CMT Blog: Gretchen Wilson

In this special section on Maxim.com, they list who they consider to be the 18 hottest women of country music. And it's pretty much the usual suspects, like Julianne Hough, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Kellie Pickler, Jennifer Nettles, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Gretchen Wilson and the girls from Little Big Town. But it's the little remarks and photo captions that are worth checking out. From the introduction line ("We know why the devil really went down to Georgia. He was looking for these country divas.") to the comments about sexy newcomer Jessie James ("the smokingest thing to happen to country music since Willie Nelson rolled his first joint") and about Danielle Peck ("grabbed our attention with her pantsless video for "Bad for Me." Which was, ironically, very, very good for us."). This story may not be for the girls who hate men's magazine, but guys who dig country will love this photo gallery.

Photo Credit: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

I think it takes a strong woman to survive in country music. And a thick skin. So I applaud this new Redneck Records that Gretchen Wilson is starting. With more and more artists parting ways from major labels recently (including Pat Green and Caitlin & Will), maybe this is the wave of the future or just a sad sign of the times. Not every start-up label does well. I mean, just because you're a solid singer and/or songwriter doesn't necessarily mean you are a smart business person. But Wilson said this decision was the one that made the most sense to take advantage of the relationships she has with radio, retail and fans. I am going to hope for the best for Wilson and her new endeavor. You can watch the video for her single, "Work Hard, Play Harder," on her Web site right now.

Although he's already demonstrated that anything can happen, Kanye West is not expected to be interviewed during Monday night's (Sept. 14) premiere of NBC's The Jay Leno Show. That's probably the smartest decision he's made during the past 24 hours. West and Rihanna are performing on the show with Jay-Z, who happens to be the husband of Beyoncé. West, of course, proclaimed Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" as "one of the best videos of all time" when he grabbed the microphone from Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. At the time, Swift was accepting the award for best female video -- a category that didn't even include Beyoncé.

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If I have a theme at all this week, it's that mothers know best. Any artist who is also a mother knows what a joy this time of year is. It's back-to-school week, so in my own little way I am celebrating my blissfully peaceful, empty house by filing it with the sounds of country music from other mothers just like me. Ones who love their kids dearly but are kind of secretly happy that there are no more ice cream sandwich wrappers in the front yard and RipStiks in the driveway.

"I Hope You Dance," Lee Ann Womack
"Blessed," Martina McBride
"Dearly Beloved," Faith Hill
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I just read this long interview with Gretchen Wilson and am sitting here in awe of her ability to speak her mind. So many country artists sugarcoat their answers and give any and all reporters the same quotes over and over -- "This is the album I've always wanted to make," "We really stripped it down in the studio," "Our fans really love songs about real life." Here are a few examples of Wilson's refreshing candor about her life, her music and other people's music:

On Jamey Johnson: "He's where I was five years ago before Carrie Underwood screwed up my whole thing (laughs). I don't have anything against those girls. Carrie and I are such different people. I have a hard time listening to her sing about things I don't think she's experienced, but she's a talent and has a voice that won't quit."

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Last night, I had a little going-away party for my daughter who is about to leave for Ireland. She's going to a music competition in Tullamore, which is a small town in the middle of County Offaly, which is in the middle of nowhere. But one of my friends managed to find a whiskey made there called Tullamore Dew. He brought me a bottle, which reminded me how much I love whiskey. And all the great country songs about it.

"Drinkin' Dark Whiskey," Gary Allan
"Whiskey and You," Tim McGraw
"Whiskey Won the Battle," Ashton Shepherd
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There's that old joke about a divorce: Once the houses and cars and silver and photo albums have been split up, who gets the friends? So now that Gretchen Wilson and her record label have parted ways, I wonder who gets the fans. I'm pretty sure Wilson will. Because true fans really only care about the artist and the music, not the label. But where does that leave Sony Music Nashville? Will it no longer have the redneck women and California girls who are here for the party -- all jacked up and a little politically uncorrect -- in its fans base? And will Wilson succeed in launching her own label, Redneck Records? As Wilson said on her Web site, "Country radio has been great to me over the years, and I'm anxious for them to listen to the new music and start playing it for you." So perhaps she's counting on the fans -- and country radio -- to stay by her side come what may. I know I will.

A writer at CNN.com has compiled a list of great car songs. And since he has done time as both an auto writer and a music journalist, he seems like the right guy for the job. His complaint about other lists is that so many car songs have been pounded into cliché by super-heavy radio rotation. So he's compiled his own list of lesser-known car tunes. But I personally think his list didn't go deep enough. And it certainly didn't go country enough. He left off songs like Alan Jackson's "Buicks to the Moon," David Allan Coe's "The Ride," Gretchen Wilson's "Good Old Boy," Joe Diffie's "Pick Up Man," Tim McGraw's "Red Rag Top" and Sammy Kershaw's cover of Sammy John's 1975 hit, "Chevy Van." Any others you'd like to throw on the list?

One of the newest members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Matraca Berg shared her life story at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday afternoon (July 18), as part of the museum's Poets and Prophets series. The Nashville native seemed nervous to be the center of attention, yet she managed to convey that clever, vulnerable spirit that has served her so well in the last 25 years. Asked by the host about what prompted to her to write songs that women could identify with -- perhaps because there was a dearth of such material at that time -- she paused for a little bit and replied, "Well, I'm a girl!"

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Hi friends,

It's been a big month. I met k.d. lang, which totally rocked my world. I am a huge fan. She seems very cool and down to earth. I also launched a clothing auction to benefit Walden's Puddle, which provides care and treatment to sick, injured and legitimately orphaned native Tennessee wildlife. My auction is all stuff I wore while interviewing artists like Kenny Chesney, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson and more. I hope you get a chance to check it out. Go to eBay, click on Advanced, scroll down to Seller and my seller id is Waldenskatie.

Thank you!!!
Katie