Gretchen Wilson's 2004 studio debut, Here for the Party, cemented the country star's place in the spotlight, nabbing her four Top 10 singles, including the smash hit "Redneck Woman." However, despite the album's success, Wilson didn't exactly love every song on the project while she was cutting it.

In fact, Wilson explains, the process of selecting songs for Here for the Party sometimes felt like a struggle for control over which tracks would make it onto the record. "When I made that album, I was very frustrated with a couple of the songs that went on there," she recalls. "I felt like I had to bargain, and cut a couple of songs that I didn't wanna cut in order to get a couple of mine on there."

Wilson says she fought hard to include "Pocahontas Proud," the album's 10th track, which she co-wrote with Vicky McGehee and John Rich (of Big and Rich), who was also her co-writer on "Redneck Woman." One song she wasn't thrilled about including was "What Happened," a song that she didn't have a hand in writing.

However, in hindsight, Wilson is glad she had the input of more experienced industry members in regards to the album's final tracklist: "A few years later, I looked back at the record, and I can't get enough of those two songs that I didn't wanna cut, you know?" she goes on to say. "And I can see now the expertise that was coming from that set of older ears."

There are many more twists and turns behind Wilson's first album, including the story of how "Redneck Woman" was inspired by the music video for Faith Hill's "Breathe." Press play above to watch this installment of The Secret History of Country Music, from The Boot's partner site, Taste of Country.

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