Hunter Begley gets to the point with solo debut

Black Mountain singer-songwriter releases EP

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 18, 2022

Black Mountain native and singer-songwriter Hunter Begley released his solo debut, the “Hunter Begley EP,” Feb. 4. The project features four tracks written by Begley, and includes guest appearances by Jackson Dulaney, Andrew Scotchie and Drew Powell. Photo courtesy of Andrew May

If Hunter Begley’s journey through music was a scripted series, the dramatic scene in which the main character completes his metamorphosis from local kid to introspective singer-songwriter would be set in a laundromat in Swannanoa. It would open with the Black Mountain native thoughtfully strumming his guitar, which became a permanent accessory the moment he fell in love with his craft, as he channeled complex feelings into a poignant song. 

Fortunately for fans of poetic lyrics over a lap steel guitar with a classic country sound, that event happened in real life, and the song “Falling Down,” which features Jackson Dulaney, is one of four tracks on Begley’s self-titled solo debut. 

The “Hunter Begley EP,” released, Feb. 4, on all major digital music platforms— including Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube—is far from Begley’s first foray into the studio, but the solo project has been years in the making for the Owen High School alum. A fixture on the local live music scene, the 33-year-old musician wrote or co-wrote many of the songs on the 2017 Yellow Feather album, “And Gold.” The band features Begley on guitar and vocals, alongside Casey Kristofferson and Charlie Wills on lap steel.

The studio experience he gained working on that album provided Begley valuable insight into the production process and introduced him to Matt Daniels, sound engineer, producer and founder of Arrow Sound Studios in Fletcher. The two collaborated on the “Hunter Begley EP,” and again on the aptly titled, “Hunter Begley’s Second Self-Titled Musical Release - EP,” which dropped Feb. 5, and includes four additional songs. 

“Things were in a really bad way with live shows in 2020,” Begley said of the impetus for the project. “I was talking to Matt, and knew I needed to get something out there, before it’s too late. He’s great, and he helped with every part of this project.”

The prolific songwriter had plenty of material to consider when curating the selections for his debut. 

“I wanted to record songs that matter to me,” Begley said. “It’s a little bit of new stuff, and there are some that friends of mine really believed in, and they were just like, ‘this one has to be on there.’”

Falling in love with the craft

Begley was 14 years old when his uncle John Gibson, longtime physical education specialist for Black Mountain Primary and Elementary Schools, took him to a bluegrass show in Maggie Valley. The show set the teenager on a personal quest. 

“I thought it was the coolest thing,” Begley said. “They were so proficient with their instruments, and that was the first time live music really affected me in that way. It really helped me see the potential for music as an important means of emotional conveyance.”

As a youth, Begley had dreams of being a performer, but was unsure about a specific pursuit.      

“My uncle taught me the basic chords, B, C and D, and gave me a classical guitar to use,” he said. “So he was instrumental, for sure. Mandolin, guitar, anything with strings, Uncle John loves to play it. ”

By his sophomore year, Begley’s guitar echoed through the hallways of Owen, where he spent his spare time sharpening his skills on the instrument. When he was a junior, “a cool English teacher” encouraged students to embrace poetry, and the aspiring musician found his voice. 

“I felt better voicing what I was feeling at the time,” Begley said. “It’s always hard to understand some of those things at the moment, but if you put it on paper there’s some sort of record of it.”

While the artist dove headlong into his new passion, he quickly discovered the challenges that accompanied the craft.

“I wrote a lot of songs,” he said. “They weren’t good, but I enjoyed it so much.”

Deep down in Louisiana

Begley left the Swannanoa Valley right after high school, moving to Louisiana to work with his grandfather on a farm. Music was still a major part of his life, and it became career-shaping when he struck the inspirational equivalent of gold. 

“In high school I was into alternative rock, and even the emo wave,” he said. “But, down in Louisiana there was a radio station that played country gold. I’d never really heard that before, and the new country music on the radio was so watered down. I dove right into all of the old school country music.”

He began to bond with his family in Louisiana around their shared love of the genre, and it wasn’t long before those country music influences found their way into his songwriting. 

“I just loved listening to it, and my papaw loved listening to it, and now we had this new connection, which was great,” he said. “Thank goodness I found that radio station, it changed my approach to songwriting. I went to three chords and the truth.”

Begley performed and recorded with the band Hunter and the 3D Glasses in Louisiana before packing up and heading for Charlotte. After a couple of years in Atlanta, where he continued to refine his sound, he came home in 2014. 

Songs you can feel 

Gone for eight years, Begley felt like a stranger in his rapidly growing native town, and he turned to the familiarity of writing songs, as he processed the experience.

The “Hunter Begley EP” is available on all major digital music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube. “Hunter Begley EP” cover image

“There’s a little laundromat next to the gas station out by Warren Wilson, and I would play my guitar while doing laundry,” he said. “One time I went in there and nobody else was around, so I decided to write a song, which became ‘Falling Down.’”

The track wastes no time delving into the complex emotions that inspired it, incorporating somber metaphors that herald the often overlooked beauty of life’s struggles. Begley would continue to find inspiration in his hometown, where his songwriting flourished, and those experiences are reflected on his solo debut.  

“Sometimes creativity is like a water hose, and sometimes it’s like molasses coming out of a jar,” he said. “There’s a song called ‘Tornado Tim’ on the EP, and it sounds almost crazy to say, but I jotted down ideas for it on my steering wheel. I got to the Trailhead, right there in town, and knew I had to write it right there.”

The upbeat song, which features Drew Powell, was one Begley chose for the EP. It accompanies “Antiques Roadshow,” which features Powell and Andrew Scotchie, “Dancing in My Kitchen,” which also features the Asheville-based Scotchie. 

The collection of tracks on his debut release, as well as its subsequently released companion EP, displays Begley’s versatility while showcasing his ability to relate with listeners through his distinctive blend of alternative country and folk music. 

“These songs are special to me,” Begley said of his solo debut. “It feels good to get all these different feelings and thoughts I’ve had over the years out there, and hopefully have them connect with people who hear them.”