Wendy Woo
GenresPop, rock, funk, blues, folk, jazz
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
LabelsWooMusic
Websitewendywoo.com

Wendy Woo is a singer/songwriter in Colorado.[1][2][3][4] She is also known for her guitar work, especially using her acoustic guitar as a percussion instrument.[5][6][7][8][9] Woo is one of a small number of Colorado performers to win the Westword Music Awards five times (after that, a five-time winner becomes ineligible and is named a member of the Westword Hall of Fame).[10][11]

Woo plays both acoustic and electric guitar. She performs both as a solo and with her band. She has recorded more than 100 original songs in a variety of genres: folk, jazz, blues, funk, rock, and pop.[12][13][14][15][16]

During her career, she has been associated with three different Colorado music scenes: Boulder/Nederland, then Denver, and now Northern Colorado. Because Woo is so popular in Colorado, she has been called the "Queen of the Denver Scene,"[17] the "Denver DIY queen,"[18] and the "queen of the local scene."[19] She has toured nationally, but Colorado has always been her homebase. "I know that I do get lumped into that hometown artist thing but ... well, the bottom line is that I love it here."[20]

Childhood with the Beats

Wendy Woo is the daughter of Bataan and Jane Faigao, founding faculty members of Naropa University in Boulder.[21][22]

In 1982, Jane coordinated a 10-day conference at Naropa to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Jack Kerouac's book, On the Road. Among those involved with the conference were notable members of the Beat Generation, including Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gary Snyder, Gregory Corso, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, plus others influenced by the Beats, including Ken Kesey, Hunter S. Thompson, Abbie Hoffman, Timothy Leary, and Paul Krassner.[23][24][25][26][27] According to author Brian Hassett, "It was every major Beat figure alive at the time, except Gary Snyder who was officially off building a zendo (a Buddhist meditation hall) in California ..."[28]

The Faigao home became a gathering spot for this group whenever they were in Boulder and Woo got to know them well.[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] Her song, "One Way Ticket,"[39] mentions growing up as a "beatnik's kid," and Gregory Corso teaching her how to play poker.[40] One of Ginsberg’s photos shows William Burroughs in the Faigao home.

The family would stay with Allen Ginsberg whenever they were in New York.[41][42] He dedicated a poem, "In My Kitchen in New York – for Bataan Faigao," to her father, which Ginsberg recites on video while doing tai chi.[43][44] (The Faigaos started the tai chi program at Naropa.)[45]

Woo and her father did an album of music and poetry together,[46] Ecolalia, which was named by both the Denver Post and Westword as one of the top 10 Colorado albums of 2001.[47][48]

Music career

Music training

While Woo grew up singing, she didn't start playing the guitar until she was 18 and wanted to accompany herself. She began writing songs and performing in songwriting circles. After a year of that, she decided she wanted to become more serious about music and went to the University of New Mexico to study classical guitar. One year later, she transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder where she studied guitar, jazz, jazz theory, percussion, music theory, and composing.[49]

Early career

She got her professional start in music when she became one of the first employees at the Fox Theatre, both tending bar and as a performer.[50][51][52][53][54] (Rolling Stone named the Fox the fourth best music club in the country.)[55] One of Woo's early achievements was to win a spot on the 1999 Lilith Fair as a Village Stage performer.

Colorado music significance

Woo has been an integral part of three different Colorado music scenes: First Boulder/Nederland.[56][57] The three Boulder papers, the Daily Camera, the Colorado Daily, and the Boulder Weekly, named her "best singer/songwriter," "best local artist," and "best local musician," respectively.[58] When FoodNation with Bobby Flay taped the Boulder episode, Woo and her band were the featured musicians.[59]

Then Denver.[60][61][62][63][64] "Having moved from Boulder to Denver ... it's such a short distance, but it's an amazingly different scene."[65] She sang the theme song for Denver's Fox 31's Good Day Colorado morning show; she was featured in the promo singing it from a downtown rooftop.[66] Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, then mayor of Denver, performed her wedding ceremony.[67][68]

And now that she lives in Loveland, she is part of the growing[69][70] Northern Colorado music scene.[71][72][73] Oskar Blues Brewery named a beer after her: Woo Woo Wheat.[74] A Northern Colorado magazine put her on its cover as one of "NoCo's Mothers of Rock N' Roll."[75] She was recognized by fellow musicians as the best singer/songwriter in Northern Colorado in 2018. And fans also named her best Northern Colorado singer/songwriter.

