Stephen John Hunter (born June 14, 1948) is an American guitarist, primarily a session player. He has worked with

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...

and

Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...

, acquiring the moniker "The Deacon". Hunter first played with Mitch Ryder's

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, beginning a long association with record producer

Bob Ezrin Robert Alan Ezrin (born March 25, 1949) is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Andrea Bocelli and Phish. As of 2010, Ezri ...

who has said Steve Hunter has contributed so much to rock music in general that he truly deserves the designation of "Guitar Hero". Steve Hunter has played some of the greatest riffs in rock history - the first solo in Aerosmith's " Train Kept A Rollin'", the acoustic intro on

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

's " Solsbury Hill" and he wrote the intro interlude on Lou Reed's live version of "Sweet Jane" on Reed's first gold record (the '' Rock 'N' Roll Animal'' live set).

Early life

Steve Hunter was born and raised in

Decatur, Illinois Decatur ( ) is the largest city in Macon County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...

. He was first introduced to music when, as a young child, he would listen to

country and western A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, or d ...

music on a Zenith console radio and his father would play the guitar. He watched the Lawrence Welk show on TV at his grandparents' home where he saw Neil LeVang and Buddy Merrill. His grandparents had a

Harmonium The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ (which employs a va ...

; his father would pump the organ while Steve sat on his lap and worked out melodies on the keyboard. When he was eight years old, he began taking guitar lessons on a

Lap steel guitar The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar or lap slide guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of pla ...

. He saw and heard Jerry Byrd play lap steel and learned what could be done on the instrument. Inspired by the music of

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), also known as "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson (musician), Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nash ...

The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson (musician), Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar acro ...

and

Duane Eddy Duane Eddy (April 26, 1938 – April 30, 2024) was an American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" guitar sound, including ...

, Steve eventually switched to standard guitar. Hunter continued playing guitar throughout high school as a member of a group called the Weejuns, which took their name from G.H. Bass & Co.'s perennially-popular penny loafers. He subsequently joined the Light Brigade, a rock and soul group that played in the Decatur area. In 1967, during the Vietnam War, Hunter was drafted into the U.S. Army. There he trained as an x-ray technician, ultimately serving at an air evacuation hospital in Okinawa, Japan where Vietnam combat casualties were being treated. He considered becoming a doctor but he enjoyed music so much he knew he would follow a career in music. Upon completion of his service in the Army, he returned to Decatur where he built a reputation as an outstanding guitar player. One day he got a telephone call from his Decatur friend, John "Polar Bear" Sauter, that changed his life.

Career

Hunter has had an illustrious 40-year career as a session musician, band member and as a solo performer.

Work with Mitch Ryder

John Sauter called Hunter to tell him that he was playing with Mitch Ryder in Detroit and that Ryder was auditioning for guitar players. He suggested that Hunter come to Detroit and try out. Hunter packed up his guitar and made the eight-hour drive to Detroit. Hunter made the cut and became part of Mitch Ryder's new band

. There Hunter met and formed a long-time professional association with producer

. Detroit released one self-titled album on

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

. They had a hit with a cover of Lou Reed's "Rock & Roll". Reed was so impressed with Hunter's arrangement and performance on that song that he recruited Hunter to join his band.

Work with Alice Cooper

In the 1970s, he appeared on five

albums, all of which were produced by Ezrin. His first recording with Cooper was in 1973 as a session musician on the second-to-last and most successful album recorded by the Alice Cooper Group, '' Billion Dollar Babies''. When Alice Cooper became a solo artist, Hunter followed and appeared on the 1975 groundbreaking album and live show '' Welcome to My Nightmare'' alongside guitarist Dick Wagner as seen in the film '' Welcome to My Nightmare''. Released on home video in 1976, it features the celebrated guitar face-off between Hunter and Wagner that formed part of Cooper's 1975 live show. In 2010, Hunter also worked on the basic tracks and solos for Cooper's album '' Welcome 2 My Nightmare'', touring with Cooper throughout 2011 on th
''No More Mr. Nice Guy Tour''
Steve notched up his ninth Alice Cooper release with ''

Paranormal Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...

'', released in 2017.

Work with Lou Reed

His first collaboration with Lou Reed was for the ''

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

'' album. He also played with Dick Wagner in the band captured on Reed's live albums, '' Rock 'n' Roll Animal'' and '' Lou Reed Live'', including the "Intro" to " Sweet Jane", which was composed by Hunter, who plays the solo up to Lou walking on stage. In 2006, Reed and Hunter presented a new live version of ''Berlin'', released in 2008 as a DVD and CD '' Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse''.

Work with Aerosmith

In 1974, he played the (uncredited) opening-half solo on

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

's " Train Kept a Rollin" from ''Get Your Wings''. In a February 2015 interview in ''Detroit Rock N Roll Magazine'' Hunter tells how it came about that he recorded that solo: "Aerosmith was in Studio C of The Record Plant and I was doing work with Bob Ezrin in Studio A. I had a long wait between dubs and was waiting in the lobby. Jack Douglas popped his head out of Studio C and asked 'Hey, do you feel like playing?' I said sure, so I grabbed my guitar and went in. I had two run thru's, then Jack said 'great, that's it!' That turned out to be the opening solos on 'Train Kept A Rollin’'."

