Deborah Swiney recalls her childhood neighborhood in South Memphis as a melting pot, with different races, cultures, small businesses, and great musicians living close by. She recalls hearing music on the street corners and riding her bike past the homes of legends such as blues artist Memphis Minnie, saxophonist Herman Green, and Beale Street trumpeter Rudy Williams.
With such a background for inspiration, it’s no wonder that Deborah is known today as a versatile, elegant singer with a repertoire that spans the music of the Harlem Renaissance, Latin jazz, the Great American Songbook, soul, and the blues. Please meet our delightful new FACE of Memphis, Deborah Swiney!
What are some of your earliest memories of music?
My earliest memories of music come from listening to my mom and sister play AM radio stations like WDIA and WLOK. During the week, we’d listen to blues and R&B, but Sundays were reserved for gospel. We also enjoyed watching variety shows on TV, where we’d see jazz and pop performers. My mom would take us to gospel shows whenever they came to Memphis, so we got to experience a lot of live spiritual music.
When I was little, my mom bought a piano and started taking lessons from Ms. Myrtle Tyus, a black woman who attended Juilliard in the 1930s. She lived right around the corner. My mom decided to give up piano lessons and signed up my brother Alvin and me for lessons when I was around age 10.
I was also inspired by my elementary school music teacher, Mrs. Fannie Clark. I wanted to sing and play piano like her, so I joined the school choir in the fifth grade, where she was the music director. My love for singing grew even more when I saw The Jackson Five on TV. Michael’s voice and the group stole my heart — their harmonies were so angelic.
Did you always want a music career?
Growing up, I didn’t put much thought into having a music career. My focus was largely on helping my mom take care of my sister and grandmother, though I was active in school music programs and the church choir. In junior high, I played clarinet and vibraphone under the direction of Mr. Kurl McKinney. When I started high school at Southside, I joined the Glee Club and Swing Choir, which I found pretty exciting. But I got married young and put music on the back burner, although I still wrote songs here and there.
After my divorce, I decided to pursue music more seriously. I joined a band and balanced performing with working as an accounting manager at Dobbs Houses headquarters. When it sold to Host Marriott in 1993, they offered me a job, but I didn’t want to move to Maryland with a newborn son. Instead, I used my experience to open a gift shop, The Nile, on South Main Street in 1995, back when it was still pretty desolate.
I consider myself a pioneer of the South Main District’s current success. I closed the store in 2004 and became fully involved in the music industry. Six months before closing, Ward Archer hired me part-time to run the office at Archer Records, a local independent record label. This December will mark 21 years with Archer Records.
What was your musical career trajectory?
When I decided to become more active in the music business, I had the incredible opportunity to sing as a backup vocalist for the legendary Rev. Al Green from 1992 to 1997. What an experience! I never imagined I would be singing and traveling to so many different countries while meeting incredible musicians along the way. As my son grew older, I took a break from the music business and focused more on my family and store.
Fast forward, I maintained a rotating roster of standing weekly gigs until the pandemic hit, but now I tend to receive a lot of requests for private events; about 90% of my gigs are private. In addition to my work with Rev. Al Green, I released an album in 2017 titled I Remember Rio, inspired by my travels to Brazil during our tours.
Can you tell us some of your career highlights?
Singing with Rev. Al Green opened many doors and provided incredible opportunities, such as performing on iconic shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and The Today Show. One of the most memorable moments was singing at Bill Clinton’s inauguration, where I felt the power of music uniting people in celebration. I also had the privilege of performing at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, an unforgettable experience that showcased the global appreciation for jazz.
Additionally, I met the legendary Quincy Jones, whose work has inspired so many, and I even enjoyed a jam session with Chaka Khan at an after-party, which felt like a dream come true.
In 2022, I was invited to join my friend and one of Ireland’s top jazz and blues artists, Nigel Mooney, on a couple of dates for the release of his new album, Mooney’s Blues, which includes a song that I wrote, Me and The Mouse. I also sang backup vocals on some of the tracks. During that trip, I had bookings in Dublin and Kilkenny and cut some backup vocal tracks for Nigel’s next album.
At this point in my life, my biggest highlight is being the founder of the Sunset Jazz at Court Square Concert Series in 2018, which started as a trial pop-up jazz concert, thanks to Penelope Huston and Downtown Memphis taking a chance on my idea of bringing free live entertainment to downtown Memphis and Court Square Park.
What do you love most about living in Memphis?
What I love most about living in Memphis is the music scene. People come from all over the world to become a “Memphis musician,” record here, or experience the city’s legendary, one-of-a-kind musical atmosphere. There’s truly nothing like it!
Where can we find you when you aren’t working?
Musically, you can catch me performing at The Cove for Jazz Night every Thursday night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.! Outside of music, I am the caretaker for my older sister, and I love spending time with my 3-year-old grandson. We enjoy going to live music concerts and playing different instruments at my house. I’m thrilled that he loves music and is often mesmerized by it. Other than that, I am ALWAYS working on something music-related!
What advice would you give young people who want to follow their artistic dreams?
My advice to young people is to follow your dream, no matter what it is. Write down your plan, and put your best foot forward to pursue your passion. Learn as much as you can about your craft. Stay positive and respectful, and don’t listen to those who try to discourage you — there will be plenty of that along the way. Avoid toxic people and anyone who might tarnish your reputation. And if things don’t work out as you hoped, don’t give up. Pick yourself up and keep going.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Music (of course!), being happy, and expressing and releasing the artist inside of me. If there were a fourth, I’d certainly include eating some great food!
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