Woody Artist of the Year 2015 “Hillary Burton”
By Gidget Bates
Woody Radio started as Canadian Music Rocks in 2007. I joined up a mere few weeks before Amanda/DJ Loki when Dave Foxx was still the one and only DJ. I was Prompted by woody and Dave to DJ and did my first show on March 29th 2007.. Amanda followed up the next month. Only one DJ came in between Foxxy and I, Joel Lightman, who is no longer with us. And pretty much played his own mix of stuff. We were consistent with the new bands we found and made a rapport with most of them.
When we thought we might lose the station at the end of 2015 I went through all my written notes and old playlists.. Only three artists moved from Dave to me to others. And when I started only those three and two more moved on to all incarnations. Those 5 are still playing at fifty percent of the station.. although one band is completely broken up and we have no new stuff from this artist. His band plays on.
The first bands are:
1.Nushu/Hillary Burton
2.Cosmo Topper
- The Handcuffs
- Skitzo Calypso/Brad Cox
- Throwback Suburbia
I tried to see if any other band went that far back and nope.
Each of these bands is special.. They all represent Woody Radio.
But Hillary stands out!
Why you ask?
I will tell you.
I played Nushu on my very first ever radio show. When the Secret weapon joined up he came with Nushu in his files too! We both played Cosmo yes but NUSHU! Boris the “secret Weapon” even designed Nushu’s cover EP “Joystick”. After Nushu disbanded Hillary formed honeychain .. She made a record near and dear to me and played everything herself. She got the band together after the record was basically number one at Woody!
It was not just the fact that both her bands basically spelled out what we did Woody Radio for Hillary was what we did woody radio for. Her was a fan of our station grateful for what we did for her and we in turn were grateful for all she did for us.
Total humanitarian. We (along with four other stations) had a benefit for Japan’s earthquake. Hillary was there with us in chat most of the day helping get pledges! Made us soundbites. Yes, others did too but Hillary helped as if she was a member of Woody.
Hillary has been nonstop supportive for almost 9 years.
But that alone is not why I chose her.
At Woody Radio we like to watch the progress of those we support. This is where Hillary stands out. She is that small gifted child who starts out shy and then blossoms and grows into a I told you so moment. The star of that mix tape you handed around when you were younger and watched get famous. And no matter how famous they remember where they started and they thank you. Even though she did us the favor letting us play her bands she always made it humbling for both of us. Oh golly gee.. that kind of humbling.
Most of us gush we when talk about how wonderful she has been to Woody. She is the true friend of the station.. And everyone here.
When Nushu disbanded Hillary was right back on it with a better band, honeychain..while Nushu was amazing in its own being honeychain was even better. Everyone who heard it loved it. honeychain was asked to do tribute albums. Three in one year. Elvis Costello, Cheap Trick and Dwight Twilly.. Every review of all of these albums always mentions her contributions.
We jumped with joy at her success with each one. Our little Hillary Burton.
And if that didn’t suit the justice served then she was asked to play drums with one of her fave bands ever, The Pandoras. I actually cried when she shared the news. This was a huge deal. Kim Shattuck was actually working with her on new honeychain stuff and now she was gonna drum with her.. What fangirl would not go crazy for that!
This is what WE at woody radio want to see. A person with us forever.. Who supports us.. And even though they get huge still supports us and in turn we feel like proud parents…
I personally have become very close friend with Hillary and her family. Bedtime texts.. Exchanging pics of our kids. Visiting her home and going to Farrell’s with our kids. I consider her family and would trust my children with her. But that did not factor in my decision here to make her artist of the year.
Boris and Amanda and Mac all have brought to the table many many amazing artists that have grown with us… many deserving of this title… And had it been any of them I would have been proud. And any artist played by any of the DJ’s here is really a woody artist of the year in its own way. But this year being in the state of decisions that we are in with an unknowing path of our future I needed to go back to the roots of the station.
I doubt we won’t carry on. But if Woody did end I want everyone to know that artists such as Hillary Burton carried us this far and kept us going. Last week when I posted of the uncertainty of our future there very first person posting a comment to reminding me to “Do It” was Hillary. I had already chosen her at that moment in time. But that made me smile knowing She had our back…And we have hers.
Hillary Burton “We play for you”
Instead of a usual posting of pics I would have stolen off her website I decided to post my own pics I took during a summer a couple years ago.. This is MY Hillary Burton to share. I love you Hillary. No crying, just say “Ditto” and keep up the amazing work.
To buy the Cheap Trick tribute album
To buy the Dwight Twilley tribute
to buy the Elvis Costello tribute
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