Photo by Joe Nguyen

Wendy's world
Monica Ly, staff writer
Jan. 26, 2007

“Don’t do it,” Wendy Woo joked as she took a bite out of her pumpkin bread.

Her advice for getting into the music industry is initially startling. But all joking aside she replied, “Just do it. Do it and work hard … Now’s a really good time to do it because you have the internet.”

I believe her. Woo happens to be the Best Local Artist according to the Colorado Daily, a five-time winner of Westword’s Best Singer-Songwriter award, and the Independent Artist of the Year in 2003 for Hapi Skratch Entertainment.

She took a sip from her low-caffeinated chai tea. It is a downgrade from her daily two double lattes because she is expecting her first child in April.

“What’s exciting is you see a band like The Fray come out of a city like Denver, even a city like Arvada, and you see them play one or two shows and all of a sudden, they’re selling platinum records,” she said. “You can see the big dream happen and it’s exciting because you’ve always heard about this being able to happen, but to actually see it happen in your own hometown is great, and then it makes Denver a better music scene.”

In 1997, Woo released her first album, Angels in the Crowd. Her seventh album, Out of My Head Over You, is scheduled for a February release. Even though her lyrics come from her own personal experiences, Woo said that the title of her new album can have different meanings because it “depends on how you take it.”

Woo’s music spans different genres from pop-rock to acoustic to rock-and-roll. Woo picked up her first guitar when she was 18. Early in her career, she performed with local musicians.

Photo by Joe Nguyen Singer-songwriter Wendy Woo performs Oct. 26, 2006 at the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria Campus.

“I’ve been able to work with great musicians, and before I had the band that I’m in, I used to hire out different musicians, so I’ve worked with really great musicians,” she said. “But I’ve finally locked in with these two other people. We groove together, write well together, work well together, (and) we’re really good friends. For the first time in my life after working with so many great musicians, I’ve locked into a group that I really love.”

Her band, The Wendy Woo Trio, consists of herself, keyboard player Mitch DeZwartz, and her husband and drummer Chris Maestas. As the sole guitarist in the group, she said, “I have to step up as the guitar player. Before I had all these people on stage, (so) I could slack. But now I’m the only guitar player so I really have to be present and there.”

In addition to her music, Woo has expanded her music corporation. She keeps busy by booking, promoting and publicizing shows, as well as running her clothing and merchandise line. She teaches workshops at Swallow Hill for one-on-one music lessons, and makes annual appearances at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.

“The Fray put Denver on the map as a music town,” she said, “and as I stay here, I’m strengthening the music scene.”

For more information on Wendy Woo, visit her official website at http://www.wendywoo.com.

Monica Ly is a staff writer for AsiaXpress.com. Monica can be reached at monica.ly@colorado.edu.