Zambia, Wilson slipped through the crowd unobtrusively until she reached the TV crews waiting for her. True to her credo, she was carrying a Miller Lite. When it came her turn to speak, Wilson was brief: "First of all," she said, "I want to make sure everybody is proud of themselves. It takes a lot of people to make this happen, this miracle." While the crowd was applauding, Tanya Tucker slipped in a side door with daughter Layla in tow and stood by the stage to watch. In their song, Wilson and Rich toast Tucker as a redneck role model.

Back to index