We were lucky to catch up with Hunter Blalock recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hunter, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I started playing gigs right out of highschool, I would play a handful here or there & that kind of just snowballed into playing more & more. Although I was playing, & over the first couple years I started playing more consistently, I didn’t really find my path until about 4-5 years ago. I bounced around as a solo act, duo, fronted a jam band for a while, just trying to find where I was supposed to be. Finally I found myself in songwriting. Stripping things down to a more folk-americana influenced side of things. It finally gave me a sense of who I was & what art I was here to make. Once I found this out I took things much more seriously & chased it much more intensely as I felt a fire had been lit, a strong sense of purpose & drive.
So even though I started rather early I do wish I could’ve found my place sooner, but after all maybe I had to go through all the things I went through in the early stages to find where I was supposed to be.
Hunter, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a touring songwriter. A self proclaimed road dog & spreader of the truth.
I don’t not have the worlds greatest voice, I don’t have the looks for be a country-pop star, I don’t have the sound to take over the radio. With the realization of all these things I have chosen a path of hard work & authentication to make my place in this world of music & art.
What I bring to the table as a songwriter is an unforgiving true view of the world around me as I see it. I say what needs to be said in song with no fear of judgement or uncomfortable subjects.
I write a lot of sad songs. At the end of the day, when you’re down & out, needing to be picked up off the floor, I hope my songs find you & remind you that the world around you is not perfect & someone has felt exactly the way you have felt & you are not alone.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I fronted a southern-jam band for years. I put a lot into the project. We made a few records, traveled & toured & built a small fan base. There was a part of me that really thought it was going to work. Then it fell apart. I had spent years pouring myself into something, then it was gone. In a moment like that you have a lot of thoughts. But it really came down to, do I give up or find another way.
I chose to find another way. I did some soul searching & found my place musically & I can say now on the other side it was absolutely the best thing that could have happened.
Sometimes you have to just refuse to take no for an answer.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think a lot of times people who do not wish to have a creative or artistic career path look at those who do and wonder why would you want to do something so uncertain of success.
I feel like what folks like myself do is important regardless of success. I think it is important to show society that you can chase a dream even if the success rate isn’t astronomical, chase what you believe in & do what makes you happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: hunterblalockmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunterwblalock/
- Facebook: facebook.com/hunterblalockofficial
- Twitter: Twitter.com/hunterblalock72
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@hunterblalock7055
Image Credits
Just a fan photography Dylan Reeves Media Candi Blalock Photography