Latest / Cyrus Webb's tracks / Grammy-nominated artist Deborah Silver discusses career, new single and upcoming events

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Grammy-nominated artist Deborah Silver discusses career, new single and upcoming events · Cyrus Webb's tracks

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  Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Conversations Live. I'm your host,
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  Speaker 1: Cyrus Webb. Glad you all could join us once again.
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  Speaker 1: For our radio audience tuning in at WYED 94.1 FM
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  Speaker 1: and WYEDonline.com, we're glad that you all can be with us. Also,
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  Speaker 1: join us online worldwide via our podcast at iHeartRadio and
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  Speaker 1: Amazon Music, as well as our Conversations Radio Network. We're
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  Speaker 1: glad you all could be with us as well. We're
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  Speaker 1: excited to welcome Deborah Silver to our broadcast today. You
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  Speaker 1: all guys know her as a Grammy-nominated recording artist. But
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  Speaker 1: she's also an individual who's using her platform to be
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  Speaker 1: able to raise awareness for causes that matter to her.
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  Speaker 1: This year, she's not only celebrating new music, the single
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  Speaker 1: The Lady is a Tramp with Diane Shore, but also
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  Speaker 1: she has an event coming up on October the 11th
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  Speaker 1: that you all can be a part of. Deborah Silver
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  Speaker 1: and Fabulous Friends Voices for ALS is coming to Carnegie Hall.
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  Speaker 1: We're going to tell you guys about that event, how
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  Speaker 1: you can be able to participate, and also why this
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  Speaker 1: cause is so important for Deborah. If you guys are
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  Speaker 1: not staying connected with her, we'll let you guys know
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  Speaker 1: how to be able to do that as well. But, Debra,
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  Speaker 1: thank you again for stopping by. I really appreciate it.
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  Speaker 2: Well, Cyrus, I'm delighted to be here. And my hometown
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  Speaker 2: I grew up in is Jackson, Mississippi. So it's even
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  Speaker 2: more special to be here with you.
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  Speaker 1: I appreciate that. And we're so glad to be able
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  Speaker 1: to have you. Debra, you have had such a remarkable career.
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  Speaker 1: As I mentioned, people know you musically, as I mentioned,
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  Speaker 1: as a Grammy-nominated artist. You're someone who's always been able
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  Speaker 1: to connect with your fans, but also with other artists.
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  Speaker 1: What has it been like for you to reflect on
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  Speaker 1: this career you've been able to have and literally how
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  Speaker 1: your music has reached all over the world?
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  Speaker 2: Well, I have to tell you, the best part about
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  Speaker 2: being in this industry is the special people I've met.
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  Speaker 2: I have made so many friends. And Cyrus, I don't
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  Speaker 2: work with someone that doesn't automatically become my friend. It
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  Speaker 2: just happens. And so I have all my friends from Jackson,
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  Speaker 2: from my home, and I have all my friends from
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  Speaker 2: the music industry. And it's been a very crazy ride
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  Speaker 2: because I worked in Los Angeles. I actually left Jackson
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  Speaker 2: to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in
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  Speaker 2: the entertainment business. And I was there for quite a while.
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  Speaker 2: And then when I got married, I pretty much gave
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  Speaker 2: it all up. And I loved being a mom and
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  Speaker 2: On my second child, I caught a rare bone disease
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  Speaker 2: that actually put me in a wheelchair for about a year,
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  Speaker 2: and I couldn't walk. I didn't know if I'd ever
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  Speaker 2: walk again, but I was one of the lucky ones
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  Speaker 2: who got out of the wheelchair and continued to raise
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  Speaker 2: my children. And then, Cyrus, when they were old enough
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  Speaker 2: to start calling me on their cell phones from their bedrooms,
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  Speaker 2: I said, Mommy is going back to work. And the
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  Speaker 2: one thing that's the most important part of my music
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  Speaker 2: is to help others through it. So my sister was
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  Speaker 2: diagnosed with ALS and the very first album that I
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  Speaker 2: made was called Pure Silver, where 100% of the proceeds
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  Speaker 2: from that album went to a cure. And I still
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  Speaker 2: keep that true today. Anyone that purchases that album, it
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  Speaker 2: helps other ALS patients. And then after that, I recorded
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  Speaker 2: an album that Steve Tyrell produced called The Gold Standards,
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  Speaker 2: which was all the standards of the great American songbook.
