A Few Endorsements for Rachel Williams

 "There is no female vocalist in Nashville that deserves attention from the major labels like her.  She's got soul, depth, and she writes like nobody's business.  If there's any justice, she's going to make it." - LimeWire - 11 Country Artists to Watch in 2010

Maverick Magazine

LOVERS & LIARS

This talented young singer/songwriter releases another mighty fine collection of songs.

Rachel Williams first came to the attention of the American music buying public when she appeared on season two of USA Network’s Nashville Star and getting all the way to the final.

On this very good 7-track mini album she has co-written every song, and they all seem to be written around relationships and the turmoil and heartache suffered when these relationships come to an end.

Rachel has been described as having the musical attitude of Miranda Lambert and the vocal power and proficiency of Wynonna. You Let Me was written just after Rachel’s latest relationship had collapsed and along with Sara Beck and Kim Copeland wrote this powerful song. A Woman To Love is a great rocker with fine driving guitar solos accompanying Rachel’s strong voice.

Probably my favourite track has to be the gorgeous piano laden ballad In Between with Rachel’s sweet voice a real joy.

Success must come soon for this talented young singer/songwriter. DK

MusicRow.com

Robert K Oermann

RACHEL WILLIAMS/You Let Me

Writer: R. Williams/S. Beck/K. Copeland; Producer: Kim Copeland &

Rachel Williams; HER Records (track)

 Righteously rocking, with a soaring, power-packed vocal performance. Eminently playable.

MusicRow.com

Robert K Oermann

RACHEL WILLIAMS/The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving
Writer: R. Williams/K. Copeland/E. Corley; Producer: K. Copeland & R. Williams; Publisher: Sage House Music/Corleysongs, ASCAP; HER Records (615-429-5032)
—She has the goods. This creeps up on you with cat’s paws. The languid pace, echoing instruments, spacious production and her hushed, aching delivery are all immensely seductive. The lyric of leaving home is full of terrific details. And her falsetto leaps in the bridge are like little daggers to the heart. A mini masterpiece. This, by the way, is the third single in a row that I have raved about from this performer. So program her, already.

MusicRow.com

 Robert K Oermann

 We have not one, not two, but three contenders for this week’s DisCovery Award. For your consideration, we present tender, bluegrassy Tim Hensley AND ballsy, rocking Rachel Williams AND pop-leaning, youthful tenor vocal wonder Will Hedgecock. Our winner is Will, but all three deserve your ears.

RACHEL WILLIAMS/Firestarter
Writer: Rachel Williams/Karleen Watt/Karen Staley; Producer: Kim Copeland/Rachel Williams; Publisher: Sage House/Caladina/Hobo Lizard, ASCAP/BMI; HER (www.rachelwilliamsonline.com)
—Hot as a pistol. The sexy, come-on lyric is matched by her smokin’ delivery.

From Maverick Magazine, Nov. 2007

4 stars

One of my picks for the top, Rachel has released another cracker of an album.

In my feature Four New Ladies of Country (July 2006), I tipped this young lady for the top.  She hasn’t made it yet, but if she keeps releasing top quality tunes as can be found on this great new release, then fame should not be far away.  Rachel has a tremendously powerful voice like her singing idol, Wynonna.  This can be heard in the very first track That’s Why I Picked This Guitar which should be first choice as a single; it would go down great on country radio in America.  The song rates right up there with Miranda Lambert’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

As well as having one helluva voice, Rachel is also a mighty fine songwriter.  This can be found on songs such as the powerful, How Does It Feel and the driving ballad, Something Worth Saving, which she co-wrote with Karleen Watt.  Rachel is as comfortable singing ballads as she is singing rockier songs.  She can be so inspiringly emotive one minute as on the beautiful, The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving, but she can also rock your socks off on tunes such as the raucous, Firestarter.  At a very generous sixteen tracks, this is an album well worth owning.  Rachel Williams has all the qualities to be a very big star, and I still stand by my original prediction that fame is just round the next corner for this exceptionally talented young singer-songwriter.

