Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello, friends. Stan Hoody, business editor with the Daily Gazette family of newspapers. Each week I travel across upstate's New York Capital region and meet interesting people talking about exciting things happening in their lives.
I also have the pleasure of working with a host of talented writers who cover a variety of topics on a weekly basis.
Some of those interactions begin as assignments, some as random meetings. But through these fortunate opportunities, I like to think that in some small way, each time they become friends.
Sydney Wordley is a capital region Thomas Edison Music Award winner, a talented singer, songwriter and musician. And I am lucky enough to truly call her a friend of the podcast.
She is making a triumphant return to Schenectady this Saturday after performing at Freedom park in the summer heat of 2024, taking the stage to open up this year's summer night on State Street.
And now she will own the stage highlighting the 56th Annual Schenectady County Holiday Parade Block Party.
At 3pm I caught up with Sydney on the eve of the holiday parade to talk about her travels, her, her set list for the block party, what she is working on, along with a few laughs about the holiday and how much she looks forward to the Schenectady County Holiday Parade.
Here's my friend, Sydney Wordley.
[00:01:31] Speaker B: Hey.
[00:01:32] Speaker A: Hello, Sydney. How are you?
[00:01:34] Speaker B: I'm good, thank you. How are you?
[00:01:36] Speaker A: Very good.
Thanks for calling. We are, of course, I put up.
We're one sleep away from the holiday.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Parade, which is crazy. It came up so fast.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: So I'm excited.
[00:01:53] Speaker B: Me too.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: Family's excited.
[00:01:55] Speaker B: Oh, good.
[00:01:56] Speaker A: And I just wanted to check in with you because you continue to make the rounds on the stages, like in Schenectady, because we talked about first being on the Freedom park stage and then you were on State street for summer night, kind of opening things up on that stage.
[00:02:15] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:02:15] Speaker A: Tomorrow you get to own it.
[00:02:18] Speaker B: I know. Which is crazy. Who let me do that? That's nuts.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: The.
What's it gonna be like, you know?
You mean you've done the shows? I mean, we'll talk about Cafe Luna, which was absolutely wonderful. But, like, when you own it, you're not opening or anything like that. You are truly headlining and you're it. All eyes are on you for like the first two hours tomorrow.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: Yeah. Which is nuts.
But it takes off a lot of the pressure of, like, I feel like as an opener, I try to, like, adapt my sound to whatever the headliner is, you know, like, try to. Because I feel like we, we like to branch out in a bunch of, like, different genres and we, we can sound Like, Cafe Lena was, like, stripped down, acoustic and very folksy. But, I mean, we got to rock it, like, only a few weeks before at summer night, you know, so it's.
I feel like we have the ability to be very versatile, but with this, it's just like we're putting all of our cards down on the table and we're like, hope you like it. You know, like, that sort of thing.
Which is daunting because.
But I'm so confident and I'm so happy with the rehearsals that we've had, and I'm just so excited to play. Like, I'm just so happy.
[00:03:41] Speaker A: And that's what I was gonna ask you about is, like, you said you had some ideas. You had the new album coming out for summer night, so you mix things up. When I first met you at Freedom park, it was a straight Taylor Swift sing along. Cause that's what it was at that point in time. Two years ago. Two plus years ago.
[00:03:57] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:03:58] Speaker A: Tomorrow you're kicking off the 56th annual Schenectady County Holiday Parade.
So is that a mix of the old, the new, the holiday? What. What. What can we hopefully hear? Because I do have one request from Mrs. Claus.
[00:04:18] Speaker B: Oh, gosh, that's a lot of pressure for Mrs. Claus. More important, I would say, than Mr. Claus, honestly. No, that's controversial.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: But, you know, women are united in this.
[00:04:29] Speaker B: Yes, yes. She's the one that's holding down the fort. You know, I think that you could expect everything that you've heard from me in the past. We're kind of combining all of it. This feels like a greatest hit sort of show.
