On her way to national prominence, Gretchen Wilson graduated from the school of hard knocks. Now she’s graduated from high school, too.

Gretchen earned her General Education Development diploma in Tennessee’s Wilson County last week in a cap-and-gown ceremony where Charlie Daniels delivered the commencement speech.

"I’m proud of her because she went through the turmoil of getting the diploma at this busy time of her life," Charlie told The Tennessean. "It’s a sign of character to do something because you want to, not because you have to."

It seems rather apropos that Charlie would give the speech the year that Gretchen graduated. He was mentioned in the lyrics of her first hit, "Redneck Woman."