 From Music News Nashville, August 2008

 Last year, for this website, I had the chance to review an album by Rachel Williams.  In my almost two years of reviewing projects for Music News Nashville, I don’t think I have came across one any better.  Recently, we had the chance to catch up with this stunning singer, who I think is destined for big things in this industry.

A native of Michigan, Williams grew up enamored with Country Music, watching the awards shows each year with her parents.  She admits to watching the actions of one act a little more closely than others---The Judds.  Her first concert experience was the mother /daughter sensation, and Wynonna’s one-of-a-kind vocals definitely made an impression on the singer.  Her current disc, LONELY AT THE BOTTOM, proves this influence…and not just vocally.  While there are a few cuts that prove that Williams might have owned albums such as HEARTLAND or LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE, it’s the fact that Williams, like Wy, tries to be nobody else other than….herself.  The somewhat novel concept to Nashville recording might be different than most, but it works for her. 

  “I’m very proud of this record,” she says.  “All the reviews have been great.  It really makes me proud.  We didn’t do it for a label…We just did an album I believe in.  I wrote twelve of the sixteen cuts, co-produced it, and sang background vocals, so it’s kind of like my baby.  I’ve been in town for about four years, so I have done the industry showcases, the label meetings….and after a while….well, you know how the business can get.  I think that through it all, and the feedback, it helped me to focus on who I am musically.  I don’t aspire to be a flavor-of-the-month, to have a couple of hit singles, and then be gone.”

Of course, not having the marketing pull of a major label can be somewhat of a hindrance, but Williams continues to make inroads as an artist, playing at such respected Nashville venues as the Bluebird. 

 “To be able to write and sing what I want, and to have the kind of show that I want has been very solidifying for who I am and what I want to do as an artist.  As long as I keep progressing as an artist, its fine that I’m not rich----yet,” she says with a smile.”

LONELY AT THE BOTTOM is a very diverse and eclectic mix of songs, ranging from the current single, the ballad showcase “The Only Thing Harder than Leaving,” to the sarcastic “That’s Why I Picked This Guitar.”  On the latter, you can hear Wynonna all over it. 

“That was a song that I didn’t write,” she recalls.  “When we were listening to songs, I heard it and thought it was fun…just a take on a guy getting jealous of her career and guitar, and a girl having confidence.”

While she doesn’t divulge details, it’s something she might be a little familiar with, admitting that her dating life has definitely influenced her writing, as well as song selection.

You might be familiar with Williams for her stint on “Nashville Star,” during the show’s second season. 

 “It opened a lot of doors for me, and was really huge,” she says. 

However, if you’re reading this from, say…Michigan, picture Williams in a brown uniform….and you might know her from the popular restaurant chain Cracker Barrel. 

 “I was a three-star waitress,” she tells us. 

 Did she ever get one of their famous rocking chairs that sit on the front porch?  “Never did, but I continually give them a lot of press so I think I've earned it, right?,” she says with a laugh.

Waiting on tables during the run of the show was, to say the least, interesting.  "One morning, I was on the cover of the local paper there, so they were reading that, and I was serving them their omelets and coffee.”

The notoriety also led to her signing some of the menus for fans, as well. 

Well, those Cracker Barrel days have since passed, but Williams continues to be all around the place.  Very computer-savvy, the singer says that “the internet is so huge.  Whether it’s official websites, MySpace, or Facebook, we try to keep a presence out there.  People just don’t want the facts or a picture, they want to feel like you’re talking to them, so I like to try to make my site very personable.”

That website is www.rachelwilliamsonline.com,  and if you wander over to it, you will find many reasons why this singer is ready for the big time……What are you waiting for?......Click it now! You’ll be glad you did!

