Deborah Silver: Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art

Deborah Silver hails from the deep south where the blues were born… Mississippi. A natural born entertainer, her talents as vocalist and actress have graced the stages of theater, television and film. Ms. Silver has had the honor of touring with the Bob Hope USO Troupe as her way of giving back to our nation’s armed services fighting abroad. Her versatility as an actress has been seen during her many television appearances that included TV’s top shows. But it is the stage that she loves best and the thrill of working in front of a live audience. Whether playing the prominent role of Diana Morales in “A Chorus Line”, singing for years for the Walt Disney Company or taking her act to sea performing on cruise ships, Deborah Silver brings an energy and talent that audiences applaud for over and over. She can mesmerize her audiences with a sultry, slow ballad, or belt out a vocal range that physically defies the small package it’s coming from. Currently touring the United States, Ms. Silver delivers a full evening of high-style singing and dancing entertainment that audiences large and small won’t forget. She will leave you “Silverized”!

GSH: “Who is Deborah Silver?”

DS: “As far as performing goes… you could describe me like a Judy Garland type with a little bit of blues added.” However, above all, I am a loving mom and a family person who loves to entertain and make people happy.”

GSH: “Did you ever think that you would have a successful career?”

DS: “I always hoped so. When I was young I was a straight A student and everyone thought I would be a doctor. I went to Washington University in St. Louis; but I was a ham and wanted to be on stage, so needless to say, I did not end up going the doctor route. I took classes that would enhance my career for when I got out of college and promised my parents that I would have something to fall back on. I graduated with honors and am happy and loving what I do. I feel good about it.”

GSH: “What do your children think about you traveling on the road?”

DS: “They are very supportive and I try to work only when their father and/or grandparents are able to be with them. I took off most of their lives and only took jobs that I could take them with me. I had stopped my career and now that they are old enough, I am able to leave them alone more. They are very involved in their own school and activities.”

GSH: “Can you share one of your favorite stories from being on the road?”

DS: “I love everywhere I go but my favorite trip was before I had my children. I loved being on a cruise ship. I performed 2 shows in 10 to 14 days, depending on the length of the cruise and had no other duties; except tanning in the sun and shopping at the ports while eating these delicious meals, life was so easy back then! So you could say some of my best jobs were on the high seas.”

GSH: “What is your favorite thing to do in your time off?”

DS: “I don’t consider myself having any time off and I sleep very little. I am very involved and work hard with charities. One that is very close to my heart is to help raise funds to find a cure for ALS, (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). My sister, who has three children, was diagnosed with ALS and my goal is to help find a cure during her lifetime. I work on many fundraisers with my family and will not stop until a cure is found. I made a CD to raise funds for a cure for this disease and will be selling the CD for donations at my performance at the festival.”

GSH: “What can we expect from a Deborah Silver performance today?”

DS: “My #1 goal is for everyone to have fun and to bring entertainment to the audience. My show is very eclectic with all sorts of different types of music including jazz, blues, country, Broadway and some old standards from the Great American Songbook. My songs take the audience through many different time periods. I like to bring back old songs, refresh them and perform them a little bit differently than how they were originally done. There is a little something for everyone in my show.”

GSH: “Where is your favorite place to perform on the Grand Strand?”

DS: ” I heard Pawleys Island is breathtaking and I am looking forward to performing there. I have been in Myrtle Beach and Charleston. In college I performed at a private event at a hotel in Myrtle Beach. We have friends and relatives in the area, as well.”

GSH: “What advice do you have for budding singers?”

DS: “I think they should be true to themselves and not imitate someone else. They should do what they do best and always make sure to stick to their own gut feelings. A singer should try to create something that is entertaining to an audience. First they should think if they will enjoy it and always keep an open mind.”

GSH: “What do you want the readers to know about you?”

DS: “I do this because I love it, I am a people person. I perform because I hope it can bring joy and happiness to others. Life can be full of surprises and if I can make one person happy, then I feel good…but I certainly hope I can make a lot of people happy on Oct 12th.”