#167 Bits and Bobs and Judy Garland with Debbie Wileman

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:30

All right, Judy, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. You got this show going each and every night. Yeah, man. This was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 167 of classic conversations. We're getting classic. Today we're going over the rainbow, if you will, with my guests. Debbie Wileman. Debbie Wileman is a vocal Impressionists specializing in Judy Garland. Fascinating story. She was doing a song a day during the pandemic on Facebook. She lives in the UK in her home just like you and I sing it does a Judy Garland song that goes viral. Next thing you know, she's in Carnegie Hall. There's a lot of details in between. But you guys listen to the interview for all the goodness. But I tell you, this is an incredible story. And you're gonna love Debbie. She's hilarious, super talented. And that's coming up in just a few seconds. In these precious few seconds. I just want to showcase episode 166 with Karen Grassley. That's right MA from Little House on the Prairie. Check that one out next and all are amazing back catalogue. After listening to Debbie, tons of great episodes awaits you. But in the meantime, let's talk about this sensation. You're gonna be inspired to pull out whatever talent you have and showcase it to the world. All right, ladies and gentlemen, get ready for Debbie Wyoming because that's coming up right now. Everyone, I'm excited to introduce you to my next guest. British vocal, impressionist sensation. sensation. I can't wait. Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the show. Debbie Wileman. Debbie. Hello. Hello. Hi. How are you?

Debbie Wileman 2:16

Very well. Thank you. Roasting hot. We're having a bit of a heatwave in the UK at the moment.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:21

Oh, yeah. It's not it's not too bad here. It's warm. But we're coming to the end of summer. I love your your accent. I'm so excited. I'm gonna keep you on forever. Just because I love. Oh, well. That's nice. Thanks. So Debbie, it's an interesting story, you kind of became this sensation you kind of blew up during the pandemic. So while there's a lot of horrible stories and tragic stuff that happens, there is a lot of creative things that blossomed and became during it. And your story is one of the success stories and kind of really fascinating. I'd love to hear all about it.

Debbie Wileman 2:59

Okay, yeah, sure. Potted history. Yeah. Okay, well, basically, I did originally train in singing and acting and stuff. When I was younger, I did a performing arts degree at university and before that I'd always sang I've never had singing lessons or anything. I've always just loved doing it. It's luck really, that I can sing. And I've been in bands all sorts of stuff. And you know, my dream when I was young was that this is it. I'll be singer, actress and I tried. I tried but you know, it just I got some bits and bobs, but not enough for me to keep doing it as a job. You know, I don't come from a rich family or anything like that. So I had to get jobs. I try making a go of it from when I left university at 21 When I got to about 25 I was like oh, this I'm not making enough money I need to live I need to eat. Well, I had to go and that was that really and did all sorts of rubbish. You know, working for a perfume company being you know, like Joey for friends spraying stuff. Where would you learn to try that sort of thing. I was a receptionist. I did all sorts of stuff. And then I became a mum and I became a stay at home mum because my daughter was very little and my husband was working and then EU Coronavirus happened. And I was at home with a just turned two year old. My husband continued to work luckily but it was from home but he probably lock himself away and work all day. So it was just me and Sadie's my little girl. What we're going to do today that okay, I think a lot of people were in the same. I can't think of the word basket. No. The same place. Yeah. And I saw when self isolating came in or isolating in your household came in quite a few of my friends live on their own and I thought was a bit grim in it just by yourself. And I'd seen a couple of people singing a bit online and I thought I'd do that to cheer my friends up. I haven't done at this point any professional singing or acting for like 12 years. I think I wouldn't have done it otherwise I would have thought it was a bit big headed or a bit you know, like, Oh, look at me singing this song. I wouldn't have I would have thought it was a bit cringy but I thought I'll give Why not I'll sing a song a day was my thought. Not flashy or anything just on my phone, this very phone with a karaoke backing track playing through my old iPhone and me recording me on my phone. So there's no microphone or anything like that. And I did a different song every day on Facebook for my like 600 Facebook friends, that was it really. And it was all different stuff.

Debbie Wileman 5:38

The first song I did was Johnny Mathis, Misty, and the second was Etta James. And then as some of my friends who played the first couple were like Gordon Debs, you get to do with Judy Garland God, because I've always been a big fan of hers. And by my degree, I'd written a one woman show about 2d, which I've done a few theaters and stuff like that. So I was like, Okay, I'll get me wigged out the cupboard. And I did the man that got away on day three. And I thought, maybe I'll put it on a Judy Garland Facebook group, why not? They might like it. It's a duty. So you know, then I continued doing one a day after that all different things. And I just started getting shared, like share chair chair view view viewed this what's going on? And you know, in a time when you don't want to become viral.

