The Western Union group is unique in that it features Chinese-born Sue-On Hillman as drummer and lead vocalist. Husband Bill does the groups writing and is featured on lead guitar and vocals. A popular feature of this album as well as of their live appearances is the distinctive vocal duets by Bill and Sue-On. An integral part of the groups sound is provided by the third member of the band -- Barry Forman -- who supplies solid backing on electric bass as well a soloing on cajun, old-time, or electric rock fiddle.

Also featured on this album are the fine talents of Larry Clark, a leading Brandon jazz musician and Ted Paley, one of Winnipeg's top session musicians.

September 5, 1973

Mr. Bill Hillman
Box 280, Strathclair, Manitoba

Dear Bill:

I have been playing your recent album and single today and must say, I'm very impressed!

I especially liked your own compositions, and of the four my favourite is most certainly "In Sadness," Sue-on has, indeed, a lovely voice, and this she does to perfection!

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,
(Mrs.) Nancy Gyokeres
Editor, The Music Scene

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
BMIC announces winners in American Song Fest
BMIC Canada reports seven of their members were awarded prizes in the 1976 American Song Festival. The list is toopped by Calgary songwriter Ron Mahonin, who was a semifinalist in the annual competition's Top 40 category.

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.
 

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.

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.

Through the '70s and '80s we performed on many Opry North and CBC/CTV shows taped in Winnipeg's Playhouse Theatre and Centennial Concert Hall for national TV and radio broadcast.

Bevy of fine entertainers at Opry North
REVIEW: Opry North, Playhouse Theatre, Dec. 2, 1979
Winnipeg Free Press, Monday, December 3, 1979

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
 

STRATHCLAIR ARTISTS HAVE SIX ALBUMS
by Tracy Young ~ Brandon
"The Hillman Express on the Road" is the latest of  6 albums recorded by Bill and Sue-On Hillman, of Strathclair, featuring mostly Bill Hillman originals. A new 45 is from their album "On Tour in England", featuring "Why Me, Lord?" backed up by Bill Hillman's song, "One Night Stand."

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
Reprinted in the Strathclair Review from the Winnipeg Tribune, Dec. 17, 1979
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 side one 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 Paul, 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 of Rivers to the entourage.

Dear Bill & Sue-On: 
Please accept this letter of appreciation for the fantastic job you did on our recent "Opry North" show at the Playhouse Theatre, December 2, 1979.

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.
Sincerely,
Peter Grant ~ Chairman ~ Big Country Convention Committee, 1980.