June 11, 2025 • 41 mins
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BioPamela Edwards McClafferty didn’t grow up hearing war stories. Her father, a WWII veteran,
lived in silence with his memories. She noticed that her father-in-law, the quiet sailor, also
endured as did many other veterans she met. The silence of these men and women is the spirit
behind the haunting ballad, “SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT.”
Released just before Memorial Day, this is a song giving voice to what generations of veterans
couldn’t say out loud. It is a tribute “to my father,” Pamela says, “and all who now defend and
did defend and protect our country.”
While working on the musical Artland, with Stanley Clarke, the lyrics of this song lingered as she
kept thinking about soldiers returning from war. Who did they talk to? How did they feel? How
lonely they must have been. This was long before therapy apps or terms like PTSD.
“SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT” is a slow burn. Singer Lain Roy, whose family has a military
background, carries the track with a voice that blends soulful grit (reminiscent of John Legend)
with deep feeling and memory. As the song reaches its climax, Roy soars into a sustained high
note as the music drops out. It’s pure emotion:
In peace, we soldiers live like other men
Yet a hint, a sound, fans memory’s embers again.
“I hope that SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT helps veterans heal from such traumatic experiences of
war, helps to raise awareness of the soldier’s true stories, and shows the impact war has on our
military members.”
Also performing on the track is Tzuriel Tong, whose piano and cello work weave around Roy’s
voice with sparse elegance. Tong plays piano and cello and mixed and mastered the track.
Michael Parnell was the arranger.
The song’s co-producer, Pamela’s partner, Mark McClafferty, feels the weight of the song, too.
His father served on the USS Laffey in WWII — known as “the ship that would not die.” His
father never spoke about the war until he read the lyrics of this song. “My Dad got emotional. It’s
the first time I had ever seen him cry,” Mark said.
“SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT” has that kind of power. It opens doors slammed shut by society.
Not for explanation, but for recognition. For remembrance. For release.
“Above all, this song is a gift to all veterans, to their families and all people who wonder what
happens to the men and women after their uniforms come off,” Pamela says, “because even
decades later, for many veterans, the war never ends:
We fight to the death, we fight to live
That’s our Hell, for others to live
That’s what we give
With “Soldiers Not Forgot,” McClafferty has carved out a space for silence to speak. And for all
of us, the recipients of the sacrifice of veterans, to finally hear it.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.
Youtube
Spellboundpic Twitter
BioPamela Edwards McClafferty didn’t grow up hearing war stories. Her father, a WWII veteran,
lived in silence with his memories. She noticed that her father-in-law, the quiet sailor, also
endured as did many other veterans she met. The silence of these men and women is the spirit
behind the haunting ballad, “SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT.”
Released just before Memorial Day, this is a song giving voice to what generations of veterans
couldn’t say out loud. It is a tribute “to my father,” Pamela says, “and all who now defend and
did defend and protect our country.”
While working on the musical Artland, with Stanley Clarke, the lyrics of this song lingered as she
kept thinking about soldiers returning from war. Who did they talk to? How did they feel? How
lonely they must have been. This was long before therapy apps or terms like PTSD.
“SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT” is a slow burn. Singer Lain Roy, whose family has a military
background, carries the track with a voice that blends soulful grit (reminiscent of John Legend)
with deep feeling and memory. As the song reaches its climax, Roy soars into a sustained high
note as the music drops out. It’s pure emotion:
In peace, we soldiers live like other men
Yet a hint, a sound, fans memory’s embers again.
“I hope that SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT helps veterans heal from such traumatic experiences of
war, helps to raise awareness of the soldier’s true stories, and shows the impact war has on our
military members.”
Also performing on the track is Tzuriel Tong, whose piano and cello work weave around Roy’s
voice with sparse elegance. Tong plays piano and cello and mixed and mastered the track.
Michael Parnell was the arranger.
The song’s co-producer, Pamela’s partner, Mark McClafferty, feels the weight of the song, too.
His father served on the USS Laffey in WWII — known as “the ship that would not die.” His
father never spoke about the war until he read the lyrics of this song. “My Dad got emotional. It’s
the first time I had ever seen him cry,” Mark said.
“SOLDIERS NOT FORGOT” has that kind of power. It opens doors slammed shut by society.
Not for explanation, but for recognition. For remembrance. For release.
“Above all, this song is a gift to all veterans, to their families and all people who wonder what
happens to the men and women after their uniforms come off,” Pamela says, “because even
decades later, for many veterans, the war never ends:
We fight to the death, we fight to live
That’s our Hell, for others to live
That’s what we give
With “Soldiers Not Forgot,” McClafferty has carved out a space for silence to speak. And for all
of us, the recipients of the sacrifice of veterans, to finally hear it.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
If you love entertainment, current events, and Hollywood, don't miss
Creator to Creators. Hosted by the filmmaker Mio Shabine, known
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film Anatomy of an Anti Hero Redemption. This show features
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(00:25):
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Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hi, guys, welcome to another episode of Creators to Creators. Today.
Today we have a special.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Guest, Pamela Edwards mcclaffory.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Beautiful, Thank you, thank you for coming on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Absolutely. You know, I love going back to the beginning.
I always say the beginning charts our trajectory in life,
everything that we do, our little habits that we have
when we're you know, kind of where kids kind of
follow us into our adulthood. Tell me a little bit
about your childhood. What was what was that like and
(01:10):
have you always been kind of into music and where
did that? When did that begin?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I it began early because my parents were sort of
they were interested and curious about the world, world travelers
into music history. They were scholars and attorneys and uh
you know, art art lovers, and they they were very,
(01:43):
very interested in we children learning as much about life
and being as curious about life as possible. So I
began singing at eleven. I didn't realize that I had
a gift for that, but that's I was told I did.
And I ended up becoming friends with Alfred Newman, who
(02:07):
was a composer, and various people who were trying to
guard me and make sure that I learned my craft correctly.
And I ended up with the Civic Light Opera scholarships,
and I toured Europe and in a youth corral, went
behind the Iron Curtain, which influenced my whole life and
(02:27):
ended up through those experiences similar to what you're doing now.
I think you're just wonderful with your curiosity and the
way you are exploring so many creative avenues. Yeah, really nice.
By going behind the Iron Curtain and going to New
York for the first time when I was a teenager,
(02:49):
it ended up influencing my life as to what I'm
actually my first novel had something to do with that,
and now a musical that I'm doing has everything to
do with being behind the Iron curtain and seeing how
that worked and what's going on in the world today.