Debbie Wileman 6:25

I sort of became viral. Yeah, it was just that and people started friending me up and I accepted everybody because I was checking on it. They say, Oh, that's nice. Yeah. Okay. It just was wild. I'd started getting friend requests from people who I'd heard of, yeah. And Mario Cantona from Sex and the City and things like that. I was like, what, what, what? No. And then the views started going up. And people really liked particularly the duty stuff. So I started doing some more duty ones. And it just started going a bit crazy. And I mean, I ended up doing 100 in a row, that 101 a day for 100 days. And at this point, I had like, I'd gone from 600 friends to 4000. And it was not and then I took it down to three a week. And things were going long. And I got how bizarre is this? I got contacted by an agent in Hollywood. And I'm, you know, a mom in the suburbs. I was like, Well, this is just crazy. Get a read. And I had a chat with him is a lovely guy called Scott stander. We had a chat on Messenger. And I thought, Oh, that's nice. But you know, there was nothing doing at that time because it was all still locked down. So I was just had a nice chat. And that was fun. And I was like, Hollywood agent. And obviously I checked him out online afterwards. It was like, Oh, he represents Mitzi Gaynor and Julie Newmar. Joe jaw Chicky Harris, you know, I was rightly thrilled. And then he found me again, about six months later, we ended the chat, you know, things kept going on. And it went from there. Up to the point of January this year, he flew me out to LA to meet him and I was like, Well, this is just crazy, because up until then, nothing will happen. But as just chat, blow me down. I went out to LA and it was yeah, just brilliant. I also got contacted by Billy Stritch, Liza Minnelli's, musical arranger for 20 years, and also pianist and performer singer in his own right. I sang a duet with him. And that was August of 2020. So I was in my bedroom here at home. He was in New York and Sandy Knox, his co writer was in Memphis, and it all got made a video got put on YouTube. And that was crazy. I mean, it's a brilliant song. It's called since you left New York, and you're just these crazy things happen just for me making some videos. So I went out to LA to meet Scott. And he was lovely. We got on really well. And he had a little band put together and we did some rehearsing just to see and I had started doing because I got friendly with this Judy Garland group online, The Judy Garland experiences called on Facebook. They mostly everyone really liked the Judy things I was doing. And some people suggested, Oh, could you do a song that she didn't do as her? Would you be able to do that? Yeah, sure. And so with the help of some very nice pianists who were also stuck at home with nothing to do, who for free made me like custom backing track. It's a lovely man called John D. Randall. This is when I was just oh, he made me a backing track for as if we never said goodbye from Sunset Boulevard. That was the first video I made it home of Judy doing a song she didn't do and then added a few more after that. And it was it. They went down really well. And when I was out in LA meeting Scott and playing with a band, we practiced a few songs that she didn't do for like live purposes. And I just happen to say, I think it would be a good idea to do an album that that would be fun. That's all it was an airy sort of. That'd be a fun thing to do. And then he was like, Okay, let's do it. I got home and he was fine. We go right I've got An orchestra. I mean, it was brilliant. We chose the songs we were gonna do and that to it, and it was amazing.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:08

That is amazing. And that album, I'm still here, when you were doing the 100 songs just to go backwards for a second. When you were doing 100 songs, are they all impressions of the people you're singing? Or just very specific ones?

Debbie Wileman 10:23

No, no, it's a mixture. I mean, I've seen as myself, I like to say, I wouldn't actually, I mean, I know it's become known now what I've become sort of, as much as I've known as known for is singing as people but I wouldn't actually call myself an impressionist. I'd just say I was a singer, who couldn't do some singing impressions. So yeah, I like singing as myself. A lot of them would just mean singing songs I like as me but I did do some impressions. So Judy was the main one, but I also can do Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Andrews, Billie Holiday, Antony newly I can cross the gender divide

Jeff Dwoskin 11:01

Barbra Streisand. Can you do Barbara,

Debbie Wileman 11:03

I don't sound like I can't say I did some of her songs. But she's got a much higher voice than I have

Jeff Dwoskin 11:09

ever had Celine Dion. Here's just kidding. Hey, just gotta take a quick break. I want to thank everyone for their support of the sponsors. When you support the sponsors. You're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. And now back to my amazing conversation with Debbie Wileman. Have you always just enjoyed singing these particular people in their voice like when you sing? Or is it just something that when you're doing the song a day, it just seemed like a fun way to amuse yourself and the approach that you're taking during the pandemic? It's a