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  Speaker 2: Not all of them, there's millions, but the ones that
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  Speaker 2: we chose. And it's crazy because that's when it hit
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  Speaker 2: the charts. It hit number two on two separate charts.
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  Speaker 2: And one was Jazz, traditional jazz. And the other chart
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  Speaker 2: is called Heat Seekers. And Cyrus, I had to look
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  Speaker 2: it up. I didn't even know what it was, but
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  Speaker 2: apparently Heat Seekers is the person who sells the most
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  Speaker 2: albums that week out of any genre. And it was
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  Speaker 2: R & B and pop and country and whatever it was,
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  Speaker 2: our album sold the most, which just knocked us off
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  Speaker 2: our feet. But I went back to being a mommy
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  Speaker 2: and I didn't tour so much. And then when my
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  Speaker 2: daughter went off to college, the one that was a
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  Speaker 2: baby when I ended up in a wheelchair, I said, okay,
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  Speaker 2: I'm going to go back and record some more. And
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  Speaker 2: I met up with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel,
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  Speaker 2: an amazing Western swing group in Austin, Texas. They have
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  Speaker 2: 10 Grammys. Willie Nelson actually helped them get started. And
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  Speaker 2: we created another album of great American songbook songs, yet
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  Speaker 2: we gave it a Western swing feel. And again, it
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  Speaker 2: was crazy. It hit the top of all the charts
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  Speaker 2: and it actually crossed over to the country charts on
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  Speaker 2: number three. And I just thought, wow, it's remarkable. But
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  Speaker 2: I just kept plugging along. And then I made an
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  Speaker 2: album with the Count Basie Orchestra this past year, and
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  Speaker 2: I took rock and roll songs, and I swung them
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  Speaker 2: with the big band, and that's when it was nominated
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  Speaker 2: for a Grammy, and I will always be honored and
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  Speaker 2: blessed and feel so grateful, but the best part about
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  Speaker 2: it for me, Cyrus, was that I got to bring
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  Speaker 2: my family with me to the Grammys, and we just
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  Speaker 2: had so much fun, but I basically like to put
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  Speaker 2: my music to good use. So on most of my
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  Speaker 2: projects and albums, I always have a place where they
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  Speaker 2: can help others. And in the case of my Basie
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  Speaker 2: Rocks album that was nominated for a Grammy, I had
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  Speaker 2: a proceed of the funds raised from the sales go
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  Speaker 2: to the Jazz Foundation of America.
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  Speaker 1: And Debra, you bring your fans along the ride as well.
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  Speaker 1: As you were talking about Basie Rocks, I remember that
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  Speaker 1: post you made on Instagram where when you received your
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  Speaker 1: official Grammy nominee certificate and you shared it with the audience?
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  Speaker 1: And you've been able to hear from them literally not
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  Speaker 1: only from project to project, but from event to event.
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  Speaker 1: What has that been like for you to know that
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  Speaker 1: people are not only cheering for you, but also inspired
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  Speaker 1: by you?
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  Speaker 2: Oh, my goodness. Well, number one, I would love it
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  Speaker 2: if they're inspired by me to go out and do
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  Speaker 2: their own thing. I always say my mantra is never
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  Speaker 2: too late because I got back into this business after
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  Speaker 2: my children were grown. But I love it so much
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  Speaker 2: when I hear from my friends and fans, and I
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  Speaker 2: call them, you know, my framily. And I write back to,
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  Speaker 2: I try to write back to everyone who contacts me
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  Speaker 2: because that's, to me, why are you in this business
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  Speaker 2: if you can't communicate with the people who are there
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  Speaker 2: supporting you all along? And I'm so grateful to everyone.
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  Speaker 2: And I love that they are taking the journey with me.
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  Speaker 1: I mean.
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  Speaker 2: That's the best part. And it's kind of funny that
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  Speaker 2: you said that because I did put up a post.