Because of each of her albums reflects her life at the time, different Colorado locations have resulted in different albums. Walking the Skyline was, for example, her "love song" to Denver.[76] As one reviewer noted, "Woo's strongest asset is her own original music. Thoroughly Colorado ..."[77]

WooMusic Inc.

Woo has always run her own music career. In 2004, she created a corporation, WooMusic, Inc.,[78] and has done her own recording, producing, booking, publicity, and publishing.[79][80][81][82] She has been called a "one-woman music industry."[83] And she has been a role model for other Colorado female singer/songwriters.[84][85] Said one, “Well, we learned it all from Wendy Woo, didn’t we?” [86]

Through much of her career, she averaged 200 shows a year (though less now that she has three small children).[87][88][89][90][91][92] Live shows have been her form of music distribution; the more shows she played, the more CDs she sold directly to fans.[93]

In addition to her own work, Woo produced 10 songs on Sally Taylor's first album.[94][95][96][97] She was also a contributor to Taylor's 2014 Consenses project.[98]

Vocal chord surgery and recovery

Woo had vocal chord surgery in 2013 to remove cysts. She has fully recovered and continues to perform.[99][100]

Personal life

Woo lives in Loveland, Colorado and has three children.

Woo is a member of the Filipino American community. Her father, of Filipino/Chinese descent, was born in Cebu City, Philippines, and immigrated to New York City in 1964 to attend NYU. Her grandfather, Cornelio Faigao, was a famous Filipino poet, writer, and educator.[101][102][103][104][105] Her aunt is the playwright, Linda Faigao-Hall.[106][107][108]

Discography

  • Angels in the Crowd (1997)
  • Wide Awake and Dreaming (1999)
  • Ecolalia (2000)
  • Gonna Wear Red (2002)
  • Walking the Skyline (2004)
  • Angels Laughing (2005)
  • Luxury (2007)
  • Saving Grace (2009)
  • Austerity (2011)
  • Live (2013)
  • Live at the Dickens Opera House (DVD) (2013)
  • Tipping Point (2015)
  • The Immigrant (2019)

