Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: My brother and my friend Loni Hunter is on the phone. Dr. Loni, what's going on?
[00:00:06] Speaker B: I'm on the phone, but I sure wish I was in the studio with you hugging your neck.
[00:00:10] Speaker A: Aw, likewise. Definitely likewise.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: How are you?
[00:00:14] Speaker A: I am doing so good. And you know I am. I am doing good.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: Come on, somebody run around right now.
[00:00:21] Speaker A: Don't tempt me. Do not tempt me. Cause I am a runner.
Listen, I've been watching what's going on with you.
Just recently you got another Stellar award. How many is that for you now?
[00:00:38] Speaker B: That makes five for me.
[00:00:41] Speaker A: Five? Oh, my goodness.
[00:00:42] Speaker B: Can you believe it?
[00:00:45] Speaker A: I kind of remember number one and two barely, but come on.
[00:00:50] Speaker B: Yeah. So the station has three.
I have one for music, and then I have one as announcer of the year. That makes five for me.
[00:01:01] Speaker A: That's a blessing. What a blessing. I know you were there briefly during the taping and what was that experience like?
[00:01:09] Speaker B: Well, you know, this year I hosted the pre show.
[00:01:11] Speaker A: That's what I was getting at.
[00:01:13] Speaker B: It was a complete honor. I have never hosted a show that was a nomination show where you host and then you win.
[00:01:20] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:01:21] Speaker B: Yeah, right. So that was like, okay, so now how do I humbleize this?
Because I was over the moon excited. But you know, you try not to lose your little cool points.
[00:01:34] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:01:35] Speaker B: But I had a great time. It was great hosting the pre show. I'm so grateful to Don Jackson and Theresa Harrison Jackson for just entrusting that vision with me because that was the first year that it has ever been live streamed.
[00:01:49] Speaker A: Yes, normally. I know.
[00:01:50] Speaker B: Be there to see her. I know, right?
[00:01:53] Speaker A: So. And you're also inducted into the 2025 Gospel Music hall of Fame. I saw that list of all the people who have been inducted and you're among that. That is amazing as well.
[00:02:07] Speaker B: It's incredible to me to be honored like that because this is a crazy story. Last year, Stellars, I was singing at a event and I walked out of the event and I was on my way back to the hotel when I walked out of the church. Monica Butler, who's the president of that organization.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:02:26] Speaker B: She stopped me. She said, we just got out of a meeting. I was about to call you now. I know Monica, but me and Monica don't talk all the time. So it was odd that she would be looking for me.
I said, well, here I am.
What can I do for you? She said, the 2025 Gospel Music hall of Fame. I want you there. And immediately. I'm not. I'm not kidding you. Immediately. Randy I thought she was asking me to host the show.
[00:02:52] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:52] Speaker B: It never even dawned on me that she was asking me to be an honoree for sure. And she said, no, we want to honor you.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: You could have picked me up off the floor. I said, how do you find out about this? Just randomly walking up out of a.
[00:03:05] Speaker A: Service, out of a church.
[00:03:08] Speaker B: She said, well, we just got out of the meeting, and we hadn't written the letter yet. So I saw you. So I just said, decided to tell you.
[00:03:14] Speaker A: That is fantastic. That is fantastic. So, so much is going on. You moved to Cali, and, you know, I see your kids, your grandkids, and all the great stuff that's going on. How is that working out for you?
[00:03:28] Speaker B: I love every minute of it. Let me tell you why. And it's not why. People will probably think my kids are grown.
Their kids are my grandkids, but they're still their kids. And they live in Chicago.
I live in California.
Love my kids to death. You hear me? Would turn the world upside down for them. But in this season of my life, I'm just enjoying me and happy to be able to do that. You know what I'm saying? Because for so many years, raising kids, all you do is sacrifice.
[00:04:06] Speaker A: Yes. Yes.
[00:04:08] Speaker B: And you get to a point to where you're like, okay, I want to be a kid again.
[00:04:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: And go when I want to go and stop when I want to stop and all that kind of stuff. So I'm. I'm loving it. My youngest is coming out of college next year.
[00:04:21] Speaker A: That's unbelievable.
[00:04:23] Speaker B: Looking forward to that. I know. Because you remember when he was a little boy.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: Yes, absolutely. It's just unbelievable to me. So I'm so happy for you. And I understand. I'm getting a little glimpse of that freedom myself right now, and it's nothing like it. So we're gonna actually pause and come back with Loni Hunter, because we're also talking about new music. So we're gonna talk about it and keep it right here with Lonnie Hunter on the Detroit Praise Network.
I am on the phone with Lonnie Hunter.
What is going on?
I am so happy.
I'm so happy. Happy for you because you have brand new music.
Got a chance to peep it out. Is called Flow Like a River. And where did this come from, my brother? It's a little different for you.
[00:05:10] Speaker B: It is. It 100% is. And what? You know, actually, I'mma tell you something. It's actually not different for me on an ongoing level. Like if you go to my church.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: But it is different for me for what I give have been giving to the public. So. Flow Like a River. I heard this song in a service and another choir sang it, and I was like, I got to do that. And I talked to the John Howard, who's the writer, and he gave me permission to do it. And guess what?
I finished this song mixed and mastered before the pandemic.
[00:05:46] Speaker A: What?
[00:05:46] Speaker B: That's how long I've been holding on to this song. Yes. What you're hearing was done in three, four, five years ago.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: God's timing is best.
[00:05:56] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. Because the pandemic happened, then I moved to California. So I've been living with this thing almost like it was my baby. So when it got time to consider releasing it, you know how you do your kids, and you don't want them to push them out into the world.
That's what this song was like for me. And now that I'm out and I'm singing it and I'm seeing audiences just gravitate to it, when I sing it at this year Stellars, the audience became the choir.
[00:06:24] Speaker A: Oh, perfect.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: Blew my mind.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:06:27] Speaker B: Blew my mind because, you know, I'm used to having a choir behind me. That's a comfort zone for me, or at least singers, but I didn't have any. So I just got up and I did the song, and before I knew it, everybody was singing it.
[00:06:42] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.
[00:06:43] Speaker B: Yeah, it was a turning point for me.
[00:06:45] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. Let's listen to it now. Flow Like a River on the Detroit Praise Network. Lonnie Hunter.
Like a River.
Lonnie Hunter. That is Flow Like a River, my brother.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: Yes, it is. Yes, it is.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: I love it. It's such a good twist for you, and I absolutely love what's going on in your world. How can we find Lonnie Hunter?
[00:07:12] Speaker B: Everything for me is lonnie hunter, music 1. If you put that in, actually, if you just start Lonnie Hunter, my face will probably come up because it's only like, two of.
It ain't because I'm famous. It's just because it's only two of us to choose from.
Yeah. But I would love to hear from everybody. Love to hear what you think about the song and. Yeah. Let's connect for real.
[00:07:37] Speaker A: Absolutely. Lonnie Hunter, Music One.
He is my friend. He is my brother. And I appreciate you taking out some time and talking to me today.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: Love you, Randy, for.
