Rachel Proctor
Encyclopedia
Rachel Christine Proctor (born August 11, 1974 in Charleston, West Virginia
) is an American country music
artist. Before signing to a record deal, she co-wrote Martina McBride
's 2002 single "Where Would You Be
". By 2003, Proctor had signed to BNA Records
, releasing her debut single "Days Like This" that year. This song, which peaked at #24 on the country charts, was the first of four singles from her 2004 debut album Where I Belong. Proctor's only album for the label, it also produced her highest-charting single in the #18 "Me and Emily". Although she has not charted a single since 2004, she has written singles for Jessica Simpson
and Jesse Lee
.
. When she was in grade school, she appeared in local productions of Annie
and The Sound of Music
. By the time she was in junior high school, she had signed with a New York management company that also managed New Kids on the Block
. Proctor also competed on the television talent show Star Search
, and by the time she was eighteen, she had begun writing songs and performing in local bands as well. (One band in which she performed also included a then-unknown Blake Shelton
.)
Proctor moved to Nashville, Tennessee
in the mid 1990s in pursuit of a record deal. By the late 1990s, The Lynns
, Sonya Isaacs
and Kortney Kayle
had all recorded some of her compositions. In 2002, Martina McBride
released "Where Would You Be
", another one of Proctor's compositions, which reached #3 on the Billboard
country charts. Later that same year, Proctor signed to BNA Records
, releasing her debut single "Days Like This" in 2003. The song, which served as the lead-off single to her debut album Where I Belong, reached #24 on the country charts. It was followed by the #43 "Didn't I", and then in 2004 by her highest chart hit, the #18 "Me and Emily". Finally, the album's title track was released as its fourth single, peaking at #37. Proctor was dropped from BNA in late 2004.
Proctor, along with Victoria Banks
, co-wrote Jessica Simpson
's 2008 singles "Come On Over
" and "Remember That", the former of which was Simpson's first country single. She and Banks also co-wrote Jesse Lee
's 2009 debut single "It's a Girl Thing".
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
) is an American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist. Before signing to a record deal, she co-wrote Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
's 2002 single "Where Would You Be
Where Would You Be
"Where Would You Be" is the title of a song recorded by American country singer Martina McBride. It was released in May 2002 as the third single fromGreatest Hits album. The song peaked at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Charts:"Where Would You Be" debuted at #45...
". By 2003, Proctor had signed to BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
, releasing her debut single "Days Like This" that year. This song, which peaked at #24 on the country charts, was the first of four singles from her 2004 debut album Where I Belong. Proctor's only album for the label, it also produced her highest-charting single in the #18 "Me and Emily". Although she has not charted a single since 2004, she has written singles for Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
and Jesse Lee
Jesse Lee (singer)
Jesse Lee is an American country music singer. Signed to Atlantic Nashville in 2007, she released her debut single "It's a Girl Thing" in 2009, which debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for June 6, 2009. A second single, "Like My Mother Does," was released in 2010, which failed...
.
Biography
Rachel Proctor was born in Charleston, West VirginiaCharleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
. When she was in grade school, she appeared in local productions of Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
and The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
. By the time she was in junior high school, she had signed with a New York management company that also managed New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...
. Proctor also competed on the television talent show Star Search
Star Search
Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...
, and by the time she was eighteen, she had begun writing songs and performing in local bands as well. (One band in which she performed also included a then-unknown Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
.)
Proctor moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in the mid 1990s in pursuit of a record deal. By the late 1990s, The Lynns
The Lynns
The Lynns is an American country music duo, consisting of Loretta Lynn's twin daughters, Peggy Lynn and Patsy Lynn. The Lynns have received CMA Award nominations for Vocal Duo of the Year in 1998 and 1999.-Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:...
, Sonya Isaacs
Sonya Isaacs
Sonya Melissa Isaacs is an American country and Christian music singer. Isaacs grew up near Morrow, Ohio, and graduated from Little Miami High School in 1992....
and Kortney Kayle
Kortney Kayle
Kortney Wilson is a Canadian country music singer.Wilson grew up in Ayr, Ontario. In 1994, she was performing as Annie with Royal City Musical Productions in Guelph...
had all recorded some of her compositions. In 2002, Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
released "Where Would You Be
Where Would You Be
"Where Would You Be" is the title of a song recorded by American country singer Martina McBride. It was released in May 2002 as the third single fromGreatest Hits album. The song peaked at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Charts:"Where Would You Be" debuted at #45...
", another one of Proctor's compositions, which reached #3 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts. Later that same year, Proctor signed to BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
, releasing her debut single "Days Like This" in 2003. The song, which served as the lead-off single to her debut album Where I Belong, reached #24 on the country charts. It was followed by the #43 "Didn't I", and then in 2004 by her highest chart hit, the #18 "Me and Emily". Finally, the album's title track was released as its fourth single, peaking at #37. Proctor was dropped from BNA in late 2004.
Proctor, along with Victoria Banks
Victoria Banks
Victoria Wenonah Banks is a singer/songwriter from Port Carling, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. Her self-produced debut CD When You Can Fly was released on the On Ramp/EMI Canada label in April 2009...
, co-wrote Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
's 2008 singles "Come On Over
Come on Over (Jessica Simpson song)
"Come on Over" is a song by Jessica Simpson and is the first single from her first country and fifth studio album, Do You Know, which was released on September 9, 2008...
" and "Remember That", the former of which was Simpson's first country single. She and Banks also co-wrote Jesse Lee
Jesse Lee (singer)
Jesse Lee is an American country music singer. Signed to Atlantic Nashville in 2007, she released her debut single "It's a Girl Thing" in 2009, which debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for June 6, 2009. A second single, "Like My Mother Does," was released in 2010, which failed...
's 2009 debut single "It's a Girl Thing".
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| Where I Belong |
|
8 | 66 |
| Only Lonely Girl |
|
— | — |
| What Didn't Kill Me |
|
— | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|||
| 2003 | "Days Like This" | 24 | — | Where I Belong |
| 2004 | "Didn't I" | 43 | — | |
| "Me and Emily" | 18 | 110 | ||
| "Where I Belong" | 37 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Me and Emily" | Kristin Barlowe |