HR0643 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0643 LRB095 12894 KXB 38408 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate recording artist Gretchen Wilson, a native of Pocahontas, on all her success; and

WHEREAS, Gretchen Wilson went from obscurity to phenomenon overnight; her first single, "Redneck Woman," spent six weeks at #1; her debut album, Here For The Party, sold more than five million copies; she won across-the-board awards including a Grammy and Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, and American Music Association awards for best female vocalist; and she has toured around the world promoting her albums; and

WHEREAS, Her second album, All Jacked Up, won great reviews and went to platinum status; over the last three years, she has been featured on "60 Minutes," "Dateline NBC," "20/20 Primetime" and CNN's "People In The News," and she has appeared on virtually every morning and late-night television show; magazine covers, major news features, and her book, Redneck Woman: Stories from My Life, have all told her story, with the book making the prestigious New York Times Best Seller List; and

WHEREAS, Gretchen Wilson is a single mother of daughter Grace, and has property outside Nashville; she is the head of a major business enterprise, the focal point of a huge touring company, and a major modern media star; she came from Pocahontas, in southern Illinois, where she was born to a 16-year-old mother; with her father not part of her life, she got much of her grounding from her grandmother, who introduced her to the classic country music of Patsy Cline, among others; and

WHEREAS, Amid life's uncertainties, trailers, moving to stay ahead of rent collectors, taking care of her younger brother, bartending at 14 alongside her mother, Gretchen Wilson found release in country and rock music; she was on her own by 15, managing Big O's, a bar outside town, and singing for its rough-and-tumble patrons; she sang along to CD's for tips until she was old enough to join a cover band and sing as far down the interstate as St. Louis; in 1996 she went to Nashville, where she put her bartending skills to use in Printers' Alley, sitting in with the band; it was there that John Rich and Big Kenny, known on the country and western music scene as Big and Rich, discovered her; She began singing demos and became part of the fledgling Muzik Mafia, singing on Tuesday nights in ever-bigger clubs and pitching herself to record labels; and

WHEREAS, Along with John Rich, she wrote her first single "Redneck Woman" and the rest is history; beyond her career and family, Gretchen has maintained an active charitable role, performing recently in clubs and small theaters to raise money for organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Children's Miracle Network; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Gretchen Wilson on her success and wish her continued good fortune in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Gretchen Wilson as a symbol of our respect and admiration.