 "The first time I saw Rachel Williams perform I was blown away. Having been to every kind of showcase known to man over my twenty-plus years in Nashville I am not easily blown away. What struck me more than her stellar pipes and great song selection was her poise on stage in between songs. She is more than just a good singer...she is an honest to goodness entertainer ! The ease in which she engaged the audience was something many big artists don't even have, let alone someone barely past twenty. Rachel possesses the pipes of a young Wynonna with the instant likability and personal connection of someone I used to perform onstage with... Reba. In short, she has what we in the biz call "The X Factor"... that intangible quality that separates an artist from the sea of other great singers and performers out there. It's why Rachel isn't going to just be successful, it's why she's going to be a star."

Karen Staley Hit Songwriter/recording artist/producer

 “The most soulful female vocalist since Wynonna.  Rachel Williams possesses all the qualities of a major star in the making.”

Clint Higham, Exec. VP Morris Management Group

Managing – Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich

 “When you hear Rachel Williams sing, you know you are hearing a future star. She's got everything it takes and more. As a songwriter, I would love to hear her sing any of my songs.”

“We are loving Rachel Williams new CD here at WKKY in Geneva, Ohio.  I have decided to add at least two of the songs to our playlist, the sassy "Firestarter" and the introspective "The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving."  Rachel Willliams has reached a new personal high in song writing and performance on her new CD, "Lonely At The Bottom."   This hard working, incredibly nice young lady has now elbowed her way into today's country music scene.   How is our audience responding?  After just a few plays we are already getting requests for more Rachel Williams.”

Hoss, Music Director

WKKY 104.7

Geneva, OH  

“I’ve seen many talented people come through the hallowed gates of Nashville. Rachel Williams however, is one of those rare diamonds that appears once in a long while.  Her gifts and talents as an artist and writer can’t be described on the page.  She is a must see.”

Stewart Harris   (Hit Songwriter, No One Else On Earth- Wynonna)

“I don’t remember the last time I saw someone at this point in their career that was as mature a performer and sure of their instrument as she was. I take that back. I do. It was a little group called Alabama I saw in Myrtle Beach, SC, in 1980, just after they signed to RCA Records.

She is as strong a talent, as confident of what she is saying and how she is saying it and has as much an appeal to the rank-and-file country fan as anyone I have ever seen.”

John Dotson, APA Artist Management

RACHEL WILLIAMS/Lonely At The Bottom – Robert K Oermann Music Row Magazine

Writer: Rachel Williams/Kim Copeland/Derek Wells; Producer: Kim Copeland/Rachel Williams; Publisher: Sage House/YouALieMusic, ASCAP/SESAC; HER (track) (www.rachelwilliamsonline.com)
—The title tune to the Rachel Williams CD is quite imaginative. Its unusual melody and electrified production place it on the pop side of the country spectrum, and in this case that’s not a bad thing. Refreshingly different.

  I have lost count as to how many albums I have reviewed over the past seven years.  When it comes to independent (or for that matter, major) labels and new artists, you usually have to grade on a curve.  Usually, there will be something you have to overlook.  Either the vocal won’t be mixed together with the instrumentation, or the lyrics will be strong…but the vocal won’t…..That is not the case with Rachel Williams. 

 There haven’t been many instances of an artist being 100% ready for the big time with their first release, but trust me….Rachel Williams is one of those stories just waiting to happen.  There is nothing second-rate, or nothing that she has to apologize for on this album.  As the current hip phrase says, “It’s all good!”

Whether it be heavy emotion, heartbreak or sass, you’ll find an attitude for your liking here.  She starts off with the latter on the sarcastic “That’s Why I Picked This Guitar.” By the time she gets to the chorus off this kiss-off song to a would-be lover, you know that a star is born! There’s other showcases for her talents, as well, like on the lifting “How Does It Feel,” which features some nice guitar work from Danny Parks and Derek Wells.  Still, though, there is no doubt who is front and center. 