We're doing the majority of, like, our upbeat originals. We're not doing anything too slow because we want, but the songs that we are doing that are a little slow. It's more of, like, appreciate the time of year where, like, you get to be with people that you love. More like sentimental sort of slow rather than sad slow.
We're doing some of my favorite covers, like 80s rock, 90s rock.
There is some Taylor Swift, because I can't resist. You know, me.
And yeah, there's some holiday tunes in there too, which I don't think I've ever done holiday tunes with my band, so this will be our first.
[00:05:22] Speaker A: So could this success on Schenectady Holiday Parade lead into a Sydney Wordley holiday album in. In 2026? Can I put that on my wish list?
[00:05:37] Speaker B: Honestly, if you tell me to do it, I'll do it. I need. I just need the green light. I'll. I'll do it for sure. I have to be super honest, and I've been very open about this. I'm not a huge Christmas song fan.
I.
There's nothing against them. It's just nothing that, like, I. I think I get sick of, like, hearing the same songs over and over again. But last year I did write an original, like, holiday song, so who knows, maybe that'll be out next year. But I do need some input on, like, which song people want to hear, so if you could, like, keep an ear out for me, that would be great.
[00:06:10] Speaker A: We may have to do some. We might do some live polling tomorrow. Great idea, because we will be at.
Shannon has announced that we are at the first stage.
[00:06:22] Speaker B: Very nice.
[00:06:22] Speaker A: We are not at the second stage.
We are at the first because we see the floats first.
[00:06:28] Speaker B: That's amazing.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: So we are now. She's officially been named. And Kathy gotta bought in. And we're now referred to as the first stage. And you're at the Proctor stage.
[00:06:38] Speaker B: Yay. That's so exciting. Look at us go. We've come so far since July.
[00:06:44] Speaker A: We got invited. We did this last year year, and we got invited back. So that was the big surprise.
[00:06:49] Speaker B: How is that a surprise? Of course you guys got invited back.
[00:06:52] Speaker A: I was like, I mean, we work pretty cheap, so I think that helps a lot.
That helps a lot. But we were pouring a lot into this one.
So the song request and from Mrs. Claus.
So for Mrs. Claus and the elves, mind you. So there's pressure on this request.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Okay. Are the reindeer involved? Or, like, was this a unanimous.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: The reindeer grazing this year.
[00:07:21] Speaker B: Gotcha. Okay, okay, okay.
[00:07:22] Speaker A: So Mrs. Claus and the two L's.
The request is the fate of Ophelia because they have been practicing the dance incessantly.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: So she didn't know if that was gonna. If they didn't know if that was going to be in the lineup.
And then we had to work out the timing of it for her availability with the elves because they have to be down at Schenectadia 5. They're gonna miss the tree lighting. So they were. So it was fate of Ophelia because they have the dance down. Last year, when she arrived, the dance party was, like, just, like, kind of kicking off really, like, towards that. 4, 34, 45.
[00:08:00] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:00] Speaker A: So now Mrs. Claus and the Ells will be there at least by 3, if not earlier.
[00:08:06] Speaker B: Gotcha.
[00:08:06] Speaker A: So they're very excited. They know all about you. They've listened huge. Swifties, the whole gang.
[00:08:12] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:08:13] Speaker A: So they're going to be over the moon with you and just the whole event. So Fate of Ophelia was their ask. So I didn't know if that was a possibility in the lineup because I know you've been rehearsing.
[00:08:24] Speaker B: We do have a very solid line, like, set list already with, like, transitions and everything like that. I'll ask the bands. Maybe we can figure it out during sound check because I have a feeling it won't be too difficult. It's pretty straightforward of a song, but I'll ask Will. Will I be, like, sacrificed to the elves if.
[00:08:42] Speaker A: No, they understand.
They understand. You know, you. They have their plans, they have their lineup, and then you have yours. So, I mean, this is a professional show. So, like, it's not like, open night, karaoke, yellow song, and then piano guys will play it. So. All right, so that was. That was. That was the top request.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:09:02] Speaker A: You talked about the holiday songs.
