This weekend WEXT Sunday evening DJ Laura Glazer announced her radio show Hello Pretty City will conclude in early November. As a longtime listener and friend, I wanted to share a mix-tape to thank her for the last 16 years.
Track One: Put Your Records On
When I tune in to Hello Pretty City, I imagine it takes place in the 1978 classic movie Thank God Its Friday—but instead of a man in tight pants playing disco, I picture a women big hair and big attitude sitting in a booth filled with records, looking for just the right song for the feeling of the moment. Every week, Laura somehow knows what songs need to be heard. Funky or folky or French or twee, each selection seems perfectly picked--each episode a love letter to me, to you, to our little (pretty) city.
Track Two: Having a Party
Since its debut in 2002, Hello Pretty City became more than a radio show. Sure the show (and its’ stations) sponsored concerts where the like-minded could meet, but it also became a kind of community onto itself. Arts events, craft fairs, collage nights—they all pulled together people who seemed to love the show, or would if they knew of it. HPC has an aesthetic: Bright and hopeful, approachable with a touch of nostalgia.
Track Three: Je Ne Veuz Pas Travailler
Laura doesn’t just play songs, she tells us why it makes her head tingle, or where she was the first time she heard it—like we were all her closest friends.
Her ability to make everything special goes far beyond our weekly mixtape—from photographing a man handwriting the Bible to reprinting historical Albany ephemera to creating cheeky postcards. Laura's artful approach to Albany never fails to make me (and so many others!) proud of fun, quirky city and its hidden treasures.
Track Four: All I Can
In a 2015 TedX talk, Laura talked about her path to Albany and how the show changed her. She said listeners aren’t just listening for the music, they’re listening for her voice. “My voice is the soundtrack to how it feels to live here.” Some shows have that magic—and Hello Pretty City certainly has made us smile and remember we’re in a pretty place that should be greeted every morning.
Track Five: Suzanne
Then in 2016, Laura headed to Portland, Oregon, to take on new adventures. Lucky for us, she has continued to host Hello Pretty City on WEXT, like a weekly calling card from far away. Her Instagram chronicles her continued search for beauty in the mundane—I personally love the various fonts she encounters.
Track Six: Working Women’s Blues
And now it’s time for something new. As Laura stated in her weekly newsletter, she is being pulled to new projects--from researching a forgotten poet to setting up with Portland Correspondence Coop. It's not easy to hear, but it is time for Hello Pretty City to evolve. WEXT has been a great advocate for and partner to Hello Pretty City. We're lucky to have a station so dedicated to appreciating local talents.
Track Seven: Rock & Roll
Laura will still be Laura (fingers crossed for some Spotify playlists!), focused on new endeavors. I cannot wait to see what she does next!
Laura--Thank you! For reminding us about our pretty city. For showcasing the special. And playing some kick-ass tunes. Please keep showing us what the world looks like to you, and please keep sharing the music!
Yours in music,
Melissa
@MsMansfield