On this day in 1973, Gretchen Wilson is born in Granite City, Illinois. Wilson’s music career began in 2003, when she signed with Epic Records. In 2004, “Redneck Women” was released to help build up her first album Here for the Party. The song skyrocketed, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The success of the album pushed the album’s release date up and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, making her a crossover sensation.

Since then, Wilson has sold over 8 million records worldwide.

Happy birthday, Gretchen Wilson!