So the second request comes from Newsy.
[00:09:09] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:09:11] Speaker A: Newsy is hoping.
Christmas Tree Farm from Taylor Swift, the Standard.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: I didn't even think about adding that one. See, I. I feel like such a fake fan.
I didn't even think about adding that one. That's such a good call. I went with, like, the classic Christmas songs. Like, we went with the classics. Okay, so I'll give you a little hint. My favorite, that we're doing my favorite, like, Christmas song of all time. And I honestly think that you could listen to it year round is Last Christmas by Wham.
[00:09:42] Speaker A: Oh, Lord. Okay, so we're gonna lose out on that.
[00:09:45] Speaker B: Why?
[00:09:46] Speaker A: So I don't know if you knew this, but there's actually a contest that people go through.
How long can they go through the holiday season without hearing the Wham Song?
It's like a thing because so many people think it ruins their Christmas. And I'm like. I think it's a rite of passage. I'm like, if I don't hear it daily in the car, I've had a bad day.
[00:10:05] Speaker B: Yeah, no, it's a classic 80s Christmas song. What else would you ever want? You know, George Michael is serenading you about his heartbreak during Christmas. I don't know what's better.
So I'm gonna be ruining it for everybody before the tree even gets lit. So, okay.
Yeah. Just so everybody's aware. Maybe don't make them aware. It'll be like, oh, damn it. You know, like that sort of thing.
[00:10:26] Speaker A: The like. I mean, like I said, if you've got Wham, you've got Christmas Tree Farm. You've got your original you're, you're. You're knocking down three for next year's holiday release.
[00:10:38] Speaker B: Yeah, that's. That's true. That's true. And I. We got, we got a few more. We got like a couple more Christmas of the Christmas songs that I'm very excited about.
[00:10:46] Speaker A: Okay. So I'm just, I'm. I'm throwing these out for the album. They don't have to be. They may not be played tomorrow. We won't.
[00:10:51] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:10:51] Speaker A: Give the whole holiday lineup out. But just listening to you, I'm like, I've got to believe that on a Sydney Wordley holiday album. I think Sant. I. I think Santa Baby's got to be on there.
[00:11:07] Speaker B: On the holiday album.
[00:11:08] Speaker A: On the holiday album. I think yes.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: On the holiday album. Absolutely.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: I think that would have to come out.
[00:11:14] Speaker B: And I'm honestly, we're just copying Taylor's holiday album from like, what, 2006. I think that these are all the songs that she did. I think that we just do Sydney's version.
[00:11:24] Speaker A: Make it your own, you know, what are the holidays like for you and how. And how booked are you, you know, this time of year? Because it's not like a touring time of year. You know, you're indoors for the most part, except for the very high, well lit, heated, walled stage that the first stage does not have. Everything you have. We do not have.
[00:11:53] Speaker B: Is it heated? I didn't know any of this.
[00:11:56] Speaker A: There are walls and then there's usually like those big propane lamp type of things.
Last year we had no walls. We had one of those propane things and all the heat went down South Ferry street away from us.
[00:12:09] Speaker B: Very nice. Very nice.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: The wind blew through us and went down. So we heated most of the stockade with our heater.
[00:12:17] Speaker B: That's very generous of you guys, honestly.
[00:12:19] Speaker A: So this year they moved us down to the new Lily. Lily. Lily pad.
[00:12:24] Speaker B: Very nice.
[00:12:25] Speaker A: So we're on. We're in that area. We've been told. We'll know as you're doing sound check, we will find out where stage one is.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: I had no idea that it was going to be heated. I prepared, like wearing thermal stuff underneath all my outfits. Like Julia's going in a onesie and like planning to be. We might overheat. Like, this is going to be like, like the Scotia, like Freedom Park. We're gonna like. It's gonna be that hot. Apparently on stage we just were joking that this is like the exact opposite. We never had to play outside in the winter, but now it's gonna be just as hot the holidays are actually, like, I feel like this time of year, people don't expect it to ramp up. And a lot of, like, bars and venues don't really expect to have music, but then they're like, wait a second, why not? Why wouldn't we have music? You know, like, why wouldn't we want to get people together in that way?