References

  1. ↑ Harden, Mark (September 17, 1999). "Wooing them. Boulder native Wendy Woo proves she's a songwriter and singer, too". Denver Post.
    • Sherwood, Kristen (July 26, 2001). "Playing Around: Rubber Planet & Wendy Woo". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
    • Basquez, Anna (April 19, 2002). "Wendy Woo pours life experiences into songs". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
    • Brown, Mark (May 17, 2002). "Easy Writer: Words Flow from a Personal Place for Wendy Woo". Rocky Mountain News.
    • "warrior woo". The Salina (KS) Journal. June 14, 2003.
    • Stonehouse, Andy (June 24, 2005). "LIVE AND ALONE - Wendy Woo's solo acoustic CD is one for the fans". Boulder Daily Camera.
    • Kale, Wendy (December 18, 2008). "Catching up with Wendy Woo - Singer-songwriter talks about her new band and new day job". Boulder Daily Camera.
  2. ↑ Davis, French (April 15, 2011). "Five Questions with Colorado Singer/Songwriter Wendy Woo". Yellow Scene. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Thornberry, Darren (October 28, 2014). "Wendy Woo and band ready to rock Broomfield". Broomfield Enterprise. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  4. ↑ DJ Alchemy. "The History Of: Colorado Music". The History Of. KCSU. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  5. ↑ Stanley, J. Adrian (June 16, 2006). "Wooing Donors". The (Colorado Springs, CO) Gazette. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. ↑ Green, Joshua (November 29, 1995). "Pitching Woo". Westword. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Wendy Woo Playing 'Late Night Sunrise/Surprise Me'". YouTube. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Wendy Woo Playing 'Down and Dirty'". YouTube. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Demuth, Gary (June 7, 2015). "Wendy Woo returns to festival stage for first time in 9 years". Salina (KS) Journal. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  10. ↑ Herrera, Dave (July 22, 2004). "The Westword Music Showcase Awards wrap-up". Westword. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  11. ↑ Kresge, Chris. "The Colorado Sound S8 EP13 April 2014". The Colorado Sound. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  12. ↑ Darcangelo, Vince (April 29, 2004). "Music-school dropout". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  13. ↑ Luger, Kara (July 29, 2004). "Wooed Over". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  14. ↑ Kale, Wendy (December 17, 2008). "Q&A: Catching up with Wendy Woo". Boulder Daily Camera. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  15. ↑ Chilcoat, Lynette (May 31, 2012). "Spend an evening with Wendy Woo". The (Loveland, CO) Daily Reporter-Herald.
  16. ↑ Thornberry, Darren (October 28, 2014). "Wendy Woo and band ready to rock Broomfield". Broomfield Enterprise. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  17. ↑ Stonehouse, Andy (June 24, 2005). "LIVE AND ALONE - Wendy Woo's solo acoustic CD is one for the fans". Boulder Daily Camera.
  18. ↑ Roberts, Michael (March 22, 2007). "The Wendy Woo Trio". Westword. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  19. ↑ Glasgow, Greg (March 23, 2007). "And then there were three - Wendy Woo debuts her trio on new CD". Boulder Daily Camera.
  20. ↑ Stonehouse, Andy (June 24, 2005). "LIVE AND ALONE - Wendy Woo's solo acoustic CD is one for the fans". Boulder Daily Camera.
  21. ↑ Rubino, Joe (September 29, 2012). "Bataan Faigao, Naropa professor and T'ai-chi teacher, dies on pilgrimage to China". Boulder Daily Camera. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  22. ↑ Birman, Lisa. "Bataan and Jane Faigao Endowed Scholarship for Traditional Eastern Arts". Naropa Magazine. No. Fall 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  23. ↑ Hassett, Brian (2013-06-18). "Who-all was there — Boulder '82". Brianland. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  24. ↑ Slater, Wayne (July 22, 1982). "Beat Generation to hail its author". Spokane (WA) Chronicle. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Kerouac Conference opening". Heritage West. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "The "On the Road" Conference poster". Third Mind Books. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  27. ↑ Hale, Peter (2015-03-28). "Remembering Jack Kerouac - 1". The Allen Ginsberg Project. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  28. ↑ Hassett, Brian (2013-06-18). "Who-all was there — Boulder '82". Brianland. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  29. ↑ Ginsberg, Allen. "Anne Waldman, orator poet directress of Naropa Institute Poetics School at Jane Faigao's table, August 15th, 1985. Robert Frank's The Americans under her wrist". Anne Waldman. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  30. ↑ Ginsberg, Allen. "Suave Harry Smith at dining room table, Naropa Party at Batan & Jane Faigo's house, Boulder, Colo". Harry Smith Archives. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  31. ↑ Kashner, Sam (February 3, 2004). When I Was Cool: My Life at the Jack Kerouac School. Harper. pp. 114, 228–9. ISBN 978-0060005665. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  32. ↑ Brou, Derek (October 3, 2008). "The World of Wendy Woo". Asian Avenue Magazine.
