Meet Deby Kelley

We were lucky to catch up with Deby Kelley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Deby, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

my confidence was instilled in me by my mother. She taught me at a young age that as long as I set my mind to do something I could achieve success.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Deby Kelley and I am a singer songwriter, singing is my passion. When I was 17yrs old I found out that I was related to Ms. Patsy Cline, I already was enjoying what I was doing as a singer but really focused on Country music. I didn’t really start getting serious about promoting myself in the music business until 2007 after my family was raised. My husband and I went on the road to promote my first CD (OPEN ROAD) that I was blessed to be able record in Nashville under the record label AMI Records. I toured for several years until I had a family medical Emergency. For 12 yrs I had to put my singing career on hold. I now am back doing what I love to do which is singing. I have been blessed enough to be able to record several albums and several singles. Through the years I have been nominated and have Won several singing awards. Last year I was asked to perform in the Netherlands at the Red Carpet awards show, I was so thrilled. There is where I sang one of my most recent gospel songs called GOD STAYS THE SAME. To be asked to perform on an international level just blows my mind. A few months after the video on youtube was shown I received a message from Roy August, a multi platinum song writer well known for the song FANCY FREE that the OAK RIDGE BOYS made famous. Roy had told me that he had been watching me for several years and when he saw that video was when he knew this was the time for me and since then he has been writing songs for me to record. Sometimes I sit in my office and think why me when there is so many others out there that are the top in the business. Roy tells me I have paid my dues through the years and hard work does pay off…I am at the point in my life that I try to enjoy every moment that is given to me and I make each moment as happy as possible. If I can spread joy through my singing and my performances just to watch people smile and have fun is what makes me feel my most happiest.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think the up bringing that I had from my mother is the reflection that I express in my singing.

1) be strong and truthful
2) be respectful to all
3) remember we are all equal

I am the type of person I help other Artist out there that is just starting out in the business to make sure the stay well rounded and keep their feet on the ground….NO ONE IS BETTER THEN ANYONE ELSE

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

When I was young my mother had put me in beauty pageants and went to Los Angeles and signed me up with an agent. That gave me the opportunity to experience being in movies , commercials as well as the beauty pageants. This experience gave me the knowledge to be able to take winning or losing and make it a positive thing. Never was I upset if I ever did not win and has helped me in my singing career as I would compete in singing competition. A lot of times I would win and sometimes I would not. Being in beauty pageants taught me to be a competitive person. Now as far as the movies and commercials I was in AWE of learning how behind the scenes of a movie set works. I was cast in several movies… BAD NEWS BEARS /MOMMY DEAREST / GHOST OF BUXLEY HALL / COME BACK KID and the biggest movie I was in was THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN. It was so intriguing to me to see all the people it took to just do one scene. I was on set for two weeks. The people you meet, all the props, all the crew it was like me being at Disneyland. At age 12, a childs mind can be either taught the RIGHT way of life or can take a turn for the worse. I on the other were taught from my parent , CONSIDERATION, COMPATION and most of all RESPECT some of things kids now day do not have. My parents gave me the opportunity to be able to experience life that a normal child would most likely not be able to enjoy. So I would say the impact that my parents gave to me was to be an up standing citizen be kind and most of all RESPECT everyone.

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