With performances ranging from the raspy style of “Something Worth Saving” to the traditional style of “The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving,” there’s a little something for everyone here.  As far as being radio-ready, she could go straight to the airwaves with any of these cuts, but “Final Goodbye” and “On My Way To You” simply need to be mailed to the stations.  My personal favorites are the Rondstadt-ish “Uphill” and the dark and moody sound of “Kill Me In The Morning.” I could keep writing…..but I would probably run out of adjectives….Rachel Williams is just good….period!

 REVIEW from Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville August 2007

 
"Rachel Williams may only be 21, but her voice is much more mature than her age would suggest. She comes across as an experienced, mature individual and that only lends legitimacy to the songs she sings. Lonely at the Bottom is Rachel's second CD and it's a wonderful collection of 16 songs, 12 of which were written or co-written by Rachel.

Most of the content on this CD is modern, pop-influenced country, but Rachel's strong, mature voice has a touch of an edgy, bluesy feel, adding weight to the songs she sings. You immediately identify with the songs and feel the emotion in the lyrics.

There is a nice mix of up-temp, mid-tempo, and slow numbers on the CD and Rachel moves easily through all of them. There's not a bad song on the CD, but some definitely stood out for me.

The CD starts off with the up-tempo, kick-ass song "That's Why I Picked This Guitar." Rachel belts out this song with conviction. About a woman who picks her guitar (and music career) over her whiny boyfriend, you believe that she sent him packin'!

Several of the songs on the CD have wonderful, true-to-life lyrics that paint a picture and make you feel the emotions Rachel is singing about. "The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving," "Lonely At The Bottom," and "Sad Songs" are all examples of the fusing of great lyrics, great music, and a great voice.

"Kill Me in the Morning" is one of the shining moments on the CD. A beautifully haunting song about a woman trying to forget the man in her past by drinking him away. Although I wouldn't want an entire album of this type of song, the song was perfect for Rachel's voice and she could certainly throw a few more like this into the mix.

The CD closes with "World Famous," a slightly darker look at the struggles of trying to make it in the music industry. In her home town, everyone knows her, but in the music world, no one even knows she exists. She keeps trying, though, because even if she doesn't make it in the big leagues, she is "world famous" in her home town.

In all, this is a wonderful sophomore CD from a young artist who clearly has the talent to be in this business for a long time. If you're not familiar with Rachel Williams, get this CD today and say "hello"!

REVIEW from International Country Music Database June 2007

FROM COUNTRY.ABOUT.COM  August 07

Rachel Williams - Lonely At The Bottom

From Jennifer Webb

This is an album with mass appeal. If you like country, rock, singer/songwriter music, and even pop music you should be pleased with this one. Rachel Williams has come a long way from her debut album and she's only gotten better throughout the years. Buy her album and see for yourself.

It has been four years since Rachel Williams' last album was released and now she is back with a new sixteen-track collection from HER Records. Back then her music was great but now it is outstanding. She has really outdone herself with this one. There is a heavy singer/songwriter vibe since she wrote or co-wrote twelve of the songs. Some other notable co-writers include Catherine Britt, Karleen Watt, and Rachel Proctor.

 In "That's Why I Picked This Guitar," a jealous man decides he will make the woman choose between her guitar or him - and he was taught a lesson when she chose the guitar. She'd leave him all alone at home feeling insecure while she enjoyed the time away. When decision time rolled around, he couldn't compete with the cheap therapy being on stage gave her so he became old news. Sassy song number two is "Firestarter" and there's some edge to it. The man may think he's dealing with a simple schoolgirl, however the joke is on him. She won't just let a man tease her and walk away. She'll finish what he started because "I light a match then fan the flames, watch you burn and then walk away." She's a tough woman.

"How Does It Feel" takes you through all the emotions of a woman who was seemingly dumped for another girl. To some people she looks like she's doing well, but on the inside she's still hurting. "I can't forgive and forget, but despite that fact I think I'm taking it well," Rachel sings. She wants to know what it feels like to be such a jerk, because that's what he is for cheating. With a similar beat, "Sad Songs" are what the woman used to sing & now she's moving on to make new memories. You can only drown in your sorrows so long before enough is enough. Lines like "I'm so much stronger. Baby I'm no longer holding on, holding on like before" perfectly sum up her sentiments. It's a strong song I could hear being played during a dramatic scene in a television show.

