Rachel Proctor - Where I Belong

With a sultry twangy voice, Rachel Proctor has a style that fits in with the current trends of country music. What will keep her on the charts is her songwriting skill.

You may not recognize the name or the voice but if you’ve listened to country music over the past few years, you’ve certainly heard her songs. Martina McBride had a big hit with Rachel’s “Where Would You Be.” Signed to BNA Records around the time Martina released the song, Rachel released “Days Like This” as a single and saw it reach the Top 30. The second single released from Rachel (“Didn’t I?”) failed to chart and thus she had one more chance to impact radio with a single. BNA and Rachel chose “Me And Emily.” As only a country song can, “Me And Emily” tells of a woman who sacrifices a lot to protect her daughter from an abusive husband.

“I’m Gonna Get You Back” reminds me of something that Tammy Cochran would record. It is sung as a ballad in the verses and during the choruses the song is a pure honkytonker. “Shame On Me” is a fine country song in the tradition of Texas chanteuse Kelly Willis. “If That Chair Could Talk” is a strongly lyrical story song about a chair that has been through the good and bad times of a family’s life. “If You’re Gonna Leave Me” is a fun Gretchen Wilson styled rocker while “Where I Belong” is a beautifully constructed ballad that ends the CD on a blissful.

With 11 diverse tracks, Rachel Proctor’s “Where I Belong” is one of the better debuts to be released in 2004. With many impact-making singles and CDs being released, 2004 is becoming as the year of the female newcomer in country music.