Gretchen Wilson Doesn’t Fake It

Gretchen Wilson insists on leaving the acting to actors in her music videos. She says fans catch on when a video seems phony.

"The first one I made was 'Redneck Woman'," she tells USA Weekend. "John Rich and I co-wrote the song. The first day of shooting was a live performance of me doing the song, and the whole lip-syncing thing didn't feel real to me. So John said, 'Just sing the song out loud then. I know that when you sing, you got your veins popping out of your throat. That's what I want to see.' And he cranked up the volume of the song on speakers really loud so I'd have to scream to hear myself over it."
Wilson says keeping it real is also important in song lyrics. She says that's how country music keeps its strong fan base.

"We don't write fancy music," she says. "We reach out to people and say things in their own language and speak to what people feel in their hearts."