Winnipeg Free Press ~ March 28, 1973 The Everlys along with warm-up act Sam Neely
will be at the concert hall tomorrow and Friday for 8:30 p.m. shows.
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John Skinner (North Brandon) ~ Russ Gurr (Brandon) ~ Sue-On & Bill Hillman (Strathclair) ~ Barry Forman (Rivers) Russ Gurr and the Western Union group sign a contract for the NFB use of the Gurr song, The Threshermen's Ball at Expo's Labyrinth. |
RUSS GURR & WESTERN UNION SOUVENIR PHOTO |
Western Union Group Busy by Kaye Rowe ~ Sun Feature Writer Brandon Sun ~ 1967 The National Film Board action began back in July of '65 when Russ Gurr and the gang were filmed and taped as part of the whoopee at Austin's Threshermen's Reunion. Labyrinth -- one of the "must-see" exhibits at Expo according to everyone on more than a cursory look around -- planned to use a segment of their Austin, Manitoba footage and the Gurr song, Threshermen's Ball. The group includes two high school teachers -- Barry Forman of Rivers on fiddle and Bill Hillman of Strathclair on lead guitar, Jake Kroeger of Rivers on rhythm guitar, and John Skinner, drummer of North Brandon. An added feature is a Chinese doll -- Sue-On Hillman -- Bill's wife, who does lively songs and dances. The company will perform on a modern-style open-air stage created a la Centennial Caravans using caravan truck that doubles as a parade float, and features a movable stage complete with sets and furnishings. They will play several shows a day as a free feature, and aid in calling the crowd into the grandstand. |
41 Valleybrook Drive, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 2S6 Telex 06-966634 ~ Cable: Canmus Toronto, Telephone (416) 445-8700 Mr. Bill Hillman Box 280, Strathclair, Manitoba Dear Bill:
I wonder if you'd be kind enough to forward a glossy photo of the two of you for use in our magazine, THE MUSIC SCENE, we'd like to publish a brief item in the November/December issue. Coridially,
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January-February 1976 |
BILL and his wife SUE-ON HILLMAN are high-school teachers
in Strathclair, Manitoba, but they're heavily into music when not teaching.
As well as performing as a duo, they are members of The Western Union and
Free Spirit. Others in Free Spirit are AL JONES, KEN BLAIR, IAN HUNTER
and TERRY FLEETWOOD.
Bill wrote all the material on the Maple Grove album "Bill and Sue-On Hillman". Free Spirit's initial album for Maple Grove Records is titled simply "Free Spirit" and contains all-original material by the group. The tune "You Must Remember" from the album, written by Al Jones, has been released by Maple Grove as a single. Last summer Bill and Sue-On toured parts of the United States and northern Manitoba and last fall Bill began developing a course for the Manitoba Department of Education called Entertainment Arts. Included was an examination of the various areas of the entertainment industry. |
Bill Hillman and his wife Sue-On have been known to Canadian audiences for years through their group Western Union. Their recent album and single whould go a long way toward making them popular with radio listeners as well. The album is a combination of country-rock and MOR tunes, with four penned by Bill. The four have been released as a mini-album single. "In Sadness" sung by Sue-On is outstanding both as a song and as an example of the artist's talent. Bill and Sue-On are high school teachers and live in Strathclair, Manitoba. Sue-On was born in China and came to Manitoba at 10. The album and single were recorded at Century 21 Studios in Winnipeg. BMI - THE MUSIC SCENE ~ Jan-Feb 1976
Other BMIC winners, given honourable mention prizes of 100 dollars each, are Ottawa region writers Michael Belanger, Terry Carisse and Bruce Rawlins, S.B. "Whitey" Hains of Toronto, Bill Hillman of Strathclair, Manitoba, and Tim Daniels, who won awards for two of his songs. |
DISC DATA: Because so many timely records reach this
desk, it is virtually impossible to mention all of them. But I think it's
time the record-buying public knew more about a Manitoba recording artistic
team of Bill and Sue-On Hillman. They have several albums on the market
on the Maple Grove Label, some of the newest are On Stage, Bill and Sue-On
Hillman, The Western Union; Free Spirit, and the Hillmans with 14 of their
original songs. Bill and Sue-On have been playing around the province for
quite awhile, they receive convention bookings, and in the U.S. they have
won acclaim at the big audience attended fairs in various states.
