It’s official. Gretchen Wilson, country music’s original firecracker, is joining Keith Urban and Blake Shelton for CBS’s upcoming reality series The Road. But she’s not just showing up for the cameras. Wilson is stepping into a real-deal role as “tour manager,” guiding a group of rising artists chasing their dreams across America.
Gretchen Wilson, the Grammy-winning voice behind “Redneck Woman,” is bringing a lifetime of hard-earned wisdom to the show. Her job is to help these young hopefuls survive life on the road, sharpen their skills, and figure out how to win over a tough crowd. If anyone knows the highs and lows of living out of a tour bus, it’s Gretchen.
“Stepping into the role of ‘tour manager’ for The Road has allowed me to take everything I’ve learned over all of my years of touring and pour it right back into these emerging musicians,” Wilson said. “Helping them sharpen their talents to capture the attention of these crowds across America has been a highlight of my career.”
Wilson also gave a big shoutout to her fellow country stars and the team behind the scenes. Working alongside Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Sheridan was a dream for her, and she said she “can’t wait for the world to watch.”
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Urban said that The Road will not resemble every other singing competition. Instead of performing in a polished TV studio with vocal coaches and backup plans, these artists will hit the stage in real venues with real paying audiences. No one is there to cut them slack. If they want to make it, they have to earn it.
“The concept of putting artists in a real-world environment versus a TV studio was really appealing to me,” Urban explained to Country Now. “They have to choose a cover and an original and make it work in front of an audience that isn’t there to see them.”
Each night, after all the performances, the audience votes. Some artists will move on, while others will pack it up and head home. Shelton and Urban will be in the crowd, watching and commenting as the night unfolds. It’s about as close to a true country music proving ground as you can get.
“Nobody knows who they are. Nobody cares who they are, just like a real club,” Urban said. “The audience decides.”
Fans can catch Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, and Gretchen Wilson when The Road premieres this fall on CBS and streams on Paramount+. The show is produced by Lucky Horseshoe Productions, 101 Studios, Bosque Ranch Productions, and MTV Entertainment Studios. Urban, Shelton, Taylor Sheridan, and others are all attached as executive producers.
With Gretchen Wilson riding shotgun, The Road promises a real look at what it takes to chase a country music dream — heartbreak, hard work, and a little bit of grit.
