News

Gretchen Wilson goes back to school

11:17 a.m. · May 5, 2008 · by Jim Allen

The woman who helped make Nashville safe for outlaw attitude with her multi-platinum debut album, Redneck Woman, has taken the G.E.D. exam to complete her high school education. Gretchen Wilson will be putting on the full graduate regalia and receiving her diploma in a May 15 ceremony.

Before any condescending hipsters start firing off side-splitting Hee Haw quips about uneducated rednecks and country music, it should be noted that the 34-year-old Wilson, whose aforementioned record has sold over 4.5 million copies (more business than Vampire Weekend and Crystal Castles will do if they release an album a day for the rest of their lives ), and presumably has no problem adding up figures, didn't really need to do this. She's stated her young daughter as her primary motivation. "I certainly don't want her to think you can be this successful without an education," Wilson said. Well, apparently you occasionally can, but props to Wilson nevertheless for making the effort and championing brains over bucks.