It's all very interesting how the world can, the curiosity
(03:12):
and the exploration of the world and its people can
create such an uh creative process in one if they
so desired.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
That's I love that. I love that curiosity. I find
if you have that, it's you know, I find that.
I've always been very curious little kid, and you know it,
it hasn't stopped. I'm still very curious. I just think it,
you know, kind of you know, how we all all
(03:43):
connected in a way. I find it very interesting. Tell
me a little bit about your your amazing song Soldiers
Not Forgotten. I honestly played it and was just blown away.
Was just so beautiful. And my dad is also a
(04:04):
veteran as well. My brother is in the Air Force
at the very moment right now, so very much like, Oh,
I love this, it's so beautiful. What inspired this song.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Well, several things. Certainly, my father and my husband's father
were World War Two veterans and saw a lot of
theater there war and fought that that had a lot
to do with it. And he has passed away in
the last few years and that I wrote this song
(04:42):
for him lyrics wise, several years ago. And then I
saw that there were there were things going on with
soldiers veterans. They seemed a bit upset about the way
things were being handled recently, and I thought I wasn't
going to put this out until Veteran's Day. And then
(05:03):
I decided I'm going to do it now and not
only do it for Memorial Day. Release it. But it's
really a song that is it doesn't have a time
because it's about the men and women who have served
and what they go through and maybe what people don't
(05:25):
think about, how are they? How are our soldiers, our
sailors are when they take their uniforms off and maybecause civilians,
what happens? Do their memories subside? No, Oh what happens
to them? And do people think about how extraordinary and
(05:50):
what courage some need to have after going through all
they have gone through. It's so it it became something
important to me to do right now because I just
I'm very interested in people. I in my heart, I
(06:16):
just want people to have a deep respect for people
coming back from war and people having gone through all
they've gone through. Oh yes, it's important.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
You know, absolutely, And I love what you said, is
it is timeless. It's one of those songs that you know,
it could play forever and anytime because it's it's that important.
I mean, the the brave soldiers and the brave people
that go out and you know, fight for our country,
fight for our freedom. Is you know, it's it's such
(06:50):
a noble and amazing thing. Honestly, it is.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It is. And I will say that there are a
lot lot of soldiers in our country who are you know,
who do who are not recognized? Yes, and there are
a lot of homeless soldiers right now, which is really distressing,
really sad. Yeah, there's a lot to.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do, yes, yes, And I love that you're using your
gift two you know, be a part of, you know,
move the movement forward, because I think that we're all
we all have gifts and talents and you know, you know,
whether it's telling a story or blessing someone with your
beautiful voice, it all matters at the end of the day,
(07:45):
you know. But yeah, you're right there, there's there's so
much work to be done.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
And and and that on that topic of just veterans
and soldiers that are not being taken care of after
they leave and go back to life outside of the military.
It's it's I've seen a few people and it has
definitely brought me to want to talk to more soldiers
and to do a documentary about it, because it's it's
(08:12):
a very alarming problem, honestly, and hopefully it does change
over time.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
That's a great idea to do a documentary on it.
I think that's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, thank you. Was there any particular story or emotion
from your father that stayed with you while writing this?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
These lyrics be most The most profound h statement was
his silence.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Mm.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
He didn't talk about it.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
So that led me to, Uh, you know, you can
look at photos of battlefields, you can look at the
soldier eyes, you can look at you can read, you
can start putting yourself into their bodies almost and think
(09:12):
about what it's like to come back when when you
have been and I know you've experienced this too, you
come back home having been somewhere else and you might
have gone through a very stressful time or a very
unusual time, and you come back to home and you
(09:33):
think you're safe there and then something happens. There's a sound,
there's a smell, there's something that triggers memories in your
mind about what's happened before and all of those different
thoughts and patterns and ways that people react. You know,
I could only I could only imagine. I've never gone
(09:57):
through that particular type of sit you waghs in life
and death, you know, is so astounding and has such
courage and bravery to it that you know, it's your imagination.
It was my imagination and what my dad was like
and what my husband's dad was like. They were you know,
(10:19):
they were from the great generation and they were they
were an incredible to human beings, believe.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Me, absolutely, And I'm so grateful for your service.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, and your your family as well. My God, thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, it's it's it's a beautiful it's a beautiful thing
to lay down your life for someone else. It's very
you know, it's like a lot of people couldn't do it. It's
very much like, you know, do you really have to
have a heart for you know, a big heart for
for the for the world. How did it feel to
(11:01):
see Mark's father cry after reading your lyrics for the
first time?
Speaker 3 (11:06):
It made me cry because I didn't know I. I
tried my very best to express what they were not,
and I didn't know whether how they would respond. And
both of them, my father as well were they had
(11:32):
real emotions because of it. And I I also, I
want to share something with you that Eisenhower said. You know,
there are five five star generals that are only in
our services. And the one thing he said is which
(11:56):
really got me. He said, because no man is really
a man who has lost out of himself, all of
the boy. I want to speak first of the dreams
of the barefoot boy, meaning himself. He realized that that
have been at war. At war, you lose the inspiration,
(12:20):
the imagination, the wonder of life itself. The boy leaves you.
And he wanted his soldiers coming home to have that
reborn in them again as well. He didn't want them
to lose that because they had been at war. And
I would say Schwarzkopf, Eisenhower and Bradley, these well five
(12:47):
star not Schwartzkoff, but Eisenhower and Bradley especially were quite
extraordinary in wanting their soldiers to come back and help
them be healed, you know when. And they knew the
toll to a con man.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you know, it's it's it's
it's it's interesting because I I love talking to my
father you know now about just things that he saw
in in you know, when he was in the army
and you know, he it was so different back then.
(13:27):
But you know, it kind of scares me now with
everything that's going on in the world, like what's gonna
happen next? You know, what's you know, But we can
only pray and and pray for the people that are,
you know, fighting for us.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
That's right, Yeah, they certainly are there. There's the Ukrainians
that I will say right out. We are total supporters
of the Ukrainians and and and we think they're such
brave and wonderful people and they are fighting for us.
They are definitely fighting.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
For us, absolutely absolutely. I love I love the collaboration
on this song. I mean the how did the collaboration
with Stanley Clark during during influence the creation of this ballad?
Because I was just like, Wow, whose voice is that, dude?
