HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-01-26, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012. PAGE 23.
“Canada’s Country Gentleman”
Tommy Hunter will be taking centre
stage at Blyth Memorial Hall on
March 19 for the last time as part of
a farewell tour.
Hunter, who turns 75 in March,
has been on tour for 60 years since
he left home at age 15 and decided
that he has reached the end of that
part of his life.
“I was sitting there looking at my
passport and realized I’m turning 75
soon,” he said with a laugh. “I
decided that when my touring ended
I wanted to do it as part of my game
plan.”
Hunter said he can still perform
and he can still play and he wants to
end things while that’s still true.
“I want to end on a high note,” he
said. “There are a lot of things you
can’t do at 75 that you can do at 25
but I’m still able to play and I don’t
want to disappoint my fans by
playing when I can’t.”
The show will be the same one
that fans have come to know and
love according to Hunter.
“We’re not going to make any
changes in the show,” he said. “We
have made slight changes over the
years but what most people come to
my show for is things they
remember and recognize.”
Hunter stated that he could start
playing songs from the “Top 20 hit
parades” but most of his fans
wouldn’t know or receive them well.
“My audience wants familiar
songs,” he said. “These are the songs
that I grew up with and have
performed a million times.”
He said that part of why he plays is
because people enjoy the music due
to its familiarity and they really get
into it.
“I don’t like to disappoint and
when I see people singing along
with me and tapping their toes I
know that they’re enjoying it,” he
said. “The few younger people in the
audience, who usually bring their
parents and their grandparents, tell
me after they had no idea that their
grandparents or parents sing and that
they’ve never seen them get so into a
show.”
Hunter caught his first break when
he travelled with a group of actors
from London’s Little Theatre when
he was 15. The group travelled to
British Columbia to take part in a
talent show and Hunter ended up
working in radio.
From there he found fame on
stage, radio and television across the
country for audiences of all ages.
Hunter said the key to his success
is picking music that everyone
knows, regardless of age, to keep
everyone involved.
“I learned to be flexible over the
years,’ he said. “Sections of songs
have been added to keep it fresh but
I’m kind of limited to where I go
since I have to stick to songs people
know. I used to play shows, maybe
25 years ago, where I would be
playing for the Saturday Afternoon
Theatre in the afternoon and then
have a more adult audience later on
so I tried to stick to what both would
know.”
Being on the road is one thing he
says he won’t miss right now Hunter
said. It’s a tough life according to
him.
“Going down the road is fun, but
you have to remember when you see
performers who are successful,
being successful means riding a bus
for most of your life,” he said. “The
buses are nice, and have got nicer
over the years. It’s almost like being
in a home, you can read, rest and be
on the internet and stay in touch, but
after a few days the novelty wears
off.”
He said that sleeping in a different
bed every night takes a toll on a
person.
“I won’t miss the road, but I’ll
never get tired of the show,” he said.
“Being in a different theatre every
night and doing each show, getting
ready for the different sounds, it’s
great.”
As for Blyth, Hunter said the
theatre has had a special relationship
with him.
“I love playing in Blyth,” he said.
“I chose it for this tour. We could go
to other theatres which hold 1,000
people but we’ve been going there
for years.
“The ladies there are great to us,”
he explained. “They make raisin
pies, my favourite, and cook a
homemade dinner after the show.
That, and the nice old theatre and
playhouse style just have a charm I
really like.”
He said that the village is
wonderful and he’s very much
looking forward to seeing the
audience.
Retirement plans include some
rest and relaxation for the dedicated
artist but Hunter also has some
specific plans.
“I’m going to rest for awhile after
this tour, but I plan on going to
Florida,” he said. “I’m going to
enjoy photography and the warmer
weather and learn to take it easy.”
He also said that he’s discovered
another passion in the last decade or
so: The Bible.
“I’ve been reading the Bible with
great attention to detail,” he said.
“I’m more researching it than just
looking at it.”
Hunter said that a lot of people
accept what is said by someone in a
position of some responsibility but
there is more to be found if one
researches and studies it.
“You have to look at the fact that
this was translated from Hebrew and
Greek, you have to look at words
and see what they might have
meant,” he said.
Tickets are still available at the
Blyth Festival box office for $49.50
each.
For more information call 1-877-
862-5984 or visit Hunter’s website at
www.tommyhunter.com
Hunter to return for final Canadian tour
Last time through
Tommy Hunter, Canada’s Country Gentleman, is coming
back through one of his favourite tour stops, Blyth, on his
final cross-country tour. Hunter has been making music for
decades and now, as he turns 75 years old, he has finally
decided to ground himself. (Photo submitted)
The Dave Mounsey
Memorial
Valentine’s Day
Gala
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Knights of Columbus Hall, Goderich
Dave Mounsey
Memorial Fund
ORDER ONLINE!
www.davemounsey.com
membership@davemounsey.com
1-877-540-DMMF (3663)
5:30 p.m. ~ Cocktails
7:00 p.m. ~ Dinner - Cash Bar
SPECIAL DIETARY REQUEST AVAILABLE AT TICKET PURCHASE
9:00 p.m. ~ Dance
Silent Auction ~ All Evening
Members $40/person Non-Members $50/person
Formal Dress
Advance Tickets Only!Dad ~ 85 Yrs.
November 3, 2011
Mom ~ 80 Yrs.
January 30, 2012
Love, from your family
Congratulations
on your LATEST
Milestones
Marriage
Announcement
The family of Alicia Marshall,
would like to congratulate her
on her marriage to Chris Downey
on December 3, 2011
in Parksville, B.C.
The couple now resides
in Crofton, B.C.
Happy 90th
Birthday
to
Barbara Anderson
January 27, 2012
Love and Best Wishes
from your family
Entertainment Leisure&
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Get entertainment information
on the Entertainment section of
our website at
www.northhuron.on.ca