  33. ↑ Rucker, Rudy (December 6, 2011). Nested Scrolls: The Autobiography of Rudolf von Bitter Rucker. Tor Books. pp. 173–4. ISBN 978-0765327529.
  34. ↑ Roark, Randy (October 2013). "A Poet's Progress: Poetic Apprentice – Life Lessons from Ginsberg, Snyder and Whalen". Newtopia. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  35. ↑ Roark, Randy. "March 8, 2002 "The Life and Times of Jane Faigao"". RandyRoark.com. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  36. ↑ "My sister and I playing at the beach with author Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) in Oregon". The Wendy Woo Band Facebook page. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  37. ↑ Kopp, Zack (February 9, 2015). The Denver Beat Scene (History & Guide). The History Press. pp. 14, 76, 107, 110–13. ISBN 978-1626197794.
  38. ↑ Ginsberg, Allen. "Gregory Corso serious, straightforward looking at me on Jane Faigao's patio". National Gallery of Art. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  39. ↑ Woo, Wendy. "One Way Ticket". Wendy Woo @ReverbNation. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  40. ↑ Kopp, Zack (February 9, 2015). The Denver Beat Scene (History & Guide). The History Press. pp. 111–12. ISBN 978-1626197794.
  41. ↑ Crowl, Douglas (October 15, 2004). "Artist to share personal songs at benefit". The (Loveland, CO) Daily Reporter-Herald.
  42. ↑ "Sitting in Allen Ginsberg's apartment in Manhattan. 'Bird In A Cage' from Wendy's first album was inspired by this view". The Wendy Woo Band Facebook page. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  43. ↑ Ginsberg, Allen. "In My Kitchen in New York – for Bataan Faigao". YouTube. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  44. ↑ "Allen Ginsberg Does Tai Chi". The Allen Ginsberg Project. 2010-12-09. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  45. ↑ "In Memoriam: Bataan Go Faigao (1944-2012)". Naropa Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  46. ↑ Glasgow, Greg (June 15, 2001). "A family project for Wendy Woo". Boulder Daily Camera.
  47. ↑ "Best sights and sounds of 2001". Denver Post. December 30, 2001.
  48. ↑ "Our Town". Westword. January 10, 2002. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  49. ↑ "Wendy Woo Interview". FEMMUSIC.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  50. ↑ Green, Joshua (November 29, 1995). "Pitching Woo". Westword. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  51. ↑ Watt, Laura (December 9, 2001). "Independent spirit fames Woo Savvy local favorite doesn't fret success". Denver Post.
  52. ↑ Roberts, Michael (April 29, 2004). "Wendy Woo". Westword. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  53. ↑ Darcangelo, Vince (April 29, 2004). "Music-school dropout". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  54. ↑ Kale, Wendy (December 17, 2008). "Q&A: Catching up with Wendy Woo". Boulder Daily Camera. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  55. ↑ "The Best Clubs in America". Rolling Stone. March 28, 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  56. ↑ Bond, Laura (November 11, 1999). "Boulder Rocks". Westword. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  57. ↑ Asakawa, Gil (Summer 2002). "Boulder Musicians Make Music and History". Boulder Magazine. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  58. ↑ Rice, Rick. "Colorado Music Archive". RARWRITER.com. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  59. ↑ "Fabulous Flippers, Mark Selby and Wendy Woo to headline festival acts". The Salina (KS) Journal. June 7, 2003.
  60. ↑ Beaumonts, Stephen. "48 Hours Denver: The Best of a City in Two Days". National Geographic Traveler. Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  61. ↑ Kerr, Anna Beaty (April 30, 2004). "Denver favorite travels west". The (Grand Junction, CO) Daily Sentinel.
  62. ↑ Kennedy, Lesley (September 5, 2002). "Idol Thoughts". Rocky Mountain News.
  63. ↑ "Wendy Woo Interview". FEMMUSIC.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  64. ↑ "Going pro - Wendy Woo finally quits her day job". Boulder Daily Camera. May 31, 2002.
  65. ↑ Luger, Kara (July 29, 2004). "Wooed Over". Colorado Springs Independent.
  66. ↑ Husted, Bill (April 20, 2008). "No need to get the Joe on the road for this benefit gig". Denver Post.
  67. ↑ Herrera, Dave (August 20, 2010). "Woo hoo! Wendy Woo tying the knot. Hizzoner Hick tapped to officiate". Westword.
  68. ↑ "Woo-Snyder". (Loveland CO) Daily Reporter-Herald. August 27, 2010.