And I think that it's really cool to spend time with, like, people that you might not regularly see.
Especially, like, I don't like saying the word fans, but, like, audience people that I've, like, I've just met throughout my time as a musician. Being able to see them at the end of the year and just kind of like, share that, like, sort of like, gratitude of, like, look at what we've done this year. This is. This is crazy. And especially with my bands, this is our last show of the year.
And so I'm just thrilled to be sharing a stage with them and how far we've come. Like, from the Eddies and from Summer Night and Cafe Lena and this, like, it's been a really awesome year. And so I'm just. I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be quite emotional tomorrow for sure. I'm a quite emotional person in general, but I think that this one's gonna really knock it out of the park for me.
And especially with the tree lighting. I don't know. Christmas makes me emotional, so I'm very excited about it.
[00:14:13] Speaker A: And I know from everything, from being there last year and then talking to a lot of different people and things like that, Last year was my first exposure to the Schickney County Holiday Parade.
And so it's like summer night.
It's that slow, fast build. Like three o', clock, you're like, oh, okay, I guess we're doing this thing. And then by 3:45, it really starts. And then forget it. By 4:30.
[00:14:44] Speaker B: That's amazing. That's incredible.
[00:14:46] Speaker A: It's like you need the diamond formation of the Secret Service to get out to your vehicle.
But I'm sure you've got. I'm sure you've got.
[00:14:56] Speaker B: We've got like, VIP parking. Yeah, the.
[00:15:01] Speaker A: And what's that like when you see it build? Because like I said, it was like summer night. Like, it started early. You were on. You know, you were down downstage, downstage street from the Main.
But you. You felt the. You saw. You physically on stage. You see the build.
So does that change you? Does that the. I mean, you guys feed off that and start building, building, building?
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Oh, absolutely. I I mean, I was talking to Jason yesterday. Like, he's been coordinating all of this.
And I. He was like, make sure that you, like, backlog your set. Like, make sure that you have, like, all. I'm like, we do that anyway. I just always go in expecting that people aren't planning on listening to music when they first get there. No matter how much you advertise it, people are always like, oh, wow, there's a stage here. You know, like, that sort of thing, which is so fun for me to watch people, like, get, like, a surprise present, you know, like that sort of thing of, like.
So it was kind of like that last year where we saw it fill out. Like, when we first started between soundcheck and when we started, I was like, oh, it's not that much different. But then you saw people walking. Like, I could see all the way down the street because it was broad daylight. You could see people just start, like, walking down towards you. And then we couldn't get anywhere once we got off stage. I was trying to go to the, like, do the interview with you afterwards, and I was, like, having to, like, elbow people. I won't elbow people this time, I swear. That was not a good look for me, especially around Mrs. Claus. I won't do that.
But I think that it's just. It's a really cool feeling to, like, see people, like, notice and see people, like, start to pay attention and get excited themselves, you know, Because I think that a lot of people, when they go to an event like this, they don't really know what to expect. Even if they went last year, they're kind of like, okay, what's different this year? And then when they see what's going on and it's kind of like we're inviting them in, which is just such a cool feeling.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: And how much I watched Cafe Lena. I was there.
[00:17:00] Speaker B: Oh, thank you.
[00:17:00] Speaker A: I was there.
We can joke around about milk and cookies.
[00:17:06] Speaker B: Our little inside joke with the people.
[00:17:08] Speaker A: At Cafe Lena, from Cafe Lena and those who watch from afar, how it was a great show.
[00:17:16] Speaker B: Thank you so much.
[00:17:17] Speaker A: It was. And everybody looked.
Looked like they had so much fun and it sounded so good.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:17:24] Speaker A: In that intimate setting and things like that. So, I mean, how big of a year has this been for Sydney Worthy?