Debbie Wileman 11:45

bit of both some of them just because I'm fans of them. And I like doing voices and stuff I could do anyway. So like Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland are things that I just do for fun anyway, for years, but then some of them I thought, I always wanted to try I always thought I could be alright at doing that one. Let's have a go. So like Julie Andrews, I've never done apart from like to myself, and I thought, Well, why not? Let's have a go. And I was quite pleased that mainly it was just things I like, and was just doing for fun. Really. I mean, that was the whole point of it was to cheer people up. And then also do something for me because you know, it's a bit it's a bit full on, you know, locked down with a two year old and the world's gone crazy. And it's just like, oh, so this was quite nice for me to do as well really. I had to do it at night because my daughter would not let me do it in the day. She was very little then she's actually alright She's downstairs watching the film at the moment. So I'm I'm all right to talk to you without funny but when she was to not a chance, so I had to wait until she was asleep and then either do it in the utility room downstairs that's the furthest away from her bedroom or go out in my car because my neighbor complains about noise and hammers on the wall. If it got to light after 10 I'd have to go out into my car, park in a car park and make a video

Jeff Dwoskin 13:07

that's all fine in between your neighbor and Sadie all trying to keep you down Debbie.

Debbie Wileman 13:13

She's not keeping me trying to keep you to

Jeff Dwoskin 13:15

herself. Doesn't want to share you with the world. Do you ever go out in public and just start talking like Judy Garland and just see if people know to me that'd be the funniest thing ever. I'd like the mall or supermarket to buy dollars.

Debbie Wileman 13:33

Not really I think they think I was crazy. Supermarket says a punchy players with cream of wheat but that's not me. That's Jeff Have you seen the punchy players? Little cartoons that are on YouTube? I haven't it they're like little sort of cartoons made from photographs and men. I've become friends with Jeff Mark Quist does amazing impressions of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli and my own personal favorite of his is Alan Miller. He does a wonderful mother. So they're worth checking out online. They're really funny. And I was overjoyed when he contacted me and said I love your Judy impression of your duty impression is like a mutual doody Appreciation Society. You did

Jeff Dwoskin 14:18

that 100 celebration of her hover, or 100th birthday. You were part of that at Carnegie Hall.

Debbie Wileman 14:25

Yeah, that was amazing. Yeah. When Scott stander my now agent, Agent mentor in Hollywood, which still sounds crazy. Initially when he contacted me he it was to do live stuff. He hadn't thought of doing any recordings. It was to sort of get a live show together and do a bit of touring, which I thought fantastic. Yes, please. And as we were rehearsing and doing stuff, that's when the idea of the album came out, and then they both sort of came together, you know, so it was her 100th birthday on the 10th of June this year. And we thought well, what if you bring The album out on that date and then do tour to sort of surround it. That would be great. And I celebration and all of that. That was the idea. He was booking me in different places in America. And we were on the phone and he said, like, Okay, I've got your New York location sorted. So all right, yeah. Was that Carnegie Hall? I can't say on radio, what I said was like, bleep off. Oh, sorry. Oops, I just couldn't believe it. It was in the it's in the zankel Hall. So it's a slightly smaller Hall within Carnegie Hall. But still, it's Carnegie Hall.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:34

You don't have to tell anyone that.

Debbie Wileman 15:37

I did that. It was amazing. It was just, it was crazy as well for being you know, housewife at home. Two years later, hello, Carnegie Hall, which was sold out. And I mean, without meaning to sound like a big braggart. The show was just brilliant. It was me with a seven piece band doing some songs Judy did some that she didn't ask her. And then me talking as myself sort of about her. And you know why we were doing things. It was more like a concert, but with a bit of chatter. And we got 16 standing ovations. Someone counted. I didn't, but it was brilliant. And Judy Garland's ex fiance, John Maya was there, I invited him because I didn't even realize, you know, I said earlier, I just friended everyone. Anyone. request that was like, Yeah, all right. Didn't look who they were. I actually already accepted his friend request without realizing. And I did one of the songs that he'd written for Judy, that she sang as her. And he commented on it. And I was like, Oh, my God, John, Maya, the John Maya, who wrote it, as commented, and I clicked on it, and it said, friends, we're already friends. I didn't even realize I just thought it was some guy called John, you know, so I spoke to him. And he's a lovely guy, and we were talking to each other online is based in New York, very kindly at Christmas time of 2020, I decided I had a silly idea that I do an advent calendar, and each day would be a different Christmas. So hold through December. And she did a song that he wrote for her called till after the holidays. And I contacted John said, Would you maybe record me a piano backing track for it to sing, and he did from his apartment. He's 81 Now, and he recorded that and sent it to me the joys and wonders of the internet, sent it to me over like online, and I did it. And that was amazing. And I got to meet him. And we do did Carnegie Hall, because I sent him and his wife tickets, and they turned up and I did I'd like to hate myself in the morning that he wrote for God. And it was great, surreal, and brilliant.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:47

