Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson grew up in Pocahontas, Illinois without the love of a father since her dad left when she was just two years old. Living in poverty with her mother in a trailer park, she was forced to drop out of school in the 9th grade to help her mother earning more cash. While her peers woke up in the morning to get dressed for school, she had to work as a cook and bartender everyday.

When she was seventeen, Gretchen started to sing at small bars in St. Louis, Missouri. She was found by a talent scooter Susie Osburn when she covered one of the Patsy Cline's songs. She was then pursued to move to Springfield and play at the Townhouse.