Their albums have been given good plugs in music publications, but too
often they've been ignored right in their home province. Bill Hillman and
Sue-On are man and wife, they are high school teachers and live in Strathclair,
Manitoba. Sue-On was born in China, came to Manitoba at the age of 10 and
has lived happily ever after. I hope more people will give a listen to
their albums, it will be quite a revelation and most of the recording has
been done at the very professional Century 21 Studios in Winnipeg. You
can reach this dynamic duo through Maple Grove Music, Box 280, Strathclair,
Man.
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Today's column is mostly about records, a subject
I haven't covered for some time.
Bill and Sue-On Hillman, Manitoba recording artists, did two albums while on tour in England. The name of one album is easy to remember -- it's called Bill and Sue-On Hillman, featuring Sue-On, or The Hillman Express on Maple Grove label. Said Bill Hillman, "Seventeen of the tracks were recorded during our tours of England. We did 30 one-night stands on each tour and found a great market for Canadian-style country. The rest of the tracks were put down at Winnipeg's ultra-modern Century 21 studios where we have done the majority of our sessions over the years." Maple Grove Records is headquartered at Strathclair, Man., and RPM Magazine's review said in part, "Clever lyrics by Bill Hillman put him in a class by himself. Nice blend of vocals and instrument backup. |
Nov. - Dec. 1977 |
TribLifeStyle ~ Winnipeg Tribune ~ Monday, December 17, 1979 NAME DROPPING: When Burton Cummings goes to Moscow in April to headline a CBC-TV 90-minute variety special, drummer Gary Peterson of Winnipeg will be with him. Cummings is a very busy young man. In March he will once more act as host of the annual Juno Awards to be telecast live from Toronto. By the way, Burton's Moscow trip was announced exclusively in an Entertainers page in this newspaper long before it was announced by CBC in Toronto. Bill and Sue-On Hillman, the Manitoba artists who record on the Maple Grove label, continue to turn out an amazing amount of product. Their latest on the market called The Hillman Express on the Road features mostly Bill Hillman originals. And the couple's new 45 with Why Me, Lord? on one side backed by One Night Stand (written by Hillman) is from their album On Tour in England. Bill and wife Sue-On now have six albums. They are both high school teachers who handle two careers simultaneously. A third member of the Hillman Express is keyboard man Kevin Pahl, who also lives in the same town, Strathclair, Man. He's a commercial pilot and pilots the group to more distant musical engagements when they add fiddle champ Barry Forman to the entourage. Stage West at the Regina Inn is currently featuring Tab Hunter in a show called 6 RMS RIV VU, running through Jan. 19. That was a popular Broadway production, and the title is short for 6 Rooms River View. |
Bevy of fine entertainers at Opry North
Radio station CHMM lined up a cavalcade of top-flight Canadian country performers for their Opry North production yesterday evening. A large, congenial audience was on hand fo rthe taping of the two, one-hour shows and judging from the pile of albums and tapes fans went home with, they enjoyed the music immensely. Bill and Sue-On Hillman from Strathclair, Man.,
returned from their second tour of England to serve up their rocking brand
of country. Sue-On's dynamic throaty vocals on Why Me, Lord made
for a high point
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OPRY NORTH Country Music Live at the Playhouse Theatre Sunday; December2 / 79 7:30 p.m. Starring Canada's Top Vocal Group The Family Brown Champion Fiddler Reg Bouvette |
George Brothers of Old Blue Ralph Carlson and Country Mile and featuring Harvey Henry and the Downs Show Band Tickets $5.00 and $6.00 plus tax - All Seats Reserved Tickets at ATO, CBO, and Country Music Centre LOVE THY COUNTRY |
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Winnipeg Tribune ~ November 29, 1979 STRATHCLAIR ARTISTS HAVE SIX ALBUMS
Bill and Sue-On are school teachers (having two careers), the son of Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Hillman of Newdale and the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Soo Choy, former cafe operator of Newdale and now operating a well known restaurant in Brandon. Kevin Pahl, another Strathclair resident is the third member and keyboard man. Kevin, a commercial pilot, pilots the group to their more distant engagements. TRIB LIFE STYLE by Mel Stover
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CHMM COUNTRY STEREO 97
December 17, 1979 Dear Bill & Sue-On:
Your enthusiasm and on stage performance helped to make this show one of the highlights of the entertainment season here in Winnipeg. I know that the rest of Canada will join in our praises once the show is aired on the Opry North Network. Once again, thank you for your help and co-operation
in our second fund raising venture in preparation for the 1980 Big Country
Convention here in Winnipeg. All of us on the committee appreciate it very
much.
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BILL and SUE-ON HILLMAN:
A +50-YEAR MUSICAL ODYSSEY
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2013/2020 - Bill and Sue-On Hillman
Contact: hillmans@wcgwave.ca