It is amazing. It's, it's even more amazing. Like you say like, how you hadn't really done anything for 12 years or so in music. And because I read a couple reviews of the Carnegie Hall performance, and what people say is like that you are not just good at Judy Garland, like one of the best ever, if not the best ever, in terms of her voice inflection and just nailing it 1,000% I mean, that's got to feel pretty damn good. Yeah, yeah.

Debbie Wileman 18:15

It's amazing. It's brilliant. You know, it's, it's something I've always loved doing. I've always loved performing. And I've always continued to try and sing here and there. But you know how it is. It's love kids getting seen by whoever, whatever, you know, and in a way, it's actually nicer that I've had a bit of success. Now. I mean, I'm, I'm not going to lie about anything. I'm 38. And it's nice that it's come now in a way because I'm at a nice stage in my life. I'm happily married. I've got a lovely kid. I'm not, you know, I'm happy anyway, though. If, if this is all that comes through it, well, then that's alright. It's been brilliant. And I'm having a lovely time and then a man, but I think when you're much younger, you're more like it's gonna happen no of it. Or, you know, it's sort of in a way nicer. It's happened now. I'm, uh, you know, well, late 30s will reduce or, you know, I'm not getting swayed by any ridiculous. Oh, I don't know, temptations or whatever. But when you're much younger person or shine, yeah, I'll have a drink after the show. Yeah, I'll have five and then you're ruined for the next day or whatever. I'm a bit more experienced. So I can be like that. I'm alright. I won't have a drink. I've got a gig tomorrow or pretty dull. Sorry, but I think it's good.

Jeff Dwoskin 19:31

So here I find the quote that I was looking for what sets you apart says is the genuine quality of your voice, the solid music Minh ship of your approach and the sensitive interpretation of the lyrics to somebody that comes with time. Right, which you kind of just like, but you know, I gotta believe this is. I'm sure you're hoping to this is really just kind of the beginning. Right? I mean, well, it

Debbie Wileman 19:55

would be wonderful. It was you know, that's what I've always wanted to do. And I love doing doing it and it's great fun. And yeah, it's like a dream. But who knows? You can't be sure. But yeah, brilliant so far. And I've met so many really lovely people and people that I wouldn't have met otherwise. Yeah, it's been great and unexpected, completely, completely unexpected. I wasn't trying for any of that.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:20

Sometimes that's when it comes right.

Debbie Wileman 20:23

I think maybe that's why people liked it in the first place as well, because it's not a cynical thing. I think people you can tell. I think when somebody's contrived, or someone's like, trying to say, I wasn't at all it was just genuinely trying to do something nice. And I think that's part of what people liked.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:42

Oh, yeah. I think there's definite sincerity. You weren't trying to become famous. You just were doing something you loved. And boom, I think it's it's an inspiration to everyone to just have a

Debbie Wileman 20:53

go. Yeah, I'd never stopped singing and stuff. You know, if you truly love something, you'll do it anyway, won't you? Whether you just successful or not, you know, it was singing at a friend's wedding or just sitting around the house or my dad is. My dad's a musician. He's a psychedelic rock musician. So you know, I'll just sing with him playing the guitar for fun, you know, I've never not done you know, those 12 years. It wasn't like I'd hadn't done anything single the time, but just for the fun of it. But I wouldn't have like I said, I wouldn't have filmed myself and put it online, because I would have fought on our thing. But luckily, my inhibitions went out of the window with COVID because I just don't hold steady, you know?

Jeff Dwoskin 21:33

Yeah, absolutely. So how did you pick the songs and where they're like, so the songs in the album, I'm still here, which are majority of I think, except for over the rainbow. Or she didn't say

Debbie Wileman 21:44

yes, she didn't do any of them apart from over the rainbow.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:47

So were there any songs that you're like, oh, let's do this one. And you're like, Oh, this is just not sounding like Judy singing the song. Are there any that you had to scrap?

