If you just watched the GRAMMY Awards on TV, you would have paid special attention to the nominees in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. On top of her two-time chart-topping vocals on Billboard, Delray Beach-based Deborah Silver was there with her family.
She didn’t come home with a trophy on her first nomination, this one for “Basie Rocks! The Count Basie Orchestra with Deborah Silver.” https://deborahsilvermusic.com/music/basie-rocks/ But as Silver says in this Q&A, this GRAMMY was especially memorable.
Q: Are you still based in Boca, and what does that mean with your recording and performing commitments?
A: I live in Delray Beach and South Florida is very much home. I commute for performances in Nashville, Las Vegas, New York, L.A. and beyond. I have a home studio here and regularly work out of Power Station Studios in Pompano Beach. While I travel often, this community is my creative base — it’s where I rehearse, record, reset, and reconnect with my wonderful family and friends.
Q: When are your next performances? Anything local?
A: I’m planning upcoming charity events, with a special focus on raising funds to help repair my hometown synagogue, which was recently damaged in an act of hatred. Giving back through music is very important to me, and I’ll be sharing performance dates soon. Ticket information and updates will always be available on my website https://deborahsilvermusic.com/ and FB and IG social media channels @deborahsilvermusic
Q: Was this your first GRAMMYs? Who did you meet?
A: Yes — this was my first time attending the GRAMMYs as a nominee, though I’ve been a member of the Recording Academy for over 10 years and have attended in previous years. The most meaningful moments were sharing the experience with my family — having my kids walk the red carpet with me. My son Spencer Silver was on the red carpet with me. He has music that he wrote and performed that is currently streaming.
I felt embraced by the Recording Academy community. One of the loveliest surprises was meeting people I’d never met before who told me they loved my Basie Rocks! album and had voted for it. Receiving that kind of respect from fellow music professionals was truly an honor. My greatest purpose in music is helping others. Giving back is at the heart of everything I do, and a portion of the proceeds from Basie Rocks! supports the Jazz Foundation of America.
I’ve never been impressed by someone simply because they are famous, — what moves me most is a beautiful heart and a commitment to helping others. I STRONGLY believe those recognized in our industry have a responsibility to give back. I was happy to meet up with other artists who do just that as well. I especially enjoyed spending time with Jennifer Hudson, who was incredibly down-to-earth and genuinely caring. I enjoyed connecting with artists whose music I’ve long admired like Babyface and Chaka Khan. It was also wonderful running back into many artists I already knew, including will.i.am, Diane Warren, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Linda Foster Thompson.
Above all, I felt deeply grateful — for the music, for the community, and for the chance to share such a special moment with the people I love.
Q: Anything else you’d like readers to know?
A: I believe in the power of perseverance and always live by my motto: It’s never too late to follow your dreams. My journey hasn’t been a straight line. After life-changing complications from a pregnancy left me unable to walk due to a rare bone condition, my music career was put on hold and I stepped away to raise my family. If there’s one thing I hope people take from my story, it’s that it’s never too late to reclaim your dreams. I went from being a full-time devoted mom back to pursuing music and my goals — I’m deeply grateful for being able to stand on the worldwide GRAMMY stage, and I hope it encourages other women to believe that you can love your family fiercely and still follow your passions. No dream is realized alone. I carry immense gratitude for everyone who has walked beside me on this journey — onstage and off — especially my mentors: the legendary arranger Charlie Calello, and my beloved friend and “stage mom,” named by the governor as Florida’s First Lady of Musical Theater, the incomparable late Jan McArt. Their guidance, generosity, and belief in me are woven into every moment of this story.
