Gretchen Peters

Gretchen Peters is an American singer and songwriter.

Early life

Peters was born in Bronxville, New York on November 14, 1957 and spent her early childhood in Pelham Manor, New York. Her father was the journalist and television producer William Peters. In 1970, after her parents' divorce, and Peters moved with her mother to Boulder, Colorado.

In Boulder, she discovered a lively music scene, and began playing at local clubs. In 1988 she moved to Nashville, where she found work as a songwriter, composing hits for Martina McBride, Etta James, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Anne Murray, Shania Twain, Neil Diamond and co-writing songs with Bryan Adams. Some of Peters' notable compositions include "The Secret of Life", "On a Bus to St. Cloud", "You Don't Even Know Who I Am" and "Independence Day", for which she received the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year. In addition, Peters has released fourteen studio albums of her own, beginning with 1996's The Secret of Life.
As a writer, Peters' style is defined by melancholy lyrics and dark themes, such as murder, loneliness, PTSD, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. She was inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on October 5, 2014.
In June 2021, the Academy of Country Music announced that they would honor Peters with the Poet's Award. Presented during the ACM Honors ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium on August 25, 2021, the award honors to a songwriter’s "outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of country music."
On August 12, 2022, Peters announced her intention to retire from full-scale touring and completed a UK "farewell tour" in June 2023, though she will continue to write and record.

Peters is married to keyboardist and producer Barry Walsh, her long-time performing partner, who has also performed with the reunified Box Tops.

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1995	Country Music Association	Song of the Year	"Independence Day"	Won
1995	Grammy Awards	Best Country Song	"Independence Day"	Nomitated
1996	Grammy Awards	Best Country Song	"You Don't Even Know Who I Am"	Nomitated
1996	Academy of Country Music	Song of the Year	"You Don't Even Know Who I Am"	Nomitated
2002	Golden Globes	Best Original Song	"Here I Am"	Nomitated
2016	UK Americana Association	International Album of the Year	Blackbirds	Won
2016	UK Americana Association	International Artist of the Year	Gretchen Peters	Nomitated
2016	UK Americana Association	International Song of the Year	"Blackbirds"	Won
2021	Academy of Country Music	Poet's Award	Gretchen Peters	Won