Rachelle Short: Who Is Phil Spector’s Ex-wife?

Rachelle Short is the ex-wife of Phil Spector. Rachelle’s ex-husband Phil was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by his two trials and conviction for murder in the 2000s. In 2004, he was ranked number 63 on Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest artists in history.

Rachelle Short: Bio Summary

Who Is Phil Spector’s Ex-wife, Rachelle Short?

Rachelle Short was born on June 9, 1980, in Pennsylvania, USA. She is 43 years old as of 2023. Her parents, siblings, and other relatives’ information is not in the spotlight. However, per a source, she and her sister were raised by their single mother, who worked as a waitress. Rachelle grew up in the small town of Beaver Falls, Pa.

Most details of her early life and family are unknown to the public. After high school, she studied business and music in college but was unable to graduate. She arrived in Hollywood to pursue her dream as a singer. Rachelle Short was 20 years old when she moved to Los Angeles from Beaver Falls, PA. She worked as a waitress.

Rachelle Short is said to have worked as a restaurant manager, bartender, and model while she also performed at small clubs. She is also an actress per her IMDb page. As an actress, Rachelle played an uncredited role in Tigerland and played an uncredited role as Katie in the TV Movie, The Haunted Heart. She landed music gigs around Los Angeles.

In 2010, she released her debut album, titled “Out of My Chelle.” According to Rachelle Short, the title “Out of My Chelle” came to her because “my husband just really wanted to put me into the light. I’m his lifeline, he’s living vicariously through me, so this breakout, it’s really about both of us.” The album cover has the stamp “A Phil Spector Production.”

The album’s 10 tracks include numbers like the peppy “Here in My Heart,” which features the lyrics “No matter where you are, you’re here in my heart.” Rachelle Short is famous as the ex-wife of Phil Spector who passed away on January 16, 2021, at age 81, from the complications of COVID-19 in a prison medical facility.

How Did Rachelle Short Meet Phil Spector?

Rachelle Short and Phil Spector met at Hollywood restaurant Dan Tana’s, where they “ended up talking until six o’clock in the morning.” Rachelle was an aspiring musician whose photo once appeared in Playboy at the time she and Phil met. They got married on September 1, 2006, when Rachelle was 26.

ALSO, READ: Donte Phillip Spector: Everything About Phil Spector And Ronnie Spector’s Son

This was the time Phil was on bail and awaiting trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. Rachelle said she wasn’t aware of that. She said, “I don’t watch TV so I was unaware of the situation that occurred.” She also claimed that she didn’t know of Phil Spector’s reputation as a music legend: “I wasn’t even born then. It was a different era.”

During their marriage, Rachelle Short had to endure days in the courtroom supporting her husband. She was living in her husband’s mansion. She once said, “People have this image that I’m living it up in this mansion.”

“Let me tell you, I drive two and a half hours to see my husband in jail. I have been through all of it, the whole grueling thing. I read through 40,000 pages of court documents during the trial, I know this story inside and out. People say, ‘She’s a gold digger.’ There’s nothing I haven’t heard, but I’m not whatever people say I am.”

“If I were … I’d be sitting by a pool somewhere. My husband knows I’m a good person.” In May 2009, Phil Spector was sentenced to 19 years to life in the California state prison system. Rachelle Short said she “certainly didn’t get married to be alone, adding that, “But what gets me through is the conviction that he just doesn’t belong in jail. Not for one second.”

Eventually, Phil Spector filed for divorce from Rachelle Short in April 2016. Phil accused Rachelle of purchasing a $350,000 airplane, an Aston Martin and a Ferrari, expensive plastic surgery, expensive jewelry, and two homes for her mother while only giving him $300 a month to survive in jail.

Rachelle Short and Phil Spector got divorced in 2018. Following their divorce, Phil chose not to communicate with Rachelle. In an interview, Rachelle said: “I have no association with my ex-husband at all now. He refuses to speak to me, I would speak to him if he didn’t refuse.”

“I loved my husband and was proud to be his wife and it was unfortunate circumstances which led to this situation. I have no idea if he will ever get out of prison, I have no attachment to that, I’m just trying to move on and do good things with my life. Phil is in the past, it was his choice and I did the best that I could. I still care for him.”

“I have no idea where he is at this point, I wish him the best and I hope he is well and healthy. There is no ill will, 17 years with somebody is a long time and you can’t just dismiss that.”

ALSO, READ: Gary Phillip Spector: Inside The Life Of Phil Spector And Ronnie Spector’s Son

Meanwhile, Rachelle Short was the third wife of Phil Spector. His first marriage was to Annette Merar, lead vocalist of the Spectors Three. He later married Ronnie Spector, a singer who co-founded and fronted the girl group the Ronettes. He and Ronnie adopted a son, Donté Phillip Spector. Phil surprised Ronnie with two other adopted children.

Phil Spector adopted twins Louis Phillip Spector and Gary Phillip Spector during his marriage to Ronnie Spector but he didn’t ask for her opinion before adopting the kids. After Phil and Ronnie got divorced, he had a relationship with Janis Zavala, with whom he has twins, Nicole Audrey Spector and Phillip Spector Jr.