Work with Jack Bruce, Peter Gabriel and other artists

In 1974, shortly after his work with the band on the live Reed albums, Hunter played guitar on former

Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...

bassist

Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish musician. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of Rock music, rock band Cream (band), Cream. After the group disbanded in 1968, he pursued a ...

's solo album '' Out of the Storm''. He played on

's self-titled first solo album (1977) that included the classic single " Solsbury Hill" which was likewise produced by Ezrin. He also played on tour with Gabriel for the North American leg and a few shows in the UK during March / April 1977, sharing guitar duties with Robert Fripp. Other artists Hunter has worked with include

David Lee Roth David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Known for his wild and energetic stage persona, he was the lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen for three stints: from 1974 to 1985, during 1996, and from 2006 to when ...

(in the mid-1990s),

Julian Lennon Julian Charles John Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon; 8 April 1963) is an English musician, photographer, author, and philanthropist. He is the son of Beatles member John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia; Julian is named after his pate ...

, Dr. John,

Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...

and more recently

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American country musician and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' on CBS television from ...

and 2Cellos. It was while recording Roth's '' A Little Ain't Enough'' that Hunter met Jason Becker. Hunter and Becker have remained the best of friends since. He wrote "Camelia", which is featured on the soundtrack of the film ''The Rose'', starring Bette Midler, and performed as part of the backing band. Additionally, he appears in the film ''Blame it on the Night'', a movie co-written by Mick Jagger, featured as one of the guitarists in the band.

Solo work

Hunter's first solo album, 1977's critically acclaimed '' Swept Away'', was produced by Bob Ezrin. Hunter opted to leave Alice Cooper's touring band in 2012 to concentrate on solo projects. His fifth solo album '' The Manhattan Blues Project'' was released on April 30, 2013, and features contributions from

Joe Satriani Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". ''AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American rock music, rock guitarist, composer, and songwriter. Early in hi ...

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer specializing in electric bass guitars, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (19 ...

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...

, Joe Perry, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Phil Aaberg, 2Cellos and Tommy Henriksen, with background vocals provided by Karen Ann Hunter. In September 2014, a DVD and soundtrack CD entitled ''Tone Poems Live'' was released, featuring Hunter, bassist Tony Levin, pianist Phil Aaberg and drummer Alvino Bennett. In 2017 Steve released a new solo album called ''Before The Lights Go Out'' the title making reference to his failing eyesight. A mix of rock and blues, he had his friends Erik Scott, Andy Stoller and Joe Satriani guesting. His wife Karen Hunter performs the only vocal (on the final track) of the album, a cover of "Happy Trails". A new opportunity arose in 2019 when Steve was invited to score and play on an Audio Book by film director Hamlet Sarkissian, called ''Lovers In The Fog''. A soundtrack of this will be available late Summer of 2019.

Awards

* In 2009, Hunter received an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

for his contribution to the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' (commonly referred to as the ''Freep'') is a major daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest local newspaper owned by Gannett (the publisher of ''USA Today''), and is operated by the Detro ...

'' Christ Child House multimedia project. * In June 2015, Hunter was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Hunter lives in

Altea Altea (, ) is a city and municipality located in the Valencian Community, Spain, on the section of Mediterranean coast called the Costa Blanca. At present, the economy of Altea is based on tourism, which started to grow in the 1950s because of ...

, Spain, with his wife, Cornish singer/songwriter, Karen Ann Hunter. He suffers from pigmentary glaucoma, which has rendered him legally blind.

Tours

* Mitch Ryder's Detroit 1971 * Chambers Brothers 1972 * Lou Reed, 1973 Rock and Roll Animal * Alice Cooper, 1975 Welcome to my Nightmare Tour * Peter Gabriel, 1977 1st Solo World Tour * Alice Cooper, 1977 King Of The Silver Screen (Lace And Whisky) * Alice Cooper, 1979 Madhouse Rock Tour (From The Inside) * MeatLoaf, 1982 MeatLoaf European Tour * Night of the Guitars, 1988-1989 European Tour * Little Bob (France) 1989 * Tracy Chapman, Lillith Fair 1997, Telling Stories Tour 2000 Tour * Tracy Chapman, 1998 Amnesty International * Mitch Ryder, 2005 German Tour * Lou Reed, 2007/2008 Berlin Live Tour * Alice Cooper, 2011 No More Mr. Nice Guy Tour

