70s Decade: Hillman Music Cards

ON THE ROAD WITH BILL and SUE-ON HILLMAN
A 50-Year Musical Journey

MUSIC CARDS AND POSTERS

1970s

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BILL & SUE-ON TELEVISION AND RADIO SHOWS I :: '60s-'90s
CKX-TV Noon Shows ~ Co-Op Neighbour Nights ~ Provincial Ex Remotes ~ First Colour Special ~ Western Union Weekly Shows ~ Western Union and Russ Gurr Special ~ Bill and Sue-On Hillman Specials ~ Hillmans Hosting the Boggy Creek Promo Special ~ Old Time Radio Memories ~ Local Canada and USA Stations ~ BBC ~ Opry North ~ Bill and Sue-On on Network CBC & CTV ~ BIG COUNTRY AWARDS ~ Coleman CBC-TV Documentary

MAMA TRIED | PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND

Early TV Years:
www.hillmanweb.com/odyssey1
www.hillmanweb.com/h700.html
www.hillmanweb.com/h208.html
CBC's Coleman & Co.: Hillman Bio Documentary

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CENTURY 21 RECORDING STUDIOS
WINNIPEG - EARLY '70s
Location of Bill and Sue-On Hillman's early Canada sessions

(YOU WERE) ON MY MIND | KENTUCKIAN SONG

* We were one of the first groups to record at the first Century 21 Studios - King Edward St. Location
* After their move to their expanded location we did more sessions using their 16-track facility, before our tours of England where we had many sessions at London's Gooseberry, Newcastle's Impulse, and Durham's Guardian studios.
* Faces in the photo collage: Bill and Sue-On, Barry Forman, and Century 21 guys: John Hildebrand, Harry Hildebrand, and Ted Paley. WEB PAGE REF: http://www.hillmanweb.com/albums

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PRINCE ALBERT PENITENTIARY SHOWS
and THE PA WOMEN'S PRISON

MAMA TRIED | CHATTANOOGA PRISON TRAIN

In the Jailhouse Now While in Prince Albert for their Summer Exhibition we were invited to perform an afternoon show in Prince Albert Penetentiary -- a maximum security facility for serious offenders. But we had a disappointing call from the Warden the day before our appearance. There had just been an attempted prison break and the Pen was in lock-down. Apparently an inmate had somehow hidden under the engine hood of the Warden's vehicle as a means of getting through the gate. He wasn't successful. He was discovered after the Warden heard his screams of pain. He was seriously burned by the heat from the engine. On the morning of our planned appearance the authorities relented and we went ahead with the show. We passed through a number of clanging barred gates - reminiscent of the opening of the "Get Smart" TV show. After setting up our equipment on the stage in the large dining room the cons were filed in. It all seemed very familiar as we were quite acquainted with Johnny Cash's Live at San Quentin show. My opening number drew thunderous applause -- I was quite thrilled at being so appreciated, until I realized I was being upstaged by Sue-On's dance moves behind me -- with mini-skirt, high boots, et al. The show went well and the cons presented us with hand-tooled leather wallets from their shop as well as with framed and numbered Honourary PA Convict Certificates. Mementoes we still proudly display among our show biz memorabilia from the past. The Ladies Go Barless Here On the day after our PA Pen show we were invited to visit the PA Women's Prison. No slamming of barred gates here. . . curtains, TVs, soft furniture, and pin-ups on the walls were the order of the day. We didn't do a show here as most of the inmates were downtown on a supervised shopping trip -- but we did have a tour of the facility and some peeks into the inmates' rooms . . . ah. . . cells.

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FIRST FOUR HILLMAN ORIGINALS - 1972 - EP 1
Our first four original songs featured on an extended play disc ~ 1972

BLUE SHALLOW RIVER | IN SADNESS

With a nice review from the BMI Canada Music Scene magazine.
More reviews, lyrics, songs in MP3, photos and trivia at the ALBUM No. 3 and ALBUM 4 pages

The photo was taken at our country home in front of the stone wall that my grandfather built with stones originally from the stone house built when my great grandfather homesteaded the land in 1878: John Campbell, Pioneer recording 1976

THE SONGS
BLUES 'ROUND MY DOOR
TWO LOVING ARMS

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"GET TOGETHER FESTIVAL" PERFORMANCE
PORTAGE AVE., WINNIPEG 1972

LADY LUCK | FARTHER AWAY

While touring Saskatchewan our main Western Union group was asked to perform at Getting Together 72 on Portage Ave. We had two days off after which we were to be in Peace River, Alberta. We bravely agreed to do it and while Russ and some of the crew headed northwest, we drove east to Winnipeg where we set up on a stage on Portage Avenue in front of Eaton's. This event probably evolved into what later became Folklorama. All traffic was blocked off Portage Avenue and looking down the street there was a packed standing-only crowd for as far as we could see. We did a hot show, packed in a hurry, and headed for Peace River - over 1,000 miles away. Barry Forman, Kerry Morris, Sue-On and I all took turns driving through the night. As what so often happens, when Sue-On took the wheel a torrent of rain descended. This coincided with the beginning of road construction. We slept while Sue-On guided the slip-slidin' vehicle through a quagmire. Driving all afternoon and all night we made it in time to appear in their parade the next day.

