Thea Wood’s work at HERizon Music, her remarkable Substack, is the outpouring of a life in music. As a kid growing up in suburban Detroit she soaked up the sounds of Motown and heard myriad tales of legendary shows. In late elementary, Thea’s mom took her and a group of girls from their church to see heartthrob and pop sensation Andy Gibb at an outdoor amphitheater. She was officially hooked.
At HERizon, Thea is placing a spotlight on female contributions to the world of music. She has taken a lifetime in and around music to find emerging talent and to tell forgotten stories. She has written about the hidden histories of pioneers like Judy Garland and Nina Simone while also helping to uncover and platform new artists in a variety of genres.
We began our chat where Thea started, in Detroit. She shares a great story about her father’s exploits as a young man and a notorious music hall known as the Walled Lake Casino. Thea shares the story of Detroit’s once booming Black Bottom neighborhood and the massive cultural impact it had on the city and on the country.
Thea shares her experience as part of the original team that built AOL Music and her current work with a company using VR to create immersive live music events. She is also creating an 80 page coloring and activity book about the history of women in music.
This is a chat full of tremendous stories from a life in and around sound. From the discussion of the gender limitations growing up with Rolling Stone to why local music is worth investing in, it's an amazing chat with an amazing woman. It even includes a story about a day at Disney World with John Freaking Lennon!
Hope ya dig it.
Cheers,
Matty C
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