HunterGirl returns for The Lawn Sessions

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher • Editor

On a Hallmark Friday night in Lynchburg, Hunter Wolkonowski came home, not for the cameras or music industry – but for the people who knew her before the world did.

HunterGirl, the country singer-songwriter who captured America’s heart during her standout run on “American Idol,” returned to Southern Middle Tennessee for a special performance at The Lawn Sessions. Though she’s now based in Nashville and tours nationally, her roots remain planted firmly in the local soil.

“I live not too far from here,” Hunter said, “and it’s so exciting to come back and hang out with everybody, see my family, and play some new music. I’ve been working on songs for the past few months and am excited to try a few. They’re new to everybody – even to us.”

Hunter has come a long way from her early days lugging a pawn shop Fender amp into local bars. But despite bigger stages and TV appearances, she says she’s still that same girl from home.

“I don’t know if I ever feel like ‘HunterGirl,’ you know what I mean?” she said, smiling. “The biggest change has just been meeting so many new people, playing bigger shows, and seeing folks singing the words to my songs. The first time that ever happened, I cried like a baby after I got off stage. I tried to hold it together – I’ve got big eyeballs, so I had to hold it together.”

She describes it all with wonder, as if the dream still doesn’t quite feel real. “If somebody says ‘Hey, Hunter!’ on the street and knows my name ... I just see little Hunter in her bedroom saying, ‘I hope somebody knows me one day.’ ”

That dream came full circle when “American Idol” brought her home to Winchester for a special hometown show. It was a moment she still gets emotional talking about.

“I remember calling my family and saying, ‘I’m getting to come home.’ I hadn’t seen them in months, and it was just this breath of relief – like, I get to be back with my family and friends. That’s always been my peace.”

She got choked up remembering the details.“They put me in a limousine, and I was peering out the window like a little kid. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up. Seeing that whole field full of folks ... it was something I’d always wanted. Sorry – I’m crying,” she said, brushing away tears. “But that moment, it was really special.”

Though her schedule now includes large venues and national audiences, Hunter still treasures the smaller, more personal shows, like The Lawn Sessions.

“There’s something about playing in an intimate setting like this and seeing people I grew up with,” she said. “I was talking to Andy Huffer about folks I graduated high school with. My community has been so supportive of my journey – not just Winchester, but Tullahoma, Shelbyville, Lynchburg ... Tennessee in general. Y’all are the ones who believed in me when I was just playing five-hour gigs and carrying my gear across parking lots.”

That kind of loyalty and love, she said, is why she always finds her way home. “I may have the chance to play an arena or whatever, but these shows? They’re the ones that matter most. Getting to share these moments with the people I love, that’s why I come back.”

Even as she’s become a household name, Hunter hasn’t lost her small-town charm or sense of humor. Asked if she’s ever been starstruck, her answer came quickly. “I was at the ACMs, and Reba walked by. I was getting my picture taken, and I’m sure my mouth was wide open. I didn’t even say anything. I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Reba!’ ”

So, who would leave her speechless next? “Dolly Parton,” she answered without hesitation. “I think I’d go mute if I met her. It’s my Nana and Pa’s favorite artist. We used to go to Dollywood every Christmas, get a big bucket of kettle corn, and get sick from eating too much,” she laughed. “If I ever met her, somebody would have to resuscitate me.”

Even on the road, home is never far from Hunter’s mind.

“Sometimes I’m sitting in a hotel room eating powdered eggs, and I’m like, ‘I would kill for a biscuit and gravy from my Nana right now,’ ” she joked.

Asked what her ultimate comfort food is, she was quick with a reply: “Pancakes. Nana would make them every Sunday morning with real maple syrup. That’s my go-to.”

As the sun set over Lynchburg and the music from The Lawn Sessions drifted across the crowd, it was clear that HunterGirl might be a national name now. Around here, she’s still just Hunter.

And that’s exactly how she wants it.