Here the former Grammy award nominee and Country Music Association Award winner discusses writing hits for stars, including, Bryan Adams, Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood and her ordeal following last year's clash with Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin - a clash which led to the affable country star receiving death threats.

The first time the world heard Gretchen's name was in 1994, when the Country Music Association voted 'Independence Day' its Song of The Year. A redemptive story of spousal abuse turned grippingly on its head, Martina McBride took it to the top of the US charts and established Peters as a songwriting force with few equals.

Last year Sarah Palin adopted the song for some of her political rallies, much to the distress of Peters.

"She adopted this song to promote herself yet it is anything but a patriotic song. It was my job to defend my song."

That defence saw Peters donate royalties of the song, a former US number one, to a pro-choice organisation: 'Planned Parenthood' in outspoken pro-lifer, Governor Palin's name. A move which resulted in "quite a bit of hatemail" including death threats being sent to the singer.

"The thing that got under my skin was people thought the song was about something that it wasn't. I couldn't have that. The backlash was shocking. I've never been in the middle of a firestorm but I've no regrets. It was a case of the minority being more vocal than the majority."

For now Peters is leaving the States behind to embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland with "more Northern Ireland dates than ever before.
"I really wanted to see more places. I hope that by doing a best of tour that I can win a few more fans."

Judging by the work included on 'Circus Girl' Peters will win more than a few new fans.

"This retrospective has come at a great time for me. It gave me a chance to reassess where I am and where I am looking to go. I never listen to my albums, I'm always performing them but going back and doing so in order to select these tracks was a nice surprise. I think it has given me a whole new head of steam."

Many of Peters' songs have been adopted by countless other artists. Considering the self confessed "very personal writer, wrote every song in her career" for herself, was it hard letting other artists cover them?

"I look at these songs as my children, you have to let them grow up and take a life of their own. When I started I was a singer/songwriter but I felt I had to prove myself in the industry, so it was an accident but a very good accident that I wrote a few numbers which were sung by others."

Gretchen Peters plays the Millennium Forum in support of Cara Dillon on Saturday, November 7th.