Tommy Hunter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the North Carolina fiddler by the same name, see Tommy Hunter (fiddler).

Tommy Hunter C.M., O.Ont (born Thomas James Hunter March 10, 1937 in London, Ontario) is a Canadian country music performer, known as "Canada's Country Gentleman".

In 1956, he began performing as a rhythm guitarist on the CBC television show, Country Hoedown. The Tommy Hunter Show began as a CBC radio program in 1960 and went on to replace Country Hoedown on CBC television in 1965; Hunter's show was picked up by TNN in 1983 and ran on CBC until 1992.

People who performed on The Tommy Hunter Show early in their careers include:

Garth Brooks
Shania Twain, then known as Eileen Twain
The Judds

After his show was cancelled by the CBC, Hunter continued to tour with his band, The Travelling Men.

[edit] Awards and recognition

In 1986, Hunter was made a Member of the Order of Canada. He has received three Canadian Juno Awards and one Gemini Award. In 1990, he was given a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame's "Walkway of Stars". A street ("Tommy Hunter Way") was also renamed in his honour in his hometown of London, Ontario, in the late 1990s. He became a member of the Order of Ontario in 1996. In 2005 he was honored with a GMA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is handed out annual by the Gospel Music Association of Canada. (GMA Canada)