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HILLMAN 1974 TOUR OF NE USA
GRANDSTAND SHOWS AT STATE & COUNTY FAIRS

MONTANA (The tour in song) | HOW MANY ARMS

* Our summer tour of '74 took us all over the American North West, where we were billed as the Bardine's feature act, "Sue-On and the Western Union from Canada."
* We worked as headliners on evening grandstand shows at county and state fairs, and rodeos. Although we worked as a trio, with Sue-On on drums, Bill on guitar, and Barry Forman on bass and fiddle, we often hired a local drummer to sit in on drums for part of the show, so that Sue-On could work the crowd -- moving and dancing all over the huge stages with a hand-held mike.
* Other performers on the bill included country singers Jeannie C. Riley, Charlie Louvin, The Blackwood Singers and Hee-Haw's Archie Campbell, as well as many international variety / vaudeville acts.

Much more at: www.hillmanweb.com/h303.html

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BILL AND SUE-ON HILLMAN ALBUM 5
14 ORIGINAL SONGS

CATFISH BONES | CHATTANOOGA PRISON TRAIN

Clippings in the Collage:
* Reviews from RPM Magazine, Jimmy King and Gene Telpner (Winnipeg Papers).
* Photos: Memphis/Nashville Crossroads, Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Grand Ole Opry Stage, Century 21 Studios.
* Larger images and much more in our Musical Odyssey series on the Web: ALBUM WALL | ALBUM NO. 5 PAGE
A FEW SAMPLE SONGS (More at: www.hillmanweb.com/cd )

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HILLMAN / UK CONNECTION I: ALBUM NO. 6
A montage of memorabilia from the Hillmans' first overseas tour
and Vol. 6 recording sessions in England.

REELIN' IN SOHO (Recording session description) | IN LOVE AGAIN

* An exciting tour of over 30 one-nighters in Northern England followed by recording sessions in London at Gooseberry Studios - an underground studio (literally) - that had put out a number of hits (even the Sex Pistols had done tracks there).
* We toured as THE HILLMANS FROM CANADA with Sue-On on drums, Kevin Pahl on keys (Hohner bass, Clavinet, etc.) and myself on Tele guitar. Our blind English friend Al Jones joined us in clubs that had a stage Hammond. We all sang (in our unusual "American" accents).
* We recorded enough songs to complete Album No. 6 that we had started back in Manitoba at Century 21 Studios. Many more photos and tall tales at www.hillmanweb.com/odyssey1 and http://www.hillmanweb.com/uk

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HILLMAN / UK CONNECTION:
SECOND ENGLAND TOUR AND
NEWCASTLE RECORDING SESSIONS

REELIN' IN SOHO | OUTLAW RAMBLIN' BAND

This montage recalls some of the events from the tour that produced
Album No. 7 Photos:
* Album covers and label,
* Band break at Walls End,
* Tour of Pinewood studios (James Bond / Superman),
* London landmarks,
* Tour promo photos More on the Hillman/UK Connection
www.hillmanweb.com/uk

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HILLMAN ALBUM 7 SCRAPBOOK MONTAGE

FREEDOM TRILOGY | JOHN CAMPBELL, PIONEER

Clippings:
* Gene Telpner's Column ~ Winnipeg Tribune ~ April 1, 1978
* RPM Magazine Review ~ March 4, 1978
* CHMM Country Chart ~ November 1978
* Album Covers with Interior Photos and Vinyl Discs
* Telpner Refs: Hillmans, Ron Paley, Century 21, Roade, Strawbs, Glenn Axford, Burton Cummings, Loreena McKennitt, Thorney, and more. . . Larger images and more at:
www.hillmanweb.com/mglp07.html

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BILL AND SUE-ON HILLMAN
ON STAGE IN ENGLAND - 1979
Middlesbrough Rugby Union Football Club Bar-B-Q

LADY LUCK | THE JOKER

We had been in the studio all week recording album #9
with Desperado and Alan Clark of Dire Straits
so it felt good to let loose at this English version of a Bar-B-Q
hosted by the Middlesbrough Rugby Union Football Club.
The agricultural complex was close to a military base
that we had played earlier - hence the camouflage netting.
More photos at:
www.hillmanweb.com/odyssey/uk7902.html
www.hillmanweb.com/odyssey1

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HILLMAN / UK CONNECTION:
THIRD ENGLAND TOUR AND ALBUM 9 RECORDING SESSIONS
This montage recalls some of the events from the UK tour that produced Hillman Album No. 9.

LOUISIANA STOMP | SUMMERTIME

* Album covers
* Bill and Sue-On with 6-month-old son Ja-On outside GUARDIAN STUDIOS in the village of PITY ME near Durham
* On stage with UK show band, DESPERADO who added instruments and back-up vocals on all tracks
* GUARDIAN SESSIONS: Engineer: Terry Gavaghan (former CARPENTERS guitarist | Bill: vocals and guitars | Sue-On: vocals and drums (KEITH MOON's kit bought at London auction) | Alan Clark (of DIRE STRAITS): synths, electric piano, clavinet and ELTON JOHN's upright grand piano (from his Honky Chateau sessions - purchased by Gavaghan at Château D'Hierouville studio, France) WEB REFS:
Hillman / UK Connection:
Terry Gavaghan - The Legend: Guardian "Ghost Studio" | Album No. 9
1979 Tour notes | On Stage with Desperado Photos

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