Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/Sony Records) - Country
Music superstar
Gretchen Wilson maintains a perfect record with her album releases, as her much-anticipated third CD, One of the Boys, debuted at No 1 on the SoundScan Country Chart. The Columbia Nashville disc also hit the Top 200 Chart at an impressive No 5 on the Top 200 Chart this week. Her first two albums, Here For The Party and All Jacked Up, which have sold a combined six million units, both entered the Country Chart at No 1.
'I am so thankful to my fans who have stuck with me on this crazy rocket ride,' said an elated Wilson , 'And have to thank my band, crew, management, everyone at the label and especially my family for their support.'
Wilson recently completed a string of media appearances which included performances on 'The Today Show,' where she kicked of the popular Summer Concert Series with Sony BMG Nashville labelmate Martina McBride, 'Live With Regis & Kelly' and 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' as well as interviews and appearances on Access Hollywood, Sirius Satellite Radio, the Academy of Country Music Awards and more. She also paid homage to one of her idols Heart when she and popular rock band Alice In Chains performed the duo's smash 'Barracuda' for 'VH-1 Rock Honors,' which premieres Thursday, May 24.
Print media has latched onto the new album, with Christian Hoard writing, 'On her third album, Illinois-bred country powerhouse Wilson again keeps it real like Budweiser and peeling paint,' in Rolling Stone. The Chicago Tribune opined, '...Wilson reminds us what platinum albums sound like when they come from a woman's real life,' and Michael McCall's Associated Press review raved, 'By showing self-reflection and vulnerability without bowing to cliche or contrived situations, Wilson comes across as confident as ever – and more multi-dimensional to boot.'
Magazine covers and features have already included Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, St. Louis ALIVE Magazine, CMT Life Magazine, American Country and others. The classy San Francisco-based ART WORKS Magazine ran an unprecedented eight-page photo essay in the Summer 2007 issue, and People Magazine's current issue (dated 5/28/07) has a two-page feature on Gretchen.
This Friday, May 25, Country Music Television (CMT) reveals the real 'Redneck Woman' in a new series CMT DIARY. Gretchen introduces her entire 'redneck' family whom she employs to take care of her sprawling Nashville ranch while she's on tour, and then travels to a small town bar where she plays an impromptu show for an unsuspecting crowd. The show also captures her fulfilling one of her life-long dreams, as this self-taught woman who never finished high school enrolls to get her G.E.D.
Earlier this year Gretchen and her band embarked on a 10-city coast-to-coast 'Back To The Bars' tour where she performed in clubs and small theatres and raised over $1.5 million for charity. She kicked off her new 'There Goes The Neighborhood Tour' last week with a free concert at the famed Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas , where she performed her hits and introduced several songs from One of the Boys. Muzik Mafia-mate John Rich came out to sing her hit 'Come To Bed," and Gretchen shocked and delighted the 20,000+ audience by bringing Heart out to perform 'Barracuda.' The tour hits Country Thunder in Waxahachie tomorrow before heading to Valdosta GA , Virginia Beach VA , the Winstock Festival in Minnesota and elsewhere. Check out www.gretchenwilson.com for a complete list of dates.