 "Something Worth Saving" has an attitude completely different from the previous song. In this one, the woman tells her ex-boyfriend that they should give things another try, because she realizes how much their relationship means to her. "The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving" has some standout dobro sounds if you listen carefully. You might think going home will lift your spirits after a breakup, but nothing is the same when you're depressed. "I'm moving like a stranger through my own past." Another song with standout lyrics is the slow-tempo, "Lean." In it, the woman tells the man not to be afraid of asking for help because she'll hold him & make his life's load a little lighter.

Slow songs can bring out the best (and worst) of an artist's voice depending on how they handle it. I can't tell you how amazing Rachel's voice sounds on "If Nobody Moves." Usually the faster songs tend to be my favorite(s) on an album; not so with this one. The way the lyrics flow so flawlessly and Rachel's voice glides over the notes, you can't ask for anything better. "Kill Me In The Morning" is powerful without being pushy and was written by Rachel, along with Austin Cunningham. Both of these songs (interwined with the mid-tempo and faster songs mentioned above) make for a well-rounded and well-crafted sophomore album from the talented Rachel Williams.

 “Great Country Sound” FIVE STARS Review from CDBaby

  This album shows a wide range of Rachel´s talent. Typical Country like That´Why I Picked This, Uphill, On My Way To You but also beautiful ballads like If Nobody Moves, Sth Worth Saving, Lean, World Famous, Kill Me In The Morning and Sad Songs. She rocks with the Song Firestarter. Awesome album, a must have not only for Country fans.

  “Wow… it’s my life!” FIVE STARS Review from CDBABY

I would just like to say that I found my life in this album. I am going thru a hard time myself and these songs just hit the spot. I absolutely love them!

  FIVE STAR Review from CDBaby

 Honestly, I’ve never owned a better CD! Everything about Lonely At The Bottom is 100% original, real and relatable. Rachel has grown so much as a vocalist and obviously as proven by this record, is now a tremendous and seasoned songwriter. My favorites are How Does It Feel, Lonely At The Bottom, and If Nobody Moves! BUY THIS RECORD! I guarentee that you won't be disappointed! Rachel IS the next superstar of country music, so get on board early because it's going to be one hell of a ride!!!!

 Where has Nashville been hiding this artist?, From Amazon.com

Seeing Rachel Williams one time, buying this CD, and listening to it once opened the floodgates on my confusion as to how the country radio business works. To put it simply, Rachel has more talent than 90 percent of the artists you hear on country radio nowadays, and if the business were fair, she'd be a household name instead of one of Nashville's best kept secrets. 

While I guess there are advantages to being the only artist on an obscure indie label (such as being able to cram 16 songs onto a CD without the boss telling you that's a ridiculous idea), this gal needs to hook on with a major promotion machine and fast! The title of this CD, "Lonely at the Bottom" is ironic because Rachel doesn't belong at the bottom of anything!! (Though the title track is a song about breaking up with an ex because she was sick of him always dragging her down because HE was lonely at the bottom in his own misery.)

I have to admit, there have been times I've put this CD in my player and hit the repeat option--and listened to it all the way through for 4 or 5 hours, just losing myself in the songs. My favorite songs on the CD are "That's Why I Picked This Guitar," "The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving," "Final Goodbye," "Firestarter," and "World Famous" though this CD sets the record for most great songs on a single release--16!

If you want to know what 15 dollars well spent is, go get this CD!! You'll be getting in on the ground floor with a singer who is one fortunate break away from vaulting into the legends category, and I mean that. Rachel Williams is THAT good. Too bad radio stations haven't picked up on this fact at all, at least not yet.