Hunter Brothers make their mark at the SCMA’s
By Jordan Parker
For The Voice
Last weekend’s Saskatchewan Country Music Awards saw the Hunter Brothers pick up four awards, but there’s no rest for farmers.
Ty Hunter and his brothers were spending their Wednesday morning on their tractors, with nary the time to celebrate their accomplishments. In music and their personal lives, the five are always keeping busy.
“It was a humbling weekend. But we’re going into seeding season, so we’re right into things today,” said Hunter. “It was pretty special to watch this unfold. Any nominations are special, but these wins hit close to home. These are the people in the province that’s supported us all along.”
The group won Fans Choice Entertainer Of The Year, Group Of The Year, Single Of The Year for ‘Lost,’ and Album Of The Year for their sophomore effort State Of Mind.
“Moments like these just really bring awareness to us that we’re doing something right. Especially with years like the one we had, and not doing shows, we needed that reminder that we’re still connecting with fans due to our music,” he said.
The brothers fit the Saskatchewan mould to a tee – they grew up playing hockey, they all farm, and still find time to be Canadian country stars.
“We were just talking the other day about the fact we’d love to get back in stadiums, and instead of hockey sticks, use our microphones. When we were on The Journey Tour (with Paul Brandt), we got a taste of that,” he said.
“I look at these amazing names like Jess Moskaluke and Tenille Arts doing so well, and so much talent comes from the area. I’m happy to be a part of all this.”
Another rising talent is Justine Sletten, nominated for Emerging Artist Of The Year. The Hazlet, SK. solo performer was so pleased to be recognized.
“It was definitely amazing to get the nomination, and to be on the final ballot was exciting. I told a lot of people this year wasn’t ideal for musicians. I had to stay motivated, and this was a huge push of encouragement,” she said.
She has been performing since she was 14, and the 20-year-old is happy she was able to get going at that point in her life.
“Starting from that young age gave me a head start. I wouldn’t be where I am if I started later. I got experience, and I’m happy for it,” she said.
While the award ceremony was online, she did get to record something for the show, and has been adjusting throughout the year.
“We’re all just figuring this out and adapting. I didn’t perform a lot in the last year, but I put out two singles and kept my name out there. I’m working on new music and looking forward to it,” she said.
Hunter says COVID-19 has certainly changed things for artists and woke up recently to a video of the brothers performing with High Valley. He rode a wave of nostalgia as he watched.
“It was one of our first Eastern Canada swings, and it brought so many memories back. I was just jumping up and down on the stage. It’s one of my favourite things to do in the world,” he said.
“This was an adjustment, but I’m so happy that we got to work on our record. However, we really can’t wait to get back out performing.”
While working with your family so closely could be contentious, Ty Hunter says the five get along really well.
“It’s just really cool. Things just unfolded perfectly. We all started out playing piano, and all branched into other instruments. There was no arm-wrestling over it. We all have different vocal registries too. It’s funny because, in hockey, we have three forwards and two defence, which is a full line,” he laughs.
“It’s just really cool to do this together, and we all have five different personalities. It just takes continuous communication. At the end of the day, we fight for each other. My father always said, ‘the world will beat on you enough, don’t do it to each other’. We focus on each other’s strengths and push each other. It isn’t without its squabbles, but we have lots of fun.”
February 2021 marked five years since the Shaunavon, SK-born Hunter Brothers hit it big with their single ‘El Dorado.’
“I still remember being in Nashville for Country Radio Seminar week and having a radio promoter tell us we got on country radio. It was so special to know our music was resonating,” he said. “These Canadian radio personnel were the gatekeepers to getting us on, and it’s so cool to think back to the relationships we formed.”
Ty looks at the incredible success they’ve seen between debut album Getaway and their award-winning State Of Mind and sees a lot of growth.
Their single ‘Lost’ became their first #1 hit and was the number-one-selling country album in the nation for four weeks. They were also nominated for two Juno Awards as Breakthrough Group Of The Year and for Country Album Of The Year for State Of Mind.
“It was just the accumulation of the stories we had over two years since our other album. Your life just changes during album cycles, and we were experiencing shifts. We went from playing hockey to launching this career. We’re driving on dusty fields and seeding and finding time for festivals in between, all while being parents and husbands,” he said.
“This one was just more personal than Getaway, and it was a departure. It showed more development, and it was such a cool process on this one.”
Fans can expect some material from the Hunter Brothers soon, says Ty.
“We were just sitting down and listening through our material the other day. We’ll have a new project out this summer, and we’re so excited.”
Photos Submitted
The Hunter Brothers: Brock, J.J., Dusty, Ty and Luke
Hazlet’s Justine Sletten.