  69. ↑ Baca, Ricardo (March 15, 2013). "Fort Collins music scene: Northern Colorado meets South by Southwest". Denver Post. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  70. ↑ Udell, Erin (December 28, 2014). "Investments in local music to surge in 2015". The (Fort Collins, CO) Coloradoan. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  71. ↑ Davis, Joyce (June 10, 2010). "Wendy Woo in a good place". The (Loveland, CO) Daily Reporter-Herald.
  72. ↑ "Q&A: The Wendy Woo Band @ FoCoMX". BandWagon Magazine. April 24, 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  73. ↑ Udell, Erin (April 20, 2015). "Your guide to FoCoMX 2015". Coloradoan. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  74. ↑ "Oskar Blues menu" (PDF). Oskar Blues. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  75. ↑ "Mothers of Rock and Roll". Scene Magazine. May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  76. ↑ Jefferson, Elana (June 19, 2005). "THREE QUESTIONS - An acoustic Woo pens new chapter". Denver Post.
  77. ↑ Sherwood, Kristen (July 26, 2001). "Playing Around: Rubber Planet & Wendy Woo". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  78. ↑ Colorado Department of State.
  79. ↑ Watt, Laura (December 9, 2001). "Independent spirit fames Woo Savvy local favorite doesn't fret success". Denver Post.
  80. ↑ Mulson, Jen (July 27, 2001). "Lure of success in big city can't Woo musician away". The (Colorado Springs) Gazette.
  81. ↑ Davis, French (April 15, 2011). "Five Questions with Colorado Singer/Songwriter Wendy Woo". Yellow Scene. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  82. ↑ Gardner, John (June 8, 2011). "Centennial Park Concert Series begins with the Wendy Woo Band". (Rifle, CO) Citizen Telegram. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  83. ↑ Harden, Mark (September 17, 1999). "Wooing them. Boulder native Wendy Woo proves she's a songwriter and singer, too". Denver Post.
  84. ↑ Roberts, Michael (April 29, 2004). "Wendy Woo". Westword. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  85. ↑ "Wendy Woo Interview". FEMMUSIC.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  86. ↑ Carney, Brian (August 18, 2008). "Wendy Woo @ the Oriental Theater". Reverb. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  87. ↑ Watt, Laura (December 9, 2001). "Independent spirit fames Woo Savvy local favorite doesn't fret success". Denver Post.
  88. ↑ "warrior woo". The Salina (KS) Journal. June 14, 2003.
  89. ↑ Darcangelo, Vince (April 29, 2004). "Music-school dropout". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  90. ↑ Singleton, Valerie (June 9, 2006). "What's new with Woo?". The (Longmont, CO) Daily Times-Call.
  91. ↑ Palmer, Cyndi (August 1, 2008). "Wendy Woo the woman to watch". Sky-Hi Daily News. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  92. ↑ "Wendy Woo Band at the Lagoon July 23". Today@Colorado State University. July 17, 2014.
  93. ↑ Aguilar, John (May 28, 2004). "Illegal downloads? Local bands like the promotion". BizWest. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  94. ↑ Harper, John (May 30, 1999). "Sally Taylor Having Fun Making a Name for Herself". The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot.
  95. ↑ Harden, Mark (November 13, 1998). "Sally Taylor in top voice for parties". Denver Post.
  96. ↑ Roberts, Michael (March 3, 1999). "Taylor Made". Westword. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  97. ↑ Tortorici, Frank (November 12, 1999). "Sally Taylor Rocks Gently Like Her Parents". MTV.
  98. ↑ "Chain #22". Consenses. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  99. ↑ "Wendy Woo Undergoes Vocal Chord Surgery, Returns with Live DVD, Album". Scene Magazine. May 30, 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  100. ↑ "Wendy Woo Band at the Lagoon July 23". Today@Colorado State University. July 17, 2014.
  101. ↑ Evasco, Marjorie (December 2003). "Cornelio Faigao: Imagining Cebu, or the Phenomenology of the Romantic Imagination". Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society. 31 (4): 331–346. JSTOR 29792539.
  102. ↑ Faminiano, Abner. "Cornelio F. Faigao Rediscovered". Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  103. ↑ Parrone, Aline (July 8, 2002). "The day Cornelio came home". Sanrokan News Magazine. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  104. ↑ Cudis, Nancy. "Two verses from "Canto Voice" by Cornelio F. Faigao". The Memoriter Blobs. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  105. ↑ Mercado, Juan (June 8, 2013). "Redeeming "IOUs"". (Bacolod City, Philippines) Visayan Daily Star. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  106. ↑ Storhoff, Gary (2002). Asian American Playwrights: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 57–62. ISBN 978-0-313-31455-1. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  107. ↑ de Manuel, Dolores (2005). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic American Literature, Vol. 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 691–2. ISBN 978-0313330612. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
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