Jerry Hunt

Jerry Hunt
Born	30 November 1943 Waco, Texas
Died	27 November 1993 (age 49) Canton, Texas
Nationality	American
Occupation	Composer
Known for	Experimental music

Jerry Hunt (November 30, 1943 – November 27, 1993) was an American composer who created works using live electronics partly controlled by his ritualistic performance techniques which were influenced by his interest in the occult. He was considered a pioneer of live, electronic and computer-aided audio and video. Hunt lived his entire life in Texas, living in a house he built himself on his family's ranchland. For Hunt, it was financially necessary to live in Texas, but almost impossible to create a career within the state. Hunt was often described as "hyperactive" and always on the move. He was also often either chewing on tobacco or chewing gum. He often dressed conservatively, in a suit or button-up shirt and tie. He was said to have a "wicked sense of humor."

Hunt became interested in the occult early in life. He became an initiate Rosicrucian at age 14. A relative of his was a Freemason. As a teenager, Hunt put ads in the local newspapers, offering mail-order instructions "in the path of the infinite." When a Dallas couple visited and asked for "Master Jerry," his parents became very concerned about his mental health. He was subsequently sent to Galveston, Texas for a psychiatric evaluation which found him to be "well adjusted." Hunt's parents may have also been concerned about their son's homosexuality. Although Hunt later became an atheist, this love of the occult and a sense of wonder for magic and ritual would continue to influence his performances and body of work.

Hunt studied composition at the University of North Texas. As a young adult, Hunt worked as a pianist for various nightclub acts in Texas. He worked as a pianist until 1969. He said, of the piano, that it was really the only traditional instrument he'd ever enjoyed playing.

Jerry Hunt briefly taught at Southern Methodist University.

Jerry Hunt's body of work was very much influenced by his interest in the occult and his "personal link" to Texas. Several of Hunt's compositions were created through Hunt's interpretations of "hermetic, numerological systems and codes." Hunt rarely used traditional instruments in his work. He was a self-taught inventor of electrical and computer-aided musical devices. His musical style is difficult to categorize, but often includes layers of sound that may or may not exist harmoniously with one another.

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