[00:17:33] Speaker B: I honestly haven't taken the chance to, like, stop and think about it until actually this conversation, which. And I'll be, like, thinking about it tomorrow as well. Like, just like, I wanna. I keep wanting to top what I did last year and the years before that. In different ways. And maybe it's doing the same event, but just like me wanting to outdo myself.
But headlining Cafe Lena is.
It's such a big deal and I usually don't let myself like revel in it until after the fact. Like maybe even like months or like a year after the fact. But on stage, I don't know if you saw. I was. I was like crying on stage because it was like I. I just like couldn't believe that people showed up. You know, any local artist knows that getting people to show up to a show that you have to like pay to get in is like pulling teeth. And rightfully so. People have their own plans, people have whatever they want to do and the world doesn't revolve around me and it shouldn't. But for that night, it just felt like my people showed up for me, my band showed up for me and they just did their absolute best. And so.
And then like summer night coming right before that is such like completely different shows, but the same feeling of just feeling like, like almost like an I made it moment, you know. And I'm looking forward to having that again tomorrow and hopefully many more next year.
[00:18:58] Speaker A: All right, so I will once again reveal my Christmas wish.
What we've made very public on the Stan and Shen show podcast for Belmont 2026. This is the last one.
[00:19:15] Speaker B: Yep. Yes.
[00:19:16] Speaker A: The place is actually built. It actually got built, which is amazing. Down Belmont park did get built and they will be racing next year. So that we have. This is the guaranteed last Belmont and I'm like, I say we go all local.
So publicly Shannon and I have announced that we want an all local lineup. We. We want three acts. We don't want two.
We want, in no particular order for the first two because the last one we gotta probably pay money for a lot of money. So between yourself and Sawyer Fredericks, we want that to be the two. And then naturally we're having you close out together.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:19:59] Speaker A: So you are co opening headliners is how I envision it.
And then we're gonna close out Belmont on Broadway and we're gonna fly in Dirty Honey.
[00:20:11] Speaker B: Oh my God.
[00:20:12] Speaker A: Whose lead singer is Mark LaBelle from Clifton Park.
His dad Gary, I work with at the Daily Gazette. And once again I have the claim to fame of Mark Lebel's first ever interview as a pee wee hockey player at Clifton Park Arena. And now he's playing out overseas and everywhere sold out shows, stadium opening for Guns N Roses at spac.
And so that's my, that's my holiday wish is that we get an all local Belmont.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: And I can't tell you how happy my dad would be about that. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but my dad used to race horses. That was like his. He went to school for it. That's his passion. So our passions colliding for a day like that would be so special between us.
So I. Whenever you want me, I'll be there. And I will be there with Sawyer and with Dirty Honey. That'll be freaking amazing.
[00:21:07] Speaker A: So, yeah, Gary's got to do the work on Dirty Honey because there's, you know, there's a lot of guys and a lot of gear.
[00:21:16] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: So it's. I don't know what the budget is for it. They don't want to tell us that.
[00:21:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:21:21] Speaker A: But I know we can. I think we should make it a local finale and things like that. If it doesn't happen.
[00:21:29] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:21:30] Speaker A: There is a conversation about continuing the tradition of doing a Broadway show every track season.
[00:21:40] Speaker B: Oh.
[00:21:42] Speaker A: So one way or the other before I retire, who knows how long from now?
I told them when I first started, I told them I'd give them 15 years. And after that they had to talk to Rita. So we got 10 years left for this to happen. So minimum.
[00:21:55] Speaker B: Okay. Okay.
[00:21:57] Speaker A: I think this. I think we need to have this happen. I think we need to have Sidney and Sawyer, I mean, on Broadway for kickoff, Saratoga, whether it's the last week of July type of thing, I think we need to have that happen.
And what's better than Christmas in July where Sydney plays her original holiday song on Broadway in July. Right.
And then what's the whistle for that? That award winning holiday album. And then.
