Shirlee Hunter

Shirlee Hunter (born August 29, 1939 in Moneta , Virginia ) is an American country musician who was mainly known in Virginia.

Life

The Last Place You Go

Cryin 'and I'm Only Halfway Home

Shirlee Hunter was born in the small community of Moneta, but Hunter's family moved to Vinton , Virginia, a suburb of Roanoke . She began singing as a child and made her first public appearance at the local church at the age of five. She later began performing on radio and television in Virginia and North Carolina with her uncle (who was only a year older than her) as The Two Little Hillbillies .

At age 12, Hunter won a talent competition in Danville , giving him the opportunity to appear on the Country Jubilee (WSLS-TV) and join the Virginia Barn Dances with Glen Thompson . She then switched to the Old Dominion Barn Dance on WRVA, which was broadcast nationally. The Hillbilly Sweetheart , as Hunter was now called, could now be heard on CBS on the Saturday Night Country Style Show . At that point, she was still in high school.

Hunter made recordings in the 1960s, including for the major label Mercury Records , which, however, was not granted a chart note. Hunter's popularity was limited to Virginia, so she did not have a national career in the country scene.

Discography

year	title	Label #
1959	Allentown Jail / Hot Blood (B-side of the Trailblazers)	Tip Top 720
	Cryin 'and I'm Only Halfway Home / The Last Place You Go	Mercury 72599
	Billy Christian / Why Do You Hesitate	Salem 535
1965	Why Do You Hesitate / Billy Christian	Tower 130

Web links

• Shirlee Hunter on Hillbilly-Music.com (English)
• Photo ( Dottie West , Jim McCoy, Shirlee Hunter, and Mac Wiseman in Winchester, VA, at the Apple Blossom Festival)