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  Speaker 2: In fact, I opened the Grammy certificate right there. So
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  Speaker 2: I like wanted to scream when I saw it. I
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  Speaker 2: was like, oh my gosh, it's so pretty. So I really,
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  Speaker 2: I love sharing my experiences with everyone online. And if
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  Speaker 2: they want to follow me, I am on Facebook at DebraSilverMusic.
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  Speaker 2: And also they can find me on Instagram at DebraSilverMusic
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  Speaker 2: as well. But please, I would love for people to
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  Speaker 2: come join me and feel free to make any comments
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  Speaker 2: because I really do try to answer everyone back as
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  Speaker 2: much as I can.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and you're also, of course, being able to spotlight causes,
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  Speaker 1: as you just mentioned, of course, with your sister as well.
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  Speaker 1: I mentioned the event Debra Silver and Fabulous Friends coming
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  Speaker 1: up October the 11th. Here you are being able to
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  Speaker 1: once again use your platform to your profile to raise awareness,
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  Speaker 1: but also how does it feel to have some of
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  Speaker 1: your fellow artists that you also respect? What is it
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  Speaker 1: like for you to have them join you on this
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  Speaker 1: event at Carnegie Hall?
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  Speaker 2: Well, I am very, very grateful for these incredible artists
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  Speaker 2: who are joining me. Number one, you asked me what
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  Speaker 2: is it like to use my platform. To me, that
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  Speaker 2: is the best way I know how to use my
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  Speaker 2: voice is to help others, and that's why this show
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  Speaker 2: is called Deborah Silver and Fabulous Friends Voices for ALS.
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  Speaker 2: And Voices for ALS is particularly meaningful because many people
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  Speaker 2: and most people who have ALS eventually lose their voice.
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  Speaker 2: So to have Dionne Warwick, I mean, she is the
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  Speaker 2: queen herself. She's got five Grammys. She's got a Grammy
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  Speaker 2: Lifetime Achievement Award. She's a Kennedy Center honoree. She's a
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  Speaker 2: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. I mean, Everybody
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  Speaker 2: knows Dionne Warwick. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, singing
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  Speaker 2: to her songs that I loved so much and still love.
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  Speaker 2: And the fact that she is so generous and coming
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  Speaker 2: to be with us just knocks me off my socks.
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  Speaker 2: But it also shows how important this cause is and
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  Speaker 2: how great her heart is wanting to help people with ALS.
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  Speaker 2: And then we have John Sakata. And John is really
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  Speaker 2: known as basically a Latin crossover artist. I mean, he's,
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  Speaker 2: I think they call him internationally the Latin crossover king.
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  Speaker 2: And he has really helped redefine the global music landscape.
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  Speaker 2: And his daughter, Micaela Sakata, is going to be joining him.
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  Speaker 2: He has a new album out and she's with him.
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  Speaker 2: It's Nat King Cole Songs. and they will be singing together.
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  Speaker 2: Mikaela was in the original Broadway cast of Back to
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  Speaker 2: the Future, and she's got a great career ahead of her.
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  Speaker 2: And then Stella Cole. Now, Stella Cole is just a sensation.
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  Speaker 2: She has millions of views, and she really is bringing
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  Speaker 2: back the great American songbook to an entirely new generation.
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  Speaker 2: She's like the Doris Day of the 2000s. I mean,
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  Speaker 2: she's Uh, so special and I'm thrilled to have her.
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  Speaker 2: And we've got fantastic musicians who will be joining us.
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  Speaker 2: And I just really hope that if you're in the
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  Speaker 2: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut area, that you will
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  Speaker 2: come out for this concert because it's really coming from
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  Speaker 2: everybody's hearts. And we're going to be there all together
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  Speaker 2: sharing the love and sharing the music and hopefully sharing
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  Speaker 2: lots of smiles. It's a happy time, yet we're doing
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  Speaker 2: it for something that is very sad. And we've got
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  Speaker 2: to end ALS. I'm inspired because my sister Margie, who
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  Speaker 2: also grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, was diagnosed with this
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  Speaker 2: 18 years ago. Margie and I and my sister Sherry
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  Speaker 2: We were known as the Berman Girls. That is my
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  Speaker 2: maiden name. In fact, I always went by Debbie Berman.