And then Sawyer's always working on stuff. And I know, I know Sundays are his big. His big day, so he likes to release new stuff. So I'm gonna get you out of here with, you know, you know what's coming. The last question, the tough question, what's next?
[00:22:48] Speaker B: That is such a tough question. I actually do have some things that are next. So I'm actually. I'll be racing out of the parade to go to a show up in Hudson. So if anybody wants to be traveling with me up to Hudson, I have a show at Park Theater, Hudson. I'll be opening for Frankie White.
I have a few local shows, some like bar, bar shows and stuff like that. They're all on my website. But like the big, big one, I'm opening for Elise Trau at empire live.
That's February 20th. So that's gonna be a full band. We're going full pop. We're not making ourselves small at all. So we're going all out for that one. And I'm super excited. So I'll be there with, like, I'll be at the parade with tickets and stuff like that. People want to come and chat.
Yeah, I'm. I'm just. I'm really excited to kick off the new year like that.
[00:23:38] Speaker A: Okay, so I will be zipping by, I believe, with Newsy during sound check, so we're not hard to spot.
[00:23:47] Speaker B: Okay, sounds good then.
[00:23:48] Speaker A: I think. I'm pretty sure. I think the whole gang will be in tow.
[00:23:53] Speaker B: Perfect.
[00:23:53] Speaker A: Depends on how long soundcheck goes. But I know you go on at 3 anyhow, so your sound check's not gonna take forever. So we may not see it for soundcheck, but we're gonna definitely see it for the kickoff.
And Mrs. Claus and the gang and head elf will be there, and then myself with Newsy and Shannon. And so, yeah, the media will be there for you once again. And obviously the streaming with WTN and also on the Daily Gazette Facebook page.
You know, our Facebook page will kick off at 5, and WTN is. Is going to be there throughout. We're going to do a live. We're going to do a live. Just as you're getting underway there.
We're doing one at three and one at four, so we're going to make sure you're in the background.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Again, thank you so much. I really appreciate you, Stan.
[00:24:39] Speaker A: I. I just. This is one of those things that, you know, when I saw your name come across from Kathy, I was, like, so tickled. I was, like, immediately texted her, and I'm like, again, yes, the right call. And.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: Well, I. I fully thank you for this because you put it into people's brains. You did. You absolutely did. This is. I owe all of this to you. You're completely credited for this happening. So thank you so much, and thank you for vouching for me and continuing to fight for me. I really appreciate it.
[00:25:09] Speaker A: Absolutely. And then, so maybe fate of Ophelia. I'm going to soften the. I'm going to tell them the lineups already made, so there's no. So there's no guarantees, but they appreciate. But you appreciated the thought, and you're like, ooh, so.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: And if they want to do, like, a dance between sound check, I'll make like. I'll do a video with them or something like that, because I love data Ophelia and I know the dance as well, so.
[00:25:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:25:32] Speaker B: We want to do something like that. I'm completely down.
[00:25:34] Speaker A: All right, I will. I will send that message out.
I will. I will get the. I will get that reindeer delivered.
[00:25:41] Speaker B: Okay, perfect.
Sounds good.
[00:25:44] Speaker A: And we'll know, and I'll send you a text.
[00:25:46] Speaker B: Okay, perfect. Thank you so much. I'll see you tomorrow.
[00:25:48] Speaker A: You got it. Thank you, Sydney.
[00:25:50] Speaker B: All right. Bye. Bye. Thank you.
[00:25:52] Speaker A: Thank you for listening. And thanks to all of my friends, old and new, who have made this possible.
[00:25:57] Speaker B: Kayla Ek, owner and director of the Nightmare Market and the Nightmare Expo. Shenandoah Brayer, the promotions coordinator for the downtown Schenectady improvement Corporate.
Rita Garrett, hoodie, aka Mrs. Stan, or Stan's wife, Mrs. Claus, in the Schenectady county holiday parade.
[00:26:15] Speaker A: Until next time, be well.