Debbie Wileman 21:56

Yeah, loads. I mean, we went through a big selection process. So there was some that I knew I wanted to do, but definitely so basically, the album was created with me, Scott, stander and Steve are rich did all the orchestrations and he did all the orchestrations the Jersey Boys the show so he's a Grammy Award winner I'm slightly K Scott you've got some good people here thank you.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:19

I only the best for Debbie only the best Yeah, that's right.

Debbie Wileman 22:23

Yeah, come on as housewives demand list and also Ron Abel who was went on tour with me he did some of the arrangements as well and he works with Lucia NAS, all sorts of people in Godspell. The original production in doing the music so he helped with some of the arrangements as well. So it was us for really cuz I'm in England, talking to each other leaving messages over messenger or whatever WhatsApp because it's free odd times because you know, they time difference and all of that. And so I'd be wandering around my kitchen, they'd suggest some songs, I'd think about them have a go at singing them as God is a message and send it. Some of them. Yeah, I didn't like and can't really remember, I wasn't so keen on doing iron woman by Helen Reddy, just because I'm not that keen on the song. And I didn't think it sounded quite right. What other ones there were a lot of suggestions that we tried. Were just like, Nah, that's better than that. You know, basically, they just throw songs at me sometimes. And I never go, we'd go now. Or, oh, yeah, but there was this few that I had that I really wanted to do or that I had isn't always that would be a good idea. Defying gravity because I thought you know, it's

Jeff Dwoskin 23:36

Oz Sure. From wicked. Yeah,

Debbie Wileman 23:39

who's more hours than Judy Garland? Really? You know, also I thought because of A star is born. The first one I was watching a documentary on the BBC the other day, and they got it completely wrong. And Judy Garland made the first ever film version of a star respond as soon as she did and it was Janet Gaynor in the 30s. God did the second one Tuk Tuks. So anyway, the first one wasn't a musical but anyway

Jeff Dwoskin 24:01

we're on the fourth one now it's it's that movie do you did

Debbie Wileman 24:05

it the second then baps? Like an hour? Then Barbara, sorry. Lady Gaga, and I thought, well, it might be quite nice to do A Star is Born sweet. Like a bit from that star is born from that star is born. So that was an idea I had because I thought it sort of brings it

Jeff Dwoskin 24:20

back. Right You did evergreen really shallow?

Debbie Wileman 24:23

Yes. There's a sort of mash up. We mix them together. Also the Beatles but we weren't sure which Beatles. But I said earlier actually that Judy had never sung any of these. She'd never been recorded singing them because I again when I was just on Facebook, I got contacted by a gentleman called Lowery Russell who had been Lorna laughs first boyfriend when she was 15. He was 17 I think and he was in Billy Joe's first band as well as Billy Jones bass player and then but he was a drummer in the 60s in a beat group. Oh, this anyway, he because he went out with Lorna as a teenager he met Judy quite a few times. I'm in like, 1967. And he was telling me about it. He just contacted me to say, I think you sound just like her. And I should know because I knew her. And I was like, well, that's a good entry. Hello. He was like, give me a room. Okay, so I called him and I've chatted to him loads. He's lovely. He was telling me, he was around their apartment. And she was about Judy was about to go to this a benefit for Harold Arlen, I think. And he said he sat on a loveseat with Judy. And she sang to Larry over the rainbow. And then she sang. Got to get you into my life by the Beatles to him, which I put on the album. So she had sung it before. It just never been heard by anyone other than Larry Russell and her

Jeff Dwoskin 25:44

kids. So yeah, that's perfect. Because then you knew she could sing it. Well, yeah. Yeah.

Debbie Wileman 25:48

She sang it. She liked it.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:50

Hey, go take a quick break. And we're back with Debbie while men enjoy. So you have beauty in the beast was great. Yes. And then back to black. Yeah, that was one I wanted to do. That was good. Amy Winehouse, and then you got rolling into deep. Gotta get Adele in there.

Debbie Wileman 26:10

That was feedback from The Judy Garland experience website. I had asked them what songs would you like me to do as Judy that she didn't do? And I went through all the responses. There was about 300 and picks like the top view and saw how they went

Jeff Dwoskin 26:25

Gotcha. Hokey Pokey, wet that did not make the list.