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  Speaker 3: For those of you listening who don't know who Deborah
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  Speaker 3: Silver is, but so many of us are all still
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  Speaker 3: on Facebook connected together. But we all grew up there
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  Speaker 3: and people are still shocked when they find out Margie Berman.
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  Speaker 3: She was a cheerleader there and we all went to
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  Speaker 3: school in Jackson and.
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  Speaker 2: They can't believe that she's got this, horrific disease. And
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  Speaker 2: she is inspiring. And just anyone around her is always
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  Speaker 2: in awe of her, how she has handled this disease
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  Speaker 2: so graciously. And she's really my idol. I actually was,
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  Speaker 2: you know, back a long time ago, I participated in
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  Speaker 2: Miss Mississippi Pageant. And, you know, the question was, who's
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  Speaker 2: your idol? Who do you look up to? And never
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  Speaker 2: did I dream back then that It was my sister
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  Speaker 2: all along. But seeing how she has really handled this,
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  Speaker 2: it's remarkable. And I'm thrilled that both of my sisters
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  Speaker 2: are going to be there. And Margie will be on
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  Speaker 2: stage with us and be able to speak and tell
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  Speaker 2: her story. And in the end, we've got a little
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  Speaker 2: surprise with Dionne Warwick. So anybody who comes, I think
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  Speaker 2: they'll be pleasantly surprised and glad they're there. not only
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  Speaker 2: for the entertainment, but primarily because they will be making
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  Speaker 2: a huge difference to our cause. And we are so
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  Speaker 2: grateful for everyone who's joining in.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I'll tell you, it's a great thing for sure. And, Debra,
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  Speaker 1: we're so glad that you're able to not only share
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  Speaker 1: your music and your talent, but also, of course, your platform,
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  Speaker 1: as I mentioned, to be able to raise awareness as well. Again, everyone,
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  Speaker 1: Debra Silver has been our guest. Make sure you guys
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  Speaker 1: get the new single that I mentioned earlier, The Lady
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  Speaker 1: is a Tramp, with Diane Shore. But also keep in
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  Speaker 1: mind that Debra Silver and fabulous friends, Voices for ALS
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  Speaker 1: is coming Sunday, October the 11th at Carnegie Hall. If
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  Speaker 1: you all go to Debra's Instagram page at DebraSilverMusic, you'll
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  Speaker 1: be able to see the link there in her profile
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  Speaker 1: where you can be able to buy your ticket for
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  Speaker 1: the October 11th event, but also get the music there
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  Speaker 1: as well. So make sure you all take advantage of that.
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  Speaker 1: There's also other events that Debra has coming up. You
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  Speaker 1: all can be able to find those there again on
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  Speaker 1: her Instagram, again, DebraSilverMusic.com. Debra, congratulations to you. I really
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  Speaker 1: appreciate you stopping by today and looking forward to having
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  Speaker 1: you back on the program again.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Cyrus. I also want to mention
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  Speaker 2: a lot of my Mississippi friends are on Facebook with me,
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  Speaker 2: so I am Debra Silver Music on Facebook and Instagram,
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  Speaker 2: and I'm on streaming anywhere, Spotify, Apple, wherever you listen
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  Speaker 2: to your music. music and they can go back and
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  Speaker 2: hear some of my duets with special guest artists like
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  Speaker 2: Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers and Ronnie Millsap and
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  Speaker 2: Trombone Shorty and even Peter Frampton's there on my new album.
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  Speaker 2: And so I would love to hear from all of
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  Speaker 2: my friends and all my new friends, anybody listening, write
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  Speaker 2: to me and I will hopefully be able to meet
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  Speaker 2: some of you, any of you at a show coming up.
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  Speaker 1: Well, Deborah, so excited about the time to spend with
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  Speaker 1: you today and looking forward to the next conversation together.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely. And I'm really looking forward to hearing back and
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  Speaker 2: forth with you. We're going to be new friends on
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  Speaker 2: social media, too. There you go.
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  Speaker 1: There you go. And we thank your audience for tuning
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  Speaker 1: in to another great segment of Conversations Live. Until next time,
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  Speaker 1: I'm your host, Cyrus Whipson. As always, enjoy your day,
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: enjoy your life, enjoy your world. Thank you for being
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: with us here at Conversations Live. Let us go make
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: today amazing. Take care.