Gretchen Wilson is getting real about the freak accident that left her wheelchair-bound for months — and the unexpected journey that helped her bounce back in a big way.
During a recent interview on Taste of Country Nights with Evan Paul, the “Redneck Woman” singer revealed she “shattered” her leg while dancing at a beach wedding — all thanks to an innocent game of “Ring Around the Rosie” with a 6-year-old.
“You gotta watch them younger men, they’ll get ya every time,” Wilson joked about her pint-sized dance partner.
Wilson, 51, explained that the dance floor was actually a layer of Astroturf spread over sand, which created pockets and bumps beneath the surface. While spinning during the playful circle dance, her ankle hit one of those hidden gaps — and disaster struck.
“I was doing the spin at 100mph,” she said. “It was ugly. You’ve seen those videos online with the foot hanging the wrong way? It was one of those. Once I went down, I did not get back up.”
The injury was so severe it kept her off her feet and in a wheelchair for several months, forcing the Grammy winner to pause everything.
But just when she thought she’d hit a low point, a surprising opportunity helped her push forward: a chance to compete on The Masked Singer.
“At the end of my healing period, I got the call,” she said. “All the choreography, it was stressful, but it was good for me. It was hard work. It was really good for me and I proved a lot to myself.”
Wilson appeared on Season 13 of Fox’s hit competition show and went on to win as Pearl. But she wasn’t expecting the crown — in fact, she had already mentally accepted second place behind runner-up Andy Grammer, who performed as Boogie Woogie.
“I thought he was just the most amazing singer,” Wilson said. “In my head, he had won it weeks before. I was so stunned because I had myself ready to hear that I was second place.”
Winning the Golden Mask Trophy meant more than just bragging rights for Wilson — it felt like a new beginning.
“I feel like it’s sort of a comeback moment,” she said. “I’m ready to take on anything.”