Storytelling is one of the oldest human art forms. Some of the stories and characters of the ages have been passed down while others have been forgotten with time. Enter Timothy Woodson, who loves storytelling and places a high value on telling stories that may have been forgotten or from a perspective some people may never experience. That passion for telling stories provided the inspiration for Woodson’s podcast and YouTube channel, HD The Garage.
Beginnings and inspiration
A Toledo native, Woodson was a rapper in the early 2000s, performing with the name B12 in multiple local venues, including the old Club Bijou (on N Superior St.). According to Woodson, the Toledo rap scene in the 2000s was “golden times.” Although he’s impressed with today’s Toledo area rap talent, he also believes that rappers today have a more difficult job. “Right now, there are so many flavors of artists. The internet makes things ‘muddy’, making it hard to find artists. [Years ago] you had to go out and find new artists and music (versus searching on a streaming service). It made seeing an artist in person feel more special,” Woodson explains.
Woodson also loves movies, citing The Shankshaw Redemption as his favorite film. He gives a nod to Toledo native, Eric Kripke, the creator of the TV show Supernatural as the inspiration for Woodson to make movies of his own. “I went to juvenile prison when I was 15 years old, and got out when I was turning 18. When I got out, I started making music videos for people as well as movies,” Woodson relates.
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Tying it all together
Driven by his love of storytelling and media, Woodson launched a podcast and a YouTube channel, HD The Garage, in the summer of 2022. “HD” refers to “high definition,” a common media phrase, and “The Garage” refers to the garage at his home, where he records the show. His podcast presents unique content, tying together the mediums Woodson loves. The first upload on the HD channel is his independent film Dirty Money The Movie (2004). His videos focus on his experiences and the stories of those he met in and out of the music scene. In 2023, he posted a series of episodes on his channel, Forgotten Beneath the Glass, shedding light on artists and individuals who have fallen on hard times. “I hear stories about other people that may not be heard by the entire community. I feel like it’s my job to bring some of those stories to light,” Woodson explains.
Looking ahead
Since launching, Woodson’s channel has reached 4M views on Facebook, and 8K subscribers on YouTube with 300K video views. Woodson is constantly working on the show’s interview format while planning to make new movies and posting content onto streaming platforms like Tubi.
Reflecting on the channel, Woodson says, “This provides a different view of Toledo. I love the music scene and I want to help it grow. I think there are amazing artists in Toledo, and I want to be a part of helping the scene move forward. And of course, I’m amazed with what you can accomplish by telling a story.”
For more information check out the YouTube Page youtube.com/@hdthegarage.