Debbie Wileman 26:30

You know, Diana doors sang a song called the Hokey Pokey poker. Oh, yeah, let's do the hokey pokey bocce. That's damn doors voice not Judy Garland. The Hokey Pokey polka. That would be her doing it.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:50

So are you touring now at all? Or I know you did a tour. But are you? Is there more plans for tours? As Judy Garland or as yourself as Debbie and Judy are

Debbie Wileman 27:03

there's definitely more dates coming up. The ones coming up are as Judy because we've, you know, it's still her centenary year. And the show that we worked out for that first little tour is a thing. Now that exists. We've got the sheet music, so it will be silly not to do a bit more of it because we only did five dates. So we're going to do a few more of the doody show. In February of next year, we're going to do something in London. It hasn't been booked up yet. And maybe other places in the UK. But I'm booked in to come back to the states in March. So I'm going to be singing with a symphony orchestra 65 pieces near cargo, which will be amazing. I'm really looking forward to doing that. I mean, singing with the 30 piece orchestra in the studio was just brilliant. Because they were all together. Apparently people don't do that anymore. They don't get all 30 pieces together in the same room to record nowadays. Apparently they do it like one by one. But Scott was just like, No, we'll do it the proper way. And he's like, Well, that's how you do it, isn't it? They love that because it's nicer for the orchestra players to be all together and we'll get the feeling and it was just brilliant.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:10

Yeah, but the problem is once you go 65 You can never go back to just

Debbie Wileman 28:18

I think that phrases only been uttered by men of 65.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:26

How does Sadie and your husband love all this newfound success?

Debbie Wileman 28:34

Yeah, they like it. I mean, Sadie's not bothered really. They liked it in the fact that they got a free trip to Disney World. That's because I played Orlando. And Scott very kindly flew them out to see a couple of the gigs. And when I was in Orlando, a very lovely gentleman called Michael Stemler, who's my friend on Facebook said I see you're coming to Orlando. I work at Disneyland or Disney World would you like some free tickets for yourself and your family? Yes, please. So that was amazing. Just really kind and he took us to Disney World because he likes my videos.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:09

Wow. You must be you must be super famous because I've never heard of Disney giving anyone free tickets.

Debbie Wileman 29:16

Well, Disney didn't it was a very nice gentleman who works there gave us

Jeff Dwoskin 29:20

that so you should come to Detroit you should come to Detroit, Michigan and play at the Detroit Fox Theater. I think that would be like perfect for a Judy Carlin song fast if you walked

Debbie Wileman 29:35

wonderful. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, because there's such a rich musical history in Detroit. I mean,

Jeff Dwoskin 29:42

got to do it. So what about Liza Minnelli? So I know you you know people who know her? Have you guys been connected? Because it seems like it would be kind of cool for you guys to do some duet.

Debbie Wileman 29:51

Oh with love. I mean, I love lizer anyway, irrespective of her being related in any way garland I love just as Test though of brilliant. I mean, Cabaret is in my top 10 of films. I've seen her live twice. And she's just brilliant. I think she's great. Unfortunately, I have not met her. But some people have said Oh, yes, she's seen some of your videos and she thinks she spoke to us. She thinks you're very good, but I don't know if that's true. You know, people will be nice and say oh, yes, yes it but I don't know. I know. I know the family are very they find it a bit weird sometimes. I think people doing their mom you know what? That sounds

Jeff Dwoskin 30:31

nice. Yeah, I could see that.

Debbie Wileman 30:35

Fair enough. Yeah, yeah, it's weird. I get it. But it's probably

Jeff Dwoskin 30:39

not like Elvis where everyone's been doing it for decades. It's like it's a very select few that maybe do Judy Garland. Judy Garland analyze turns it into four syllables.

Debbie Wileman 30:50

And process was a strange.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:54

Can you do live voice Have you tried to do Liza?

Debbie Wileman 30:58

Yeah. Yeah, sometimes Yeah. Singing more than talking as evidenced. Yes, then. Yeah. Voice is different right. Now are they really sound like they don't sound that like actually she's got. Yeah, I think he's fab as well. I'm better at doing duty than dicer. But I haven't really tried as much with laser. I've done a couple. I did a version of some people. Blimey, there's a lot of words in that song. Get yourselves nouvelle. Yeah, it's a lot but good.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:29

So Debbie, do you want to have you ever written your own or do from the time when you're in bands and stuff right and your own material is like doing a Debbie Wileman album something you want to do? Like, is that like the way to do it? Versus like, if you do another Judy album, it's like, oh, you're just Judy Garland? You know what I mean? Like,

