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Gretchen Wilson was singing in a bar when she met John Rich, formerly of Lonestar and currently of Rich & Big , who invited her to work with him. After some persistence, she agreed and joined the Musik Mafia an informal group of Nashville singers and songwriters that gathered weekly to play songs.
Wilson signed with Sony Music Nashville in 2003 and went in the studio with producers Mark Wright and Joe Scaife and Rich as co-producer. The first single "Redneck Women" was written as a tribute to women from small town America.
"Redneck Women" was released as a single in early 2004 and reached the top of the Billboard country singles charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Due to the success of the single, the album was released on May 11, 2004. It debuted at the top of the country album charts and at #2 on the Billboard 200 and Internet album sales charts.
Due to the success of the album in the US, the album has been released internationally and has reached #2 on the Australian country charts and top 50 on the ARIA album charts. "Redneck Woman" reached #1 on a world composite country chart (based on sales in the US, UK and Australia) at the end of May 2004. As of 5 July 2004, "Redneck Woman" was still top of the international country charts and the title track was #4.