Solo discography

*1977 - '' Swept Away'' (Atco Records) *1989 - ''The Deacon'' (I.R.S. Records/No Speak) *2008 - ''Hymns for Guitar'' (Deacon Records) *2008 - ''Short Stories'' *2013 - '' The Manhattan Blues Project'' (Deacon Records) *2014 - ''Tone Poems Live'' (Singular Recordings/Gokuhi) *2017 - ''Before the Lights Go Out'' (Deacon Records) *2024 - ''The Deacon Speaks''

Other contributions

*1971 - ''Detroit'' ( Mitch Ryder) *1973 - ''

'' (

) *1973 - '' Billion Dollar Babies'' (

) *1974 - '' Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits'' (Alice Cooper) *1974 - '' Rock 'n' Roll Animal'' (Lou Reed) *1974 - '' Out of the Storm'' (

) *1974 - ''

Get Your Wings ''Get Your Wings'' is the second studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on March 15, 1974. The album was their first to be produced by Jack Douglas, who also was responsible for the band's next three albums. Three singles were ...

'' (

) *1975 - '' Lou Reed Live'' (Lou Reed) *1975 - ''Ain't It Good to Have It All'' (Jim & Ginger) *1975 - ''Hollywood Be Thy Name'' ( Dr. John) *1975 - '' Welcome to My Nightmare'' (Alice Cooper) *1976 - '' Alice Cooper Goes to Hell'' (Alice Cooper) *1976 - ''Glass Heart'' (Allan Rich) *1977 - ''

'' (

) *1977 - '' Lace and Whiskey'' (Alice Cooper) *1977 - '' The Alice Cooper Show'' (Alice Cooper) *1977 - ''The Band Milwaukee Made Famous'' (Bad Boy) *1978 - ''Night Flight'' (

Yvonne Elliman Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...

) *1980 - '' The Rose'' (

Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...

) *1980 - '' Don't Look Back'' (

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...

) *1980 - '' Breakwater Cat'' (

Thelma Houston Thelma Houston ( Jackson; born May 7, 1943) is an American singer and actress. Beginning her recording career in the late 1960s, Houston scored a number-one hit in 1977 with her recording of " Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the Grammy for ...

) *1989 - ''H Factor'' (with

Pete Haycock Peter John Haycock (4 March 1951 – 30 October 2013) was an English musician and film score composer. He began his career as lead guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of the Climax Blues Band. Early life and career Haycock was born in Staff ...

and Derek Holt) *1989 - ''Night of the Guitar Live!'' *1990 - ''Alive or Nothing'' ( Little Bob) *1991 - '' A Little Ain't Enough'' (

) *1991 - '' Help Yourself'' (

) *1992 - '' The Best of Flo & Eddie'' (

Flo & Eddie Flo & Eddie is a comedy rock duo consisting of Mark Volman (Flo, short for Phlorescent Leech) and Howard Kaylan (Eddie). Kaylan and Volman were founding members of the mid-to late 1960s rock and pop band the Turtles. After the Turtles dis ...

) *1993 - ''Fit For A King'' (Tribute to

Albert King Albert King ( Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and ...

) *1993 - ''Hats Off To Stevie Ray'' (L.A. Blues Authority, Vol. III) (" Lenny") *1993 - ''Dodgin' The Dirt'' (

Leslie West Leslie Abel West (born Weinstein; October 22, 1945 – December 23, 2020) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the co-founder, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Mountain. West was named the 245th greatest guit ...

) *1994 - '' Your Filthy Little Mouth'' (David Lee Roth) *1996 - ''Perspective'' ( Jason Becker) *2000 - '' Telling Stories'' (

) *2002 - '' Let It Rain'' (Tracy Chapman) *2007 - ''À croire que c'était pour la vie'' (Henry Padovani) *2008 - '' Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse'' (Lou Reed) *2008 - ''Collection'' ( Jason Becker) *2009 - ''Lollapalooza Live'' (Lou Reed) *2010 - ''Empty Spaces'' (Karen Ann Hunter) (Producer) *2011 - '' Welcome 2 My Nightmare'' (Alice Cooper) *2011 - '' Ghost on the Canvas'' (

) *2012 - ''No More Mr Nice Guy: Live'' (Alice Cooper) *2013 - ''In2ition'' ( 2Cellos) (Melody on the bonus track "Every Breath You Take") *2015 - ''Tommy! Tommy!! Tommy!!!'' ( Tommy Henriksen) *2017 - ''

'' (Alice Cooper) ("Holy Water", "Genuine American Girl", "You and All Of Your Friends") *2018 - ''Triumphant Hearts'' (Jason Becker) ("Valley of Fire") *2019 - ''Lovers In The Fog'' (Hamlet Sarkissian Audio Book) *2021 - '' Detroit Stories'' (Alice Cooper)

References

External links

Steve Hunter's Homepage
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Steve Living people 1948 births Musicians from Decatur, Illinois Neverland Express members American session musicians American rock guitarists Electric blues musicians American blues guitarists American male guitarists American blues rock musicians Atco Records artists Guitarists from Illinois The Chambers Brothers members The Detroit Wheels members Alice Cooper (band) members 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male musicians The David Lee Roth Band members