Rachel Edge grew up on the outskirts of the Texarkana area, learning to play music and sing. “My first show happened when I was four. My mother was the one who taught me everything. She was a musician, and she was able to homeschool me until the 7th grade. We were able to travel around and perform at different festivals, art centers, and radio shows. Essentially, music and singing has been a part of me my whole life,” says Rachel.
When Rachel was nineteen, after singing in a wedding, she was put into contact with a local producer out of Ashdown. Her now producer, has been working with Dolly Parton as a producer/ guitar player for well over thirty years. “A few years ago I did a demo featuring the song Free Bird. However, I sang it in a completely different style than the original. Somehow the producer ended up playing my demo for Dolly, and she ended up using it as a reference to something she was working on. She called me up to say thank you, and to tell me that she really liked my voice, and it spiraled into me doing additional vocals on one of her newer albums,” says Rachel.
Last year, Rachel decided that she wanted to record and release a Christmas song, and decided to do a cover of Hard Candy Christmas. “When I put out that version to Hard Candy Christmas, Dolly heard it and fell in love with the blue grass type style I put into the song. She said she loved the way we would sound together. There were also so many different connections that we had between the two of us coming from large families, her having a sister named Rachel, and so much more that we eventually got to be comfortable with one another. After speaking together she asked if she could sing on the song with me, and I immediately agreed!” said Rachel.
The song has been over a year in the making, and finally this Friday, November 24th the song will be released on all platforms for listeners to enjoy! “I was supposed to be in the studio with Dolly when she reordered her part for the song, however my father ended up in the hospital having major heart surgery on the day she went in. After she finished recording on the song, she sent a video for my father wishing him well and included a piece of the song for him to hear. She truly is the kindest woman I have ever met,” said Rachel.
The song will be released at Midnight, this Friday! Be sure to tune into any musical platform for your chance to hear a breakout Texarkana artist!