Debbie Wileman 31:47

it would be nice to do stuff as me. Definitely. Yeah. Because you know, my voice is this similarities to duties, but it's not setting. I'm putting that on. So it would be nice to sing as myself and do some stuff. I don't know what style it will be. I've been in rock bands before. So I did some material that my dad wrote for me today I was in a band called Debbie Duveen in the middle banks and we put an album out. But that was just putting it out ourselves. And that's years ago, I was in a band called hex and we had a little CD that we've put out I used to play with it. That was when I was 17. It was a jazz covers band. But I used to sing at the very posh restaurant cuddly gnomes in London every Friday and Saturday. I got the gig when I was 17 because I worked in a record shop with the bass players, flatmate and their singer. Her. They were all in their 20s, their singer gone off to do the Edinburgh Festival. And they'd got this quite big gig or Quigley nose, which is very posh. It's a Conrad restaurant. And weirdly enough as an idea of how posh it is. It's where Judy Garland had her fifth wedding reception, which I didn't know when I was singing there. And they were like, Oh, we are singers not here what we're going to do. And my friend Mike that I worked with said don't get consent. She likes all that stuff. And they were like, alright, well give her GM obviously, the team they will like 2526 And the upshot of it was they sack this thing and I joined the band and we got a gig in coddling those every Friday and Saturday and I did that every weekend for a year before I went off to uni and it was a real good grounding because people haven't come there to listen to a band it was in the bar it was like a for musicians for me and they've come there for a drink for a meal they're not there to listen to music and it was like a real can you win them over? Come on if I can get you up and dancing. Have one it was great. I'd go at nine and I believe at one in the morning wow so that was that was good training. I think more I love doing my degree but in a way better training in a way I think real people there you singing warmth do it

Jeff Dwoskin 33:53

well I gotta say I love this story. It's it's very inspirational because I think it's like anyone who's out there that hears this is like you know that you followed your dream a passion for a while you so in your early 20s and then kind of let it go and then just kind of came back to it and then with the right impetus unfortunately was a pandemic but but kind of removed some of that like you said ego that would have been viewed and it was too much an ego play to just start seeing Yeah, so but it's great and then you got it that's the power of social media and just in talent these days. It's you got rediscovered and your talent now is just on the it's already boomed I mean, most people diverse thing is in Carnegie Hall but great, great for you. Most of us have to practice practice practice but that's awesome. So you're touring you got an album I'm still here at seeing it all as Judy Garland you know all the hurt all these people sounds amazing to me, Debbie and I like you can add me to that list of people you know

Jeff Dwoskin 35:02

This was fine. Thank you. This was fine. Thank you so much. So where do you hang out online other than Facebook? Which is where? Yeah,

Debbie Wileman 35:09

Facebook and YouTube, really, I meant to put stuff on Instagram, I've been told, but I kept getting I'm having a go. I'm not with that whole, I'm doing it for the gram era, I have to keep reminding myself that Oh, I meant to put something on Instagram and say, here's the picture. Well, I didn't focus on that one so much, because at the time, you couldn't put a whole song on there. So I was like, What's the point? But I know these days it's all it's all tick tock, isn't it? It's all tick tock and

Jeff Dwoskin 35:38

I'll leave you with you really should take that seriously. You should Instagram reels and YouTube shorts and tick tock basically, you create the same kind of video clip because I think using is Judy would do amazing on all those platforms, with reels and everything. Even with a smaller account, you can get huge distribution on those. All three of those.

Debbie Wileman 36:02

I don't know how to do it. I'm so untechnical it sounds like you know, oh, she's done all these videos. Honestly. Look at the videos. It's me holding a phone. That's it. My technical ability is like this, man.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:16

I mean, what you have, you probably could upload and I would hope I'd be like trying try it out. I mean, seriously, I would but the nice thing about tiktoks YouTube shorts and and reels on Instagram is it's the same file, you know, just you just upload the same thing and that well, but they're not necessarily seeing you on all three, right? Okay, so somebody might see you on Tik Tok isn't going to be the say, on Instagram, that kind of thing. So don't worry about that. I always felt like I

Debbie Wileman 36:45

have to put something different on Instagram to what's on Facebook to that because I was like, oh, no, people get bored, but did the same thing. Well, so let's do something different. But then that's way too much work. There

Jeff Dwoskin 36:55

may be some crossover. But I mean, I think the bigger picture is you'll, you'll you because you might have a tick tock that has 20,000 views and 1000 on reels. So obviously, it felt 1000 Those people saw you in both. Who cares. You had the extra 19 This is true. You're right. You're right now and you got it. I think it's

Debbie Wileman 37:16

in between trips to the supermarket and cooking dinner and all of that.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:21

People love impressionist, but I mean, you're beyond that. You're I mean, you're the real deal with just singing in that style. So I mean, it's like, I think people would eat this up,

Debbie Wileman 37:30

do little short ones of stuff that you really wouldn't expect. So like what what Wouldn't you expect you to garland to sing, for instance?

