EPISODE 098 | Finding Common Ground in the Political Divide
Watch Clif Doyal's first interview on Human Amplified with Brandi Fleck.
Listen to Clif Doyal on Human Amplified
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Finding Common Ground in the Political Divide
About CLif Doyal’s Episode
Your humanity isn’t up for debate. So as friends and family members are falling away from your life, triggered by a heated social media interaction or a toxic holiday gathering, what can you do?
That’s been the question for a while now in the age of political divide. So today, we’re talking to Clif Doyal, because lessons from his impressive life experience can apply to how we handle the discomfort, the sadness, the anger, and the grief that comes with the territory.
Our guest today, Clif Doyal, is a music industry veteran here in Nashville, TN with over 50 year's experience. He does publicity for and manages recording and performance artists with his companies, CDA Publicity & Marketing and the Clif Doyal Agency. He also represents fashion brands in his new boutique agency, ClifX Fashions.
Clif loves the Beatles and has been in the music industry for more than 50 years.
Clif is uniquely qualified to share his experiences on the topic because his curiosity and love for music has taken him through seemingly contradictory experiences where he’s relied on shared humanity and common ground to connect.
We’re talking performing at Nixon’s inauguration as a young teenager while Viet Nam war protests were raging beside him; joining a racially diverse band in the late 70s and playing in rock n roll clubs where the racial tension was palpable; tour-managing artists at Trump’s welcome party in 2017; and then marching in the women’s march during the same trip.
We dive into the foundation his parents built that set him up to have these types of experiences, why he’d want to interact with people on both political “sides,” how his life is enriched from the experiences, but also what he does to deal with the social fall out. Through it all, he doesn’t compromise his ethics.
Aside from Clif’s engaging storytelling, if you take away anything from this episode, let it be these points:
A strong understanding of shared humanity helps you be a compassionate and kind person.
You’re not alone in these experiences of relationships changing or dissipating over a disagreement about human rights.
Misinformation, toxic politics, and cancel culture do exist and impact our relationships through social media and news outlets.
Music is a unifier. You can use it as such in your life.
Common ground is the basis for relating to other humans.
That’s how we start to heal the divide.
Highlights from Clif Doyal’s Interview
Getting to know Clif Doyal
Diving into Clif’s love of fashion in relation to music and how his mom supported his passion
Clif’s journey as a professional musician
Being a connector and what that involves
Why certain milestone events in Clif’s life seem to be conflicting, but they’re not for him. For example, he:
Played in racially diverse bands before it was acceptable to do so
He performed at Nixon’s inaugural parade in 1973
Attended Donald Trump’s welcome celebration in 2017
He marched in the women’s parade the very next day
Clif tells us about forming friendships while working on an asphalt paving crew in Saudi Arabia in the 70s and then again in Texas in the U.S. where he learned about shared humanity
Clif at the construction site in Saudi Arabia, 1975.
Clif’s start drumming in a racially diverse band, Dice, while living in Missouri and the tension that occurred at shows and in relationships
Clif is second from the left behind his drums in band, DICE, 1978.
Diving into Clif’s personal recount of what it was like performing at Richard Nixon’s inaugural celebration in a high school marching band
The Viet Nam war was still raging
At around 14 years old, Clif sees flags being burned
A protester screams in Clif’s face
Clif’s enlightenment around the war
Clif tour-managing two groups at the welcome celebration, the day before Trump’s inauguration
Observing the divided atmosphere and toxic political environment around that time as an artist manager and coaching around that
The talking points Clif ran through with his artist who was to perform for Trump’s event and ensuring the artist was prepared for the divisive environment
Beefing up security
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” By the Rolling Stones starts playing and what this means for Clif
What happened when Clif tried to bring unity on social media during this politically-charged time
Attending the Women’s March in Washington D.C. in 2017 and why Clif wanted to be there
Why a man would be interested in going to the Women’s March
Clif’s view while participating in the Women’s March in Washington D.C. 2017. He marched for his late mother, late wife, and present wife.
Why Clif would want to interact with people on both sides
Social Media’s role in division
When entertainers take a political stance amid cancel culture
People are falling away in our lives. Cilf tells us the impact of political divide starting in 2016 and moving into and through the pandemic on his personal relationships
How Clif deals with losing family, close friends, and/or followers because of a political stance
Not compromising ethics
About Clif Doyal
Clif at the presidential inaugural ball in 2017.
Clif Doyal is a publicist, manager, and musician based in Nashville, TN with more than 50 year’s experience in the music industry. He owns CDA Publicity & Marketing, the Clif Doyal Agency, and ClifX Fashions.
Clif credits the strong role model and support system he found in his mother as a lasting influence on how he lives his life combining music and fashion, while his dad provided a diversity of experiences and opportunities for world travel that taught him about shared humanity.
Clyde Doyal (Clif’s dad) and Clif at the Great Pyramids of Giza in 1975.
Clif’s Links
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Pin Clif Doyal’s Passionate Quotes for change
CREDITS: INTRO AND OUTRO MUSIC AND EPISODE EDITING BY RYAN SAULS. EPISODE PRODUCTION AND GRAPHICS BY BRANDI FLECK. SOUND EFFECTS FROM ZAPSPLAT.COM. MID-EPISODE MUSIC IS “TOMORROW’S TIMES” BY SHANE IVERS AT SILVERMAN SOUND STUDIOS. BIO AND PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CLIF DOYAL.
About the Host
Brandi Fleck is a storyteller. She’s a writer, artist, and a recognized communications and interviewing expert. She is also an avid student of human nature who’s overcome past trauma and is founder of Human Amplified where she helps you embrace being your true self so you can expand more fully into your own humanity without the fear of being seen and heard. Brandi hosts the top-rated Human Amplified podcast (formerly the On Being Human podcast.) READ MORE