It's like it was just so beautifully meshed and wow,
(14:34):
just gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, I'll tell you what it was. The Stanley and
I have written a musical called Artland, and in art
Land there are there is a battle which I can't
get into too much because it is not in the
marketplace right right right, I'm not going to be blurting
(14:58):
the whole thing out right, But it was it was
for my father that I thought about it, and for
my husband's father this. You know, you end up drawing
on your experiences and they end up setting forth a
certain vehicle for you to create at times, and the
(15:21):
they were instrumental in these words starting to come out,
these lyrics. And Stanley Uh is such a wonderful collaborator,
and he he inspired me even to create music, you know,
which I hadn't really thought about. But I had had
(15:43):
a background in for several years before I started uh
writing books and and designing clothes and becoming a producer,
you know, all those different But he was instrumental in
asking me, hey, would how would you feel this should go?
(16:03):
And this and this and this. So he would be
on the road and I would come up with a
few things, and he would obviously do a much better
job than I. But I did a couple of songs,
you know, and h this was one of them, and
it it. I did one other song was called Reflections
(16:26):
last year, which had to do with children and looking
into the eyes of children. And I only used a
piano and strings and a cello.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
And this song was absolutely the same. Lane Roy, who
was one of the singers on the voice it has
this incredible voice. He had the same feel as in Reflections,
(16:58):
and I loved the idea that this be very very
simple and had the same piano and it was actually
a cello and that was it.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
And soldiers not forgot because what I thought was the
soldiers deserved the respect of the word rather than a
lot of accompaniment. It had to be their song. So
that's how it came about. And Laine, who has a
(17:32):
few relatives in the military as well, was deeply affected
by the song and it shows in his rendition of
the song. In him singing it, he did a beautiful job.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Oh yeah, just be beautiful, like excellent, excellent, beautiful work. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
And Turzelle Tom was the pianist and the and the cellist,
and he did a gorgeous job too, Yes, beautiful job
so good.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Like I just find it like when when working with
really talent and creative people. I mean, it's it's just
such a masterpiece of work. I was like, Wow, I
was just honestly, I was so moved. I got a
little emotional listening to it. I was like, ah, this
is this is beautiful. Just think, absolutely absolutely, how do
(18:31):
you hope this song will help, you know, open the
conversation around the PTSD and mental health and veterans.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I'm I don't know. I only know that it's such
a personal question to people who were listening to it
rather than to me. You know. I not say I
would be presumptuous to say that I would know or
(19:02):
would wish it did whatever, because I am a vehicle
to put it out only, and people have to respond.
That's the way I truly feel about it, because I
have a deep respect for everyone who is going through
that particular process right now, and any other process that
(19:23):
has memories that sort of captivate and and maybe keep
them from from their dreams and things they need to
do in life. So I can only say I put
out a rendition that I hope or an interpretation that
I hope will speak to you.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah you did, you did in spades?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Oh good, that's absolutely well, you've done that too. I
will say that I've only begun looking at some of
your work.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You know, thank you, thank you. Were there any veterans
you spoke to, like while, you know, directly while crafting
this song.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Okay, so I know, I I have friends, family, friends
for years, Navy, Seals, Air Force, Navy, all of that,
and but no, I've just thought about them as I
(20:33):
was writing it. I didn't want I didn't want to infringe.
I just wanted to put an interpretation or an expression
of how I felt about them.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Okay, yeah, absolutely, yeah. I I I was talking to
my father about that about just you know, he's my
dad was saying, like, you know, it's it's really unfortunate.
You know a lot of people who are in the
army that who who get out and go back to
(21:06):
you know, just normal every day to day life. It's
it's really hard to kind of get acclimated back into it,
and you know, and then you're you're just hoping for
the support and you know, for people that who do
have PTSD, Like I have a few friends that that
are out and about and that are doing kind of
coping with it now. But it's it's really sad to
(21:29):
hear some of the stories of like there's no support
and I'm just like, oh my gosh, like there has
to be something has to be done to make sure
these soldiers are taken care of. So I do hope
this song, and not only this, but maybe through this conversation,
that it just opens up more conversations too. You know
that's beautiful for help.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Well, I will say that I would be honored if
if it did and it helped anyone, uh that listened
to it, I would be honored, you know absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I have a fun question and I love asking this
question to every guest, and there is no wrong answer,
I promise. Okay, the three levels of influence, money, power,
and respect, And if you can choose only one of
those things, which one would you choose? And why?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
That's an interesting question. It's certainly not the money, and
it's not the power, and it's you know, I I
like myself. I don't need people's respect.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I feel exactly the same good.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Good I mean. I tell you, you know, when you go,
when you go through life and love, you know there
are going to be people who are going to give
you a hard time no matter what, especially if you
are focused and and you really love what you do
and your purpose, because you know Basically, if you had
put purpose in there, I would have said, I love
(23:09):
that because the purpose of what I'm doing, in the
expression of it is all important to me. The process
of the creative process is the most important thing to
me in the world than any other.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I love that answer. So purpose, okay.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Is actually the process? Say the purpose of the process.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Would you say you live in your purpose?
Speaker 3 (23:37):
I live in I live in my process. I live
in it. Yes, I have to live there, otherwise I'd
go crazy. It's very important to be there and to
and part of that process has to do as you
and I both I think are sabbatical on is the curiosity.
(23:58):
All of the the world is open to you when
you go through, and the process of your creating is
all inspiring on everything you see and everything you experienced.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I love I love that. I love how you said that.
I'm like, yes, it is. Do you do you have
any like artists that you know? Say, for instance, in
a perfect world, if if you could collaborate with any
artist living or dead, who would it be? And why?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
That's interesting because I love Tupac Really yeah, nice, I
do there. I'm not sure that I can answer that question. Uh,
I'm not sure, I can. I'm not sure who it
would be. I like. I like artists of words. That
(25:02):
is my big, my big thing. I think I love words,
and I love the way they that they. I love
the eminem the way he instructed his I call it poetry, lyric,
whatever you want to call it. I like meaningful lyric
(25:25):
that is not only meaningful lyric, but that their parents
off with a beautiful melody sometimes and and youtwo does
that you really listen to the lyric? Many times the
music seems joyful or beautiful or whatever, and it is
(25:46):
a very sad lyric that comes with it. Yes, it's
also very interesting, you know so, But I don't. I
I'm not sure who that would be. I'm not sure
who I would be around. I guess I'm sort of
a loner.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I mean, hey, great answer. I love that. Did you
create did you create any visual elements to this song yet?
Did you like a music video or are you thinking
about making?
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Yes? I think that would be very important. I do,
And I also am interested in doing this song and
Shades of Black and White, which is another song that
my partner Mark and I my husband reproduced sheades A
black and White is also another one. I think I
(26:37):
think they're important songs. Uh in that, well, they're from
my heart, I will say that.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Mmm mm hmmm.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Absolutely, yes, Well you could talk to me about it
if you want. I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Absolutely. I mean, hey, I love I think. I think
visuals are just you know, it's it's interesting. I used
to do a lot of music videos before I got
into film. So when I first moved to Los Angeles,
I started working for this company doing a lot of
you know, music videos, and that was a fun world.
But I just feel like music videos at the time
(27:18):
was just kind of lacking the creativity because I love
like kind of just doing things that are off the
beaten path versus you know, I totally yeah, I believe.
And then it just brought me to wanted to get
more into narrative and films worlds because I feel like
(27:42):
films are I don't know, visuals like you can incorporate.
I like to just kind of tell a story, and
I feel like this song could just ooh visually, oh
my gosh. Yeah, but thank you absolutely absolutely. Why do
you think and this is just you know, just out
(28:04):
of curiosity, do you feel like because because I think
a lot of people choose silence, which is I think,
and that's a I think it's a universal kind of
thing I've noticed, you know, if we can even take
it back to the entertainment world as a whole, like
I feel like a lot of you know, with a
lot of the Me Too movement, the women that were
(28:26):
quiet for so many years, when a lot of people
in the industry knew that this very problem was happening
and still is happening, but they chose silence. Why do
you think a lot of people choose silence versus coming
out and talking about things.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
It's a good question, and there are probably multiple answers
for every single person. Yeah, and I would hate to
kitchenhole somebody. I will say that there has to be
something in one's heart that won't nag them and in
(29:04):
their brain it's a thought and heart, mind and heart,
and so that ultimately touches them in such a way
that they have no choice.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
I see, I think, yeah, yeah, I just I just wonder,
you know, sometimes, like I see all these movements happening,
especially in the entertainment world, and people, you know, the
actors strike when that was happening Oh my gosh, that
was felt like it was forever and I was like,
I mean a lot of actors knew that this problem existed,
(29:37):
and it was just like, well, why now versus when
there's other actors who came before us who also have
that issue. And I just feel like, I guess too,
maybe it could be silence of like people take silent
because of like job positions, maybe not being able to
get hired. And I mean, I've I've had a situation
(30:00):
that kind of was like a casting couch situation when
I first started in the industry, when I was acting
at the time, and then you know, I was startled
because I was like surprised that this you know, you
hear about these things, but when it happens to you,
it's like, oh, wow, this really actually is real. So
(30:24):
I didn't know what to do with the time because
I felt like I was so green and I felt
like who would believe me? So then of course then
there's a lot of women who and not just women
but men as well that also kind of get kind
of you kind of shrink, and that's I think that's
(30:45):
a part of the as silence. And I feel like
that's too with even soldiers. I feel like a lot
of them, you know. It's like you want to honor
your country, but then there are just certain people in
certain positions of power that abuse it. And I don't know.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
As an artist, I do know, and I could say
to you the process of incorporating it into your art
and exposing it is not a bad one, yeah, and
one that I think a lot of artists do if
they are unclear as to what other mechanisms do you use?
(31:26):
That is important and whether it's other things like things
that are happening in our society today, incidents and I
don't even know what you want to call all the
disruption we're going through right now. But there are interpretations
(31:50):
of it. There are ways in which to express yourself,
and there are like minded people amongst us can who
can help give somebody so desires. There there is, You
just have to explore a bit and you can find it.
I'm sure, absolutely right, very.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Important, absolutely important.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Yeah, are you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Planning on performing this song or have you done it
yet at any like veterans events or concerts?
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Lane will be doing that not I but yes, absolutely nice. Yeah,
he would, I know he would be delighted. He is
on a tour right now in Europe, but he will
be back and we would I would love to have
him do whatever he wants to do. Believe me, I
think he's just wonderful. So yes, absolutely, I love that.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I love that. Well, looking back, what have you learned
personally from creating Soldier not Forgotten?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I think it's I think that looking inward and realizing
that there are so many people on this earth. You
walk through a city and you have no idea what
(33:21):
everyone else is going through, and the idea that maybe
one of those people that is hurting you might be
able to communicate with through your art. If that's possible,
then you have done your job. You have gone through
(33:42):
the process and help. But you don't necessarily know because
you're on the street and you don't know all these
people that are in your community. You just don't, but
you hope. So I would say that just exploring that
one one concept also takes you into other areas of discrimination,
(34:06):
of inequities, of exclusion, different things that happen to one
and you hope that you can continue to interpret some
form of art that might be of assistance in these areas.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I love that. I love that you know there's a
lot of people listening to this show and they love
me asking this question to each guests and then I
love I love hearing it. What what advice would you
give you know, someone out there that wants to get
(34:48):
or user talent and create and get into this entertainment world.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Don't quit, be curious, and if one interpretation of your
art doesn't work, it doesn't mean another won't. It just
means you have to keep you have to keep trying,
and you have to keep communicating, and you have to
(35:15):
keep open and believe it or not. We could go
through a zillion examples of all the way back to
Casablanca that has thirty rejections, or you know, you could
go to all of the different people in ours, in
our world that have gone through hell. Churchill had a
(35:41):
great phrase, he said, when you're going through hell, keep going.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yes that love that.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Yeah. So it's important, it's important to if you have
to believe in what you're doing, you have to believe
in it. And I truly believe that someone will listen
and someone will see you, and it might take time,
(36:09):
but don't give up. Don't give up.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Love that, don't give up. That's that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
What do you.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
What do you outside of music? What inspires you your
art the most, films, books, people, life experiences, all of it.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Yeah, well, there's definitely my husband who does Our love
is quite extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yeah, that's that's really important. And we are very sympatical
on a lot of things, just on life in general, definitely,
And I should say life and people and curiosity and
never never turning your back on what might not be
(36:58):
becoming or something that you might not want to see,
look at yourself, look at the world, and go through
the process of creating about it.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
I just imagine you seem so positive and resilient. Has
there ever been, you know, many big challenges in the
music industry that you've ever faced and how did you
overcome it?
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Oh? Well, first of all, I've been in a lot
of industries, right, whether it was music, you know, as
an author, as a producer, as a fashion designer. But
I should say that what I think is the most well,
(37:48):
let's put it this way. Malcolm X said stumbling is
not falling, Yes, yeah, And Michael Jordan said, I've lost
almost three hundred games twenty six times. I've been entrusted
to take the game winning shot and missed. I failed
over and over again in my life, and that is
why I succeed. Okay yea. And my favorite of my
(38:15):
dad and mine was Nailson Mandeli. He said, it always
seems impossible until it's done. Yeah, yeah, so you see,
it's the process.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
It's the process. That's beautiful. We're always in the process.
That's what life is about, right, We're always in process.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
The journey is never over until it's over.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
That's right. That's absolutely correct.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
That's beautiful. That's beautiful. Where can people find you on
social media to follow everything you got going on?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Oh? Everywhere you're on TikTok No, I'm just kidding it.
I actually am. And they caved in, much to probably
the chagrin of some people. But I am there and
I have we just basically we have a best selling
(39:13):
novel too. It's called Blue, written by an author, Walter Jones,
who recently passed away. He is an African American author
fantastic book about the Freedom Code, which has to do
with not letting people take away your history. I'm familiar
(39:36):
the same thing holds true for but anyway, TikTok under
Pamela Edwards mcclafferty and Spellbound Pictures on Instagram, on Twitter, X,
on Facebook, on Tumblr, on WordPress, and my husband Mark
mcclafferty as well. Pamela Edwards, McLafferty and Mark McLafferty. We're
(40:01):
on the internet.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Gosh, it was lovely talking to you.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Oh it's great talking to you, and I just I
wish you all of the luck and all of your endeavors.
You are just doing a great job.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
Oh really, thank you. I needed to hear that. Sometimes
it's it just feels like, you know, I feel like
the Michael Jordan Games. Sometimes I'm like, oh God, thank you.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Then you hey once once, Then you when you have
that that ultimate process that leads to a finished product,
then you can look back and you can write about
that whole process. Absolutely yeah, and be very proud of yourself.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
I might have Thank you, Thank you, thank you so
much for and blessing our show was it was a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
It was a thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Thank you so much, absolutely, and thank you all for
listening and always remember to live, love, laugh. We see
you guys next time. Goodbye.
If you love entertainment, current events, and Hollywood, don't miss
Creator to Creators. Hosted by the filmmaker Mio Shabine, known
for the shutter Hit documentary or Noir and the acclaimed
film Anatomy of an Anti Hero Redemption. This show features
interviews with filmmakers and creatives from around the globe. Join
(00:25):
the fun with guest celebrities and gain valuable insights. Subscribe
now and follow Creator to Creators.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hi, guys, welcome to another episode of Creators to Creators. Today.
Today we have a special.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Guest, Pamela Edwards mcclaffory.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Beautiful, Thank you, thank you for coming on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Absolutely. You know, I love going back to the beginning.
I always say the beginning charts our trajectory in life,
everything that we do, our little habits that we have
when we're you know, kind of where kids kind of
follow us into our adulthood. Tell me a little bit
about your childhood. What was what was that like and
(01:10):
have you always been kind of into music and where
did that? When did that begin?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I it began early because my parents were sort of
they were interested and curious about the world, world travelers
into music history. They were scholars and attorneys and uh
you know, art art lovers, and they they were very,
(01:43):
very interested in we children learning as much about life
and being as curious about life as possible. So I
began singing at eleven. I didn't realize that I had
a gift for that, but that's I was told I did.
And I ended up becoming friends with Alfred Newman, who
(02:07):
was a composer, and various people who were trying to
guard me and make sure that I learned my craft correctly.
And I ended up with the Civic Light Opera scholarships,
and I toured Europe and in a youth corral, went
behind the Iron Curtain, which influenced my whole life and
(02:27):
ended up through those experiences similar to what you're doing now.
I think you're just wonderful with your curiosity and the
way you are exploring so many creative avenues. Yeah, really nice.
By going behind the Iron Curtain and going to New
York for the first time when I was a teenager,
(02:49):
it ended up influencing my life as to what I'm
actually my first novel had something to do with that,
and now a musical that I'm doing has everything to
do with being behind the Iron curtain and seeing how
that worked and what's going on in the world today.
It's all very interesting how the world can, the curiosity
(03:12):
and the exploration of the world and its people can
create such an uh creative process in one if they
so desired.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
That's I love that. I love that curiosity. I find
if you have that, it's you know, I find that.
I've always been very curious little kid, and you know it,
it hasn't stopped. I'm still very curious. I just think it,
you know, kind of you know, how we all all
(03:43):
connected in a way. I find it very interesting. Tell
me a little bit about your your amazing song Soldiers
Not Forgotten. I honestly played it and was just blown away.
Was just so beautiful. And my dad is also a
(04:04):
veteran as well. My brother is in the Air Force
at the very moment right now, so very much like, Oh,
I love this, it's so beautiful. What inspired this song.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Well, several things. Certainly, my father and my husband's father
were World War Two veterans and saw a lot of
theater there war and fought that that had a lot
to do with it. And he has passed away in
the last few years and that I wrote this song
(04:42):
for him lyrics wise, several years ago. And then I
saw that there were there were things going on with
soldiers veterans. They seemed a bit upset about the way
things were being handled recently, and I thought I wasn't
going to put this out until Veteran's Day. And then
(05:03):
I decided I'm going to do it now and not
only do it for Memorial Day. Release it. But it's
really a song that is it doesn't have a time
because it's about the men and women who have served
and what they go through and maybe what people don't
(05:25):
think about, how are they? How are our soldiers, our
sailors are when they take their uniforms off and maybecause civilians,
what happens? Do their memories subside? No, Oh what happens
to them? And do people think about how extraordinary and
(05:50):
what courage some need to have after going through all
they have gone through. It's so it it became something
important to me to do right now because I just
I'm very interested in people. I in my heart, I
(06:16):
just want people to have a deep respect for people
coming back from war and people having gone through all
they've gone through. Oh yes, it's important.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
You know, absolutely, And I love what you said, is
it is timeless. It's one of those songs that you know,
it could play forever and anytime because it's it's that important.
I mean, the the brave soldiers and the brave people
that go out and you know, fight for our country,
fight for our freedom. Is you know, it's it's such
(06:50):
a noble and amazing thing. Honestly, it is.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It is. And I will say that there are a
lot lot of soldiers in our country who are you know,
who do who are not recognized? Yes, and there are
a lot of homeless soldiers right now, which is really distressing,
really sad. Yeah, there's a lot to.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do, yes, yes, And I love that you're using your
gift two you know, be a part of, you know,
move the movement forward, because I think that we're all
we all have gifts and talents and you know, you know,
whether it's telling a story or blessing someone with your
beautiful voice, it all matters at the end of the day,
(07:45):
you know. But yeah, you're right there, there's there's so
much work to be done.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
And and and that on that topic of just veterans
and soldiers that are not being taken care of after
they leave and go back to life outside of the military.
It's it's I've seen a few people and it has
definitely brought me to want to talk to more soldiers
and to do a documentary about it, because it's it's
(08:12):
a very alarming problem, honestly, and hopefully it does change
over time.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
That's a great idea to do a documentary on it.
I think that's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, thank you. Was there any particular story or emotion
from your father that stayed with you while writing this?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
These lyrics be most The most profound h statement was
his silence.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Mm.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
He didn't talk about it.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
So that led me to, Uh, you know, you can
look at photos of battlefields, you can look at the
soldier eyes, you can look at you can read, you
can start putting yourself into their bodies almost and think
(09:12):
about what it's like to come back when when you
have been and I know you've experienced this too, you
come back home having been somewhere else and you might
have gone through a very stressful time or a very
unusual time, and you come back to home and you
(09:33):
think you're safe there and then something happens. There's a sound,
there's a smell, there's something that triggers memories in your
mind about what's happened before and all of those different
thoughts and patterns and ways that people react. You know,
I could only I could only imagine. I've never gone
(09:57):
through that particular type of sit you waghs in life
and death, you know, is so astounding and has such
courage and bravery to it that you know, it's your imagination.
It was my imagination and what my dad was like
and what my husband's dad was like. They were you know,
(10:19):
they were from the great generation and they were they
were an incredible to human beings, believe.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Me, absolutely, And I'm so grateful for your service.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, and your your family as well. My God, thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, it's it's it's a beautiful it's a beautiful thing
to lay down your life for someone else. It's very
you know, it's like a lot of people couldn't do it. It's
very much like, you know, do you really have to
have a heart for you know, a big heart for
for the for the world. How did it feel to
(11:01):
see Mark's father cry after reading your lyrics for the
first time?
Speaker 3 (11:06):
It made me cry because I didn't know I. I
tried my very best to express what they were not,
and I didn't know whether how they would respond. And
both of them, my father as well were they had
(11:32):
real emotions because of it. And I I also, I
want to share something with you that Eisenhower said. You know,
there are five five star generals that are only in
our services. And the one thing he said is which
(11:56):
really got me. He said, because no man is really
a man who has lost out of himself, all of
the boy. I want to speak first of the dreams
of the barefoot boy, meaning himself. He realized that that
have been at war. At war, you lose the inspiration,
(12:20):
the imagination, the wonder of life itself. The boy leaves you.
And he wanted his soldiers coming home to have that
reborn in them again as well. He didn't want them
to lose that because they had been at war. And
I would say Schwarzkopf, Eisenhower and Bradley, these well five
(12:47):
star not Schwartzkoff, but Eisenhower and Bradley especially were quite
extraordinary in wanting their soldiers to come back and help
them be healed, you know when. And they knew the
toll to a con man.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you know, it's it's it's
it's it's interesting because I I love talking to my
father you know now about just things that he saw
in in you know, when he was in the army
and you know, he it was so different back then.
(13:27):
But you know, it kind of scares me now with
everything that's going on in the world, like what's gonna
happen next? You know, what's you know, But we can
only pray and and pray for the people that are,
you know, fighting for us.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
That's right, Yeah, they certainly are there. There's the Ukrainians
that I will say right out. We are total supporters
of the Ukrainians and and and we think they're such
brave and wonderful people and they are fighting for us.
They are definitely fighting.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
For us, absolutely absolutely. I love I love the collaboration
on this song. I mean the how did the collaboration
with Stanley Clark during during influence the creation of this ballad?
Because I was just like, Wow, whose voice is that, dude?
It's like it was just so beautifully meshed and wow,
(14:34):
just gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, I'll tell you what it was. The Stanley and
I have written a musical called Artland, and in art
Land there are there is a battle which I can't
get into too much because it is not in the
marketplace right right right, I'm not going to be blurting
(14:58):
the whole thing out right, But it was it was
for my father that I thought about it, and for
my husband's father this. You know, you end up drawing
on your experiences and they end up setting forth a
certain vehicle for you to create at times, and the
(15:21):
they were instrumental in these words starting to come out,
these lyrics. And Stanley Uh is such a wonderful collaborator,
and he he inspired me even to create music, you know,
which I hadn't really thought about. But I had had
(15:43):
a background in for several years before I started uh
writing books and and designing clothes and becoming a producer,
you know, all those different But he was instrumental in
asking me, hey, would how would you feel this should go?
(16:03):
And this and this and this. So he would be
on the road and I would come up with a
few things, and he would obviously do a much better
job than I. But I did a couple of songs,
you know, and h this was one of them, and
it it. I did one other song was called Reflections
(16:26):
last year, which had to do with children and looking
into the eyes of children. And I only used a
piano and strings and a cello.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
And this song was absolutely the same. Lane Roy, who
was one of the singers on the voice it has
this incredible voice. He had the same feel as in Reflections,
(16:58):
and I loved the idea that this be very very
simple and had the same piano and it was actually
a cello and that was it.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
And soldiers not forgot because what I thought was the
soldiers deserved the respect of the word rather than a
lot of accompaniment. It had to be their song. So
that's how it came about. And Laine, who has a
(17:32):
few relatives in the military as well, was deeply affected
by the song and it shows in his rendition of
the song. In him singing it, he did a beautiful job.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Oh yeah, just be beautiful, like excellent, excellent, beautiful work. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
And Turzelle Tom was the pianist and the and the cellist,
and he did a gorgeous job too, Yes, beautiful job
so good.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Like I just find it like when when working with
really talent and creative people. I mean, it's it's just
such a masterpiece of work. I was like, Wow, I
was just honestly, I was so moved. I got a
little emotional listening to it. I was like, ah, this
is this is beautiful. Just think, absolutely absolutely, how do
(18:31):
you hope this song will help, you know, open the
conversation around the PTSD and mental health and veterans.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I'm I don't know. I only know that it's such
a personal question to people who were listening to it
rather than to me. You know. I not say I
would be presumptuous to say that I would know or
(19:02):
would wish it did whatever, because I am a vehicle
to put it out only, and people have to respond.
That's the way I truly feel about it, because I
have a deep respect for everyone who is going through
that particular process right now, and any other process that
(19:23):
has memories that sort of captivate and and maybe keep
them from from their dreams and things they need to
do in life. So I can only say I put
out a rendition that I hope or an interpretation that
I hope will speak to you.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah you did, you did in spades?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Oh good, that's absolutely well, you've done that too. I
will say that I've only begun looking at some of
your work.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You know, thank you, thank you. Were there any veterans
you spoke to, like while, you know, directly while crafting
this song.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Okay, so I know, I I have friends, family, friends
for years, Navy, Seals, Air Force, Navy, all of that,
and but no, I've just thought about them as I
(20:33):
was writing it. I didn't want I didn't want to infringe.
I just wanted to put an interpretation or an expression
of how I felt about them.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Okay, yeah, absolutely, yeah. I I I was talking to
my father about that about just you know, he's my
dad was saying, like, you know, it's it's really unfortunate.
You know a lot of people who are in the
army that who who get out and go back to
(21:06):
you know, just normal every day to day life. It's
it's really hard to kind of get acclimated back into it,
and you know, and then you're you're just hoping for
the support and you know, for people that who do
have PTSD, Like I have a few friends that that
are out and about and that are doing kind of
coping with it now. But it's it's really sad to
(21:29):
hear some of the stories of like there's no support
and I'm just like, oh my gosh, like there has
to be something has to be done to make sure
these soldiers are taken care of. So I do hope
this song, and not only this, but maybe through this conversation,
that it just opens up more conversations too. You know
that's beautiful for help.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Well, I will say that I would be honored if
if it did and it helped anyone, uh that listened
to it, I would be honored, you know absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I have a fun question and I love asking this
question to every guest, and there is no wrong answer,
I promise. Okay, the three levels of influence, money, power,
and respect, And if you can choose only one of
those things, which one would you choose? And why?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
That's an interesting question. It's certainly not the money, and
it's not the power, and it's you know, I I
like myself. I don't need people's respect.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I feel exactly the same good.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Good I mean. I tell you, you know, when you go,
when you go through life and love, you know there
are going to be people who are going to give
you a hard time no matter what, especially if you
are focused and and you really love what you do
and your purpose, because you know Basically, if you had
put purpose in there, I would have said, I love
(23:09):
that because the purpose of what I'm doing, in the
expression of it is all important to me. The process
of the creative process is the most important thing to
me in the world than any other.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I love that answer. So purpose, okay.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Is actually the process? Say the purpose of the process.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Would you say you live in your purpose?
Speaker 3 (23:37):
I live in I live in my process. I live
in it. Yes, I have to live there, otherwise I'd
go crazy. It's very important to be there and to
and part of that process has to do as you
and I both I think are sabbatical on is the curiosity.
(23:58):
All of the the world is open to you when
you go through, and the process of your creating is
all inspiring on everything you see and everything you experienced.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I love I love that. I love how you said that.
I'm like, yes, it is. Do you do you have
any like artists that you know? Say, for instance, in
a perfect world, if if you could collaborate with any
artist living or dead, who would it be? And why?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
That's interesting because I love Tupac Really yeah, nice, I
do there. I'm not sure that I can answer that question. Uh,
I'm not sure, I can. I'm not sure who it
would be. I like. I like artists of words. That
(25:02):
is my big, my big thing. I think I love words,
and I love the way they that they. I love
the eminem the way he instructed his I call it poetry, lyric,
whatever you want to call it. I like meaningful lyric
(25:25):
that is not only meaningful lyric, but that their parents
off with a beautiful melody sometimes and and youtwo does
that you really listen to the lyric? Many times the
music seems joyful or beautiful or whatever, and it is
(25:46):
a very sad lyric that comes with it. Yes, it's
also very interesting, you know so, But I don't. I
I'm not sure who that would be. I'm not sure
who I would be around. I guess I'm sort of
a loner.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I mean, hey, great answer. I love that. Did you
create did you create any visual elements to this song yet?
Did you like a music video or are you thinking
about making?
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Yes? I think that would be very important. I do,
And I also am interested in doing this song and
Shades of Black and White, which is another song that
my partner Mark and I my husband reproduced sheades A
black and White is also another one. I think I
(26:37):
think they're important songs. Uh in that, well, they're from
my heart, I will say that.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Mmm mm hmmm.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Absolutely, yes, Well you could talk to me about it
if you want. I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Absolutely. I mean, hey, I love I think. I think
visuals are just you know, it's it's interesting. I used
to do a lot of music videos before I got
into film. So when I first moved to Los Angeles,
I started working for this company doing a lot of
you know, music videos, and that was a fun world.
But I just feel like music videos at the time
(27:18):
was just kind of lacking the creativity because I love
like kind of just doing things that are off the
beaten path versus you know, I totally yeah, I believe.
And then it just brought me to wanted to get
more into narrative and films worlds because I feel like
(27:42):
films are I don't know, visuals like you can incorporate.
I like to just kind of tell a story, and
I feel like this song could just ooh visually, oh
my gosh. Yeah, but thank you absolutely absolutely. Why do
you think and this is just you know, just out
(28:04):
of curiosity, do you feel like because because I think
a lot of people choose silence, which is I think,
and that's a I think it's a universal kind of
thing I've noticed, you know, if we can even take
it back to the entertainment world as a whole, like
I feel like a lot of you know, with a
lot of the Me Too movement, the women that were
(28:26):
quiet for so many years, when a lot of people
in the industry knew that this very problem was happening
and still is happening, but they chose silence. Why do
you think a lot of people choose silence versus coming
out and talking about things.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
It's a good question, and there are probably multiple answers
for every single person. Yeah, and I would hate to
kitchenhole somebody. I will say that there has to be
something in one's heart that won't nag them and in
(29:04):
their brain it's a thought and heart, mind and heart,
and so that ultimately touches them in such a way
that they have no choice.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
I see, I think, yeah, yeah, I just I just wonder,
you know, sometimes, like I see all these movements happening,
especially in the entertainment world, and people, you know, the
actors strike when that was happening Oh my gosh, that
was felt like it was forever and I was like,
I mean a lot of actors knew that this problem existed,
(29:37):
and it was just like, well, why now versus when
there's other actors who came before us who also have
that issue. And I just feel like, I guess too,
maybe it could be silence of like people take silent
because of like job positions, maybe not being able to
get hired. And I mean, I've I've had a situation
(30:00):
that kind of was like a casting couch situation when
I first started in the industry, when I was acting
at the time, and then you know, I was startled
because I was like surprised that this you know, you
hear about these things, but when it happens to you,
it's like, oh, wow, this really actually is real. So
(30:24):
I didn't know what to do with the time because
I felt like I was so green and I felt
like who would believe me? So then of course then
there's a lot of women who and not just women
but men as well that also kind of get kind
of you kind of shrink, and that's I think that's
(30:45):
a part of the as silence. And I feel like
that's too with even soldiers. I feel like a lot
of them, you know. It's like you want to honor
your country, but then there are just certain people in
certain positions of power that abuse it. And I don't know.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
As an artist, I do know, and I could say
to you the process of incorporating it into your art
and exposing it is not a bad one, yeah, and
one that I think a lot of artists do if
they are unclear as to what other mechanisms do you use?
(31:26):
That is important and whether it's other things like things
that are happening in our society today, incidents and I
don't even know what you want to call all the
disruption we're going through right now. But there are interpretations
(31:50):
of it. There are ways in which to express yourself,
and there are like minded people amongst us can who
can help give somebody so desires. There there is, You
just have to explore a bit and you can find it.
I'm sure, absolutely right, very.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Important, absolutely important.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Yeah, are you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Planning on performing this song or have you done it
yet at any like veterans events or concerts?
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Lane will be doing that not I but yes, absolutely nice. Yeah,
he would, I know he would be delighted. He is
on a tour right now in Europe, but he will
be back and we would I would love to have
him do whatever he wants to do. Believe me, I
think he's just wonderful. So yes, absolutely, I love that.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I love that. Well, looking back, what have you learned
personally from creating Soldier not Forgotten?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I think it's I think that looking inward and realizing
that there are so many people on this earth. You
walk through a city and you have no idea what
(33:21):
everyone else is going through, and the idea that maybe
one of those people that is hurting you might be
able to communicate with through your art. If that's possible,
then you have done your job. You have gone through
(33:42):
the process and help. But you don't necessarily know because
you're on the street and you don't know all these
people that are in your community. You just don't, but
you hope. So I would say that just exploring that
one one concept also takes you into other areas of discrimination,
(34:06):
of inequities, of exclusion, different things that happen to one
and you hope that you can continue to interpret some
form of art that might be of assistance in these areas.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I love that. I love that you know there's a
lot of people listening to this show and they love
me asking this question to each guests and then I
love I love hearing it. What what advice would you
give you know, someone out there that wants to get
(34:48):
or user talent and create and get into this entertainment world.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Don't quit, be curious, and if one interpretation of your
art doesn't work, it doesn't mean another won't. It just
means you have to keep you have to keep trying,
and you have to keep communicating, and you have to
(35:15):
keep open and believe it or not. We could go
through a zillion examples of all the way back to
Casablanca that has thirty rejections, or you know, you could
go to all of the different people in ours, in
our world that have gone through hell. Churchill had a
(35:41):
great phrase, he said, when you're going through hell, keep going.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yes that love that.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Yeah. So it's important, it's important to if you have
to believe in what you're doing, you have to believe
in it. And I truly believe that someone will listen
and someone will see you, and it might take time,
(36:09):
but don't give up. Don't give up.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Love that, don't give up. That's that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
What do you.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
What do you outside of music? What inspires you your
art the most, films, books, people, life experiences, all of it.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Yeah, well, there's definitely my husband who does Our love
is quite extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yeah, that's that's really important. And we are very sympatical
on a lot of things, just on life in general, definitely,
And I should say life and people and curiosity and
never never turning your back on what might not be
(36:58):
becoming or something that you might not want to see,
look at yourself, look at the world, and go through
the process of creating about it.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
I just imagine you seem so positive and resilient. Has
there ever been, you know, many big challenges in the
music industry that you've ever faced and how did you
overcome it?
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Oh? Well, first of all, I've been in a lot
of industries, right, whether it was music, you know, as
an author, as a producer, as a fashion designer. But
I should say that what I think is the most well,
(37:48):
let's put it this way. Malcolm X said stumbling is
not falling, Yes, yeah, And Michael Jordan said, I've lost
almost three hundred games twenty six times. I've been entrusted
to take the game winning shot and missed. I failed
over and over again in my life, and that is
why I succeed. Okay yea. And my favorite of my
(38:15):
dad and mine was Nailson Mandeli. He said, it always
seems impossible until it's done. Yeah, yeah, so you see,
it's the process.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
It's the process. That's beautiful. We're always in the process.
That's what life is about, right, We're always in process.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
The journey is never over until it's over.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
That's right. That's absolutely correct.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
That's beautiful. That's beautiful. Where can people find you on
social media to follow everything you got going on?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Oh? Everywhere you're on TikTok No, I'm just kidding it.
I actually am. And they caved in, much to probably
the chagrin of some people. But I am there and
I have we just basically we have a best selling
(39:13):
novel too. It's called Blue, written by an author, Walter Jones,
who recently passed away. He is an African American author
fantastic book about the Freedom Code, which has to do
with not letting people take away your history. I'm familiar
(39:36):
the same thing holds true for but anyway, TikTok under
Pamela Edwards mcclafferty and Spellbound Pictures on Instagram, on Twitter, X,
on Facebook, on Tumblr, on WordPress, and my husband Mark
mcclafferty as well. Pamela Edwards, McLafferty and Mark McLafferty. We're
(40:01):
on the internet.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Gosh, it was lovely talking to you.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Oh it's great talking to you, and I just I
wish you all of the luck and all of your endeavors.
You are just doing a great job.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
Oh really, thank you. I needed to hear that. Sometimes
it's it just feels like, you know, I feel like
the Michael Jordan Games. Sometimes I'm like, oh God, thank you.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Then you hey once once, Then you when you have
that that ultimate process that leads to a finished product,
then you can look back and you can write about
that whole process. Absolutely yeah, and be very proud of yourself.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
I might have Thank you, Thank you, thank you so
much for and blessing our show was it was a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
It was a thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Thank you so much, absolutely, and thank you all for
listening and always remember to live, love, laugh. We see
you guys next time. Goodbye.
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