Rachelle Spector

The former Rachelle Short arrived in Los Angeles in 2001 a few years after graduating high school in Beaver Falls, Penn., a rural community an hour from Pittsburgh. Raised by a single mom after her parents’ divorce, when Rachelle was two, she had no real relationship and little contact with her father who died a decade later. But she had a life filled with music, a strong work ethic and a long list of interests and extra-curricular activities including playing trombone in an award-winning marching band, running cross-country, competitive wrestling, tae kwon do, which she taught for three years, and anything that involved singing–choir, school musicals, and talent shows. “Music has always been a huge part of my life,” she says. “I remember my mom playing her music on my dad’s juke box and I would sing along to Tina Turner, Chubby Checker, Madonna, Billy Joel, and others. I knew from early on that I wanted to be a singer.” She earned a music scholarship to Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., where she studied international business, French and music. But her passion for singing burned bright and eventually local club gigs or performing the national anthem at sporting events wasn’t enough. So she packed her car, and with $150 in her pocket, she set out solo cross-country in pursuit of her dreams. Over the next two years she worked tirelessly at her craft. She wrote and recorded new material, formed a rock band and played the usual haunts around town, learning the ropes and paying her dues. She had some successes including being named Best Independent Pop Artist of the Year at the 2003 Los Angeles Music Awards. A chance meeting that same year at the famed industry hangout Dan Tana’s would change her life forever. Introduced by a mutual friend, the 23-year-old small town girl and hopeful singer spent the next several hours in deep conversation with one of music’s most renowned producers. She had no idea who he was or that he would soon be indicted for a murder that dominated the headlines for the next few years. “We talked about religion, politics, he told jokes, stories about his past, growing up, normal getting-to-know-you questions,” Rachelle says of that first meeting. “But the most important thing was a comment he made: ‘Timing is everything.’ That has stuck with me till this day.” They spoke until six the next morning and Phil was smitten, declaring his love for the pretty blond and asking for a kiss, which Rachelle politely declined. For her, love developed more slowly, and over the course of a more traditional courtship, the couple became inseparable. This of course set Hollywood tongues a-wagging that the much-younger Rachelle was nothing more than a gold-digger. A notion she understands, but dispels with a girlish giggle when asked about what she finds attractive in her husband. “I like the way he looks,” she says. “He’s boyish and cute, witty, smart and we are so much alike even though we are generations apart. We share common interests, a love of music, people, life, old films, a strong work ethic, even certain mannerisms.” The pair married three years later in September 2006 and started working on the CD that fall, though completion on the project was delayed several times during the first and second trials, where Rachelle stood determinedly by her husband’s side. The recording clearly served as an emotional outlet for the producer and a special time for the couple to enjoy the creative process together. “We worked really well together and I definitely cherish every moment of our time in the studio,” Rachelle says. Of the songs on Out Of My Chelle, she notes: “They’re about life, love, feelings, emotions and relationships–the things that everyone can relate to.” The album’s focus track is “Here In My Heart.” “It has special meaning for me,” Rachelle states. “Like the lyric says, ‘No matter where you are, you’re here in my heart.’ For the time being, of course, Philip is actually far away. But he’s still the shining light in my life, and I can always feel him here with me.” In addition to her music, Rachelle stays focused on the other key missions in her life: working on the continued legal proceedings on behalf of her husband including the filing of an appeal (she obtained an investigator’s license to aid in those efforts), she serves as VP and CFO of all of Phil’s music companies and manages his estate. She is a devoted animal lover and works with the ASPCA and her local humane society. She has plenty of four-legged companions including six dogs, two cats and three iguanas to keep her spirits up. She’s environmentally conscious and tries to live as “green” a life as possible, she’s addicted to HGTV and rolls up her own sleeves on various home-improvements. And she spends every possible minute she is allowed visiting with Phil either in person or by phone. “My husband is proud of me,” she says emphatically, “and I plan on sticking by his side.”