Jeff Dwoskin 37:38

Oh, okay. Well, I had the Hokey Pokey ready, but like any kind of kinda child's thing would be funny. What would be a good one? Oh, what's the AC DC one? That's the back and

Debbie Wileman 37:50

ah, I'm on a ha. Why the hell? That one?

Jeff Dwoskin 37:56

Are deep purple. Like, like everything. Oh, the wall. But on the wig, do it black and white. You know? I mean, they probably even have like one of those filters where you can make it look like it's like old footage.

Debbie Wileman 38:09

And be you getting too technical. Again. It's all just

Jeff Dwoskin 38:13

buttons on the phone. It's all you can do it all on the phone. It's like ease it. That's the beauty of this now where you are in life now versus when you were 25 at 25 this would have been impossible.

Debbie Wileman 38:24

Oh 25. What would have had a flip phone? Yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 38:26

right. Exactly. It's my pink razor. I did. Nothing's coming through. Don't I use that for my legs? You're hilarious, too. So you got everything, Debbie. It's so fun. Yeah, hilarious. Well, thank you again for hanging out with me. I appreciate it. So my pleasure. Thanks. Thanks for having me. Definitely coming to Detroit so I can see you in Detroit. That would be great. Yeah, awesome. I'd love to

Debbie Wileman 38:52

I'd love to visit Detroit. I used to when I was a receptionist, this part of my time was spent. I was at a computer at the front of a building, but people can't see what you're looking at so long as you didn't watch videos or whatever. You could get away with just reading the internet, basically. So I used to look at those. They had a thing going of houses for sale in Detroit for like $1,000. And there were these beautiful, massive mansions that have been left. And you can buy them for really cheap. And I'd spend a good part of my time going $4,000 It's got a Baldwin. I could have that. If I had $4,000 which I blatantly didn't. But I was like

Jeff Dwoskin 39:31

you could have owned all of Detroit by this point. And been a music mogul. Oh, well, it could have been Debbie, thank you so much. I really appreciate this time together. Thank you. Thanks, Jeff. All right. How amazing was Debbie Wileman tell me where are you not now inspired. Whatever talent you have bubbling up inside you that you've been not presenting daily on Facebook or Instagram. Get out there. Do it. Follow your dream You never know what can happen. Yeah, put yourself out there. Good things come check out Debbie's album. I'm still here. links in the show notes to all the good stuff.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:11

All right, well, with the interview over, they can only mean one thing. That's right. It's time for another trending hashtag and the family of hashtags at hashtag are round up, download the free hashtag roundup app and the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store. It's totally free. Play along with us. Follow us on Twitter at hashtag Roundup, tweet, tweet, tweet and one day one of your tweets may show up on a future episode of Classic conversations, fame and fortune awaits you.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:42

All right, this episode's hashtag is #PandemicBandNames inspired by one the greatness that came to Debbie during and because of the pandemic as she sang to all her friends daily and her past as a singer in various bands. Here we got #PandemicBandNames brought to us also by across the pond tags who one of the hosts is from the UK just like Debbie it's like this practically wrote itself. Alright, so we take pandemic we take bands, mash them together, you got #PandemicBandNames. Got your own tweet at tag us at Jeff Dwoskin show I'll show you some Twitter love. In the meantime, here's some #PandemicBandNames for inspiration. Pandemic at the disco panic at the Casco See you can take the same one you can mash it up and make different versions of #PandemicBandNames. Don't kiss me too petty and the Rule Breakers. Zinc Floyd, rage against the mask. Bruce Springsteen and the P P E Street Band, the bleach boys all amazing #PandemicBandNames and SMR the Coronas brothers, my pandemic all romance and our final #PandemicBandNames tweet. Flu fighters. Oh, all right. Hello, hilarious. All right. Well, all these are retweeted that Jeff Dwoskin show show him some Twitter love. I'm sure they'll appreciate that.

Jeff Dwoskin 42:24

Got your own tweet your own well, with the hashtag over and the interview over it can only mean one thing. Ah episode 167 has come to an end. I want to thank my special guests, Debbie Wileman. And of course, I want to thank all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 42:47

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai