Live With CDP Talk Show, Guest: Rachel Stacy, Recording Artist, Songwriter, Singer, Fiddler, season #7, episode #43, February 27th, 2024

When you see Rachel Stacy perform, you are struck by the extreme confidence that she exudes. Whether she is belting out a rocker, a heartbreaking country ballad, or absolutely mesmerizing the crowd with her show-stopping fiddle chops, Rachel Stacy commands attention. Her hard-earned confidence belies the real-life experiences that have brought her to today. A veteran entertainer who has performed with a "who's who" of the music business, Rachel spent years not only trying to claw her way to the top of the heap as a woman in a male dominated business, but she also spent years with the negative effects of the abuse she dealt with as a child, and battled drug and alcohol addictions in her later years that would have taken a lesser person out. "I'm a victor, not a victim," Rachel says. "I was always told to NEVER talk about these things. I am vulnerable and not always comfortable sharing my story. But it is my story to tell. If I can help someone who is struggling with my words or my songs, that's what I'm going to do." To understand Rachel's determination, you have to understand the path she took to get here. Born in Marion, Illinois she was raised in Oklahoma City and moved to California in her mid-twenties and landed at UCI - University of California, Irvine where she studied dance and drama and graduated at the top of her class. She then moved a few towns over to Hollywood where she became a regular act at Slim Jim Phantom's (from the band Stray Cats) legendary Cat Club on Sunset Strip. That opened doors for her to be booked at The Viper Room, Whiskey A Go Go, The Roxy, The Gig on Melrose, and many more. In that heady rock 'n roll environment Rachel began to find her voice, her sound, her crowd pleasing stage show. She began touring across the country opening for ZZ Top, George Thorogood, Keith Anderson, and others. During that time Rachel began focusing hard on her songwriting and recorded her sophomore album at Radio Recorders in LA. She released the lead single “Damn You Look Good” to radio and it caught the attention of programmers in the Texas/Red Dirt genre and received airplay across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas. She began performing regularly in the region and was encouraged to relocate to be closer to the fan base she was courting. “I was very excited about the reception my music was receiving, and I felt at the time that Texas is where I needed to be.” Rachel recalls. “I sold everything I owned and loaded my jeep with my instruments and two cats and moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.” Rachel Stacy is at a point where she is very excited about the future and is not wasting any time in moving the ball forward. But that comes as no surprise from someone who has shared stages with Maren Morris, Willie, Merle Haggard, Tanya Tucker, and many of the greatest artists of our time. You see, it takes not only extraordinary talent, but great self-confidence to stand toe to toe with legends. Clear-eyed and sober, Rachel is up for the next phase of her career and more sure of herself than ever. That confidence is front and center in her latest single, "Empty Glass," a sad ballad that sounds like the life Rachel battled to escape. She wraps her smokey vocals around every single lyric of this classic country heartbreaker and makes it herown. When she sings about closing time with only an "Empty Glass" for company, you believe her. It's because she's lived the story. Rachel has spent much of her life entertaining in dance halls, honky tonks and on concert stages. Those experiences have allowed her to forge a unique style that has made her an in-demand entertainer in the neon bathed world that lives in "Empty Glass." Pull up a bar stool and join her there. #rachelstacy #musician #songwriter #singer #fiddler #nashvillerecordingartist #livewithcdp #talkshow #chrispomay #barrycullenchevrolet