Sunday night's party night at CN Centre as the Extreme Muzik Tour hits the stage Sept. 25 with Big $ Rich and Gretchen Wilson sharing the stage.
"You will come out of the show and say you've never seen anything like it," promised Gretchen Wilson.
Wilson said this is the most fun she's ever had on tour.
"When we hit the stage it's all of us on stage and we're going back and forth from their songs to my songs," said Wilson. "We're having a blast together, we're goofing off on stage and makin' fun of each other. Musically it could not be any tighter, it couldn't rock any better and we're just having the time of our lives."
Wilson, best known for her anthem Redneck Woman, has sold millions of albums beginning with her first Here For The Party, that sold more than five million copies, been nominated for Grammys with some songs getting double Grammy nods.
Wilson said she has a special connection with women who like to keep it real.
"I have a lot of really, really hardcore female fans and they show up in bucket loads at my concerts and they're just trying to say I get you because I'm just like you," said Wilson. "They say things like 'I know where you're coming from and I totally get it and I don't know what those girls singin' pop country are talking about either because my life is not full of rainbows and so I'm glad you're being honest' - that's what they're sayin'."
Wilson's future looks busy as she takes on writing new songs in the fall, recording a new album in January and launching in March.
But she's used to the pace. A couple of years ago Wilson left Sony Records to pursue her vision with her own label, Redneck Records. There she was able to be hands-on throughout the creative process.
"I felt like I had so much still to do and say and I had to go give it a whirl," Wilson said. "It was scary and a big risk because I didn't partner with any other label."
The gamble paid off.
"My debut album had two top 20 hits and two Grammy nominations so I feel like I did the right thing."
With each album, Wilson tries to show there's more to her than just the party anthem. So songs showcasing her softer side include I'm Only Human and I'd Love To Be Your Last.
"I'd Love To Be Your Last is a song I heard for the first time seven years ago," said Wilson. "I tried to put it on several albums with no success when I was with a major label but I knew the first time I heard that song it didn't matter who sang it, it was going to be a smash hit.
"Lyrically it takes you to another place and you literally forget about everything else in the world and I'm really just so lucky to be the voice that got to do that song. It's beautiful and honest and I guess that's why I thought I could pull it off because it's just like the rest of my music -- honest."
Join the party Sunday, Sept. 25 when Lindsay Ell opens for Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson at
the CN Centre. Ell is a young country music singer. Also taking to the stage will be Cowboy Troy and Two Foot Fred.
There's a tailgate barbecue party at the CN Centre atrium to start off the Xtreme Muzik Tour at 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend, no ticket is necessary to get into the party and beer garden. Admission is free, regular prices for food and beverages apply.
