Terry Hunter is a house music pioneer and one of Chicago’s legendary Chosen Few DJs. Fresh on the MN2S booking agency DJ roster, Terry clues us in on the lucky seven tracks he can spin in the DJ booth whatever the occasion.
1. Chip E. – It’s House [DJ International Records]
It had to be 1986. I was 16 years old and I went to the Music Box club in Chicago where Legendary DJ Ron Hardy was playing and he dropped “It’s House” by Chip E. The crowd went crazy! Everyone was screaming with the record & then all of a sudden the record started playing backwards. I was just stuck in the middle of the dance floor and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Later that night when I got home I tried to play the record backwards myself. It didn’t work but later that week I got a copy of Ron’s edit and played it at my school party. I was the man after that.
2. Mondee Oliver – Stay Close [Gherkin Records]
One of the most slept on records in my opinion. Produced by the legend Larry Heard. I heard this song at the infamous Importes Etc record store in Chicago around 1989. That record was so melodic and soulful I couldn’t wait to play it. I bought two copies and I remember playing the record for about 20 mins at the party and I totally lost my crowd but I didn’t give a f*ck. I was gonna break this record.
3. Terry Hunter – Madness [Muzique Records]
The very first record that I ever produced in 1990. I used to play this track at all my parties on reel to reel and cassette tape. The late Armando Gallop and I were best friends along with Mike Dunn. We were kids and we were DJing all over Chicago together. Armando said let’s put this out. A few months later it was released on his imprint Muzique Records. That same year I got to travel to London to DJ there for the very first time.
4. Ron Trent – Altered States [Warehouse Records]
1990 was a great year. There were a lot of highlights for kids from Chicago DJing and then getting into making their own tracks. Which brings us to ‘Altered States’ by Ron Trent. Ron and I were great friends as well and we were playing this track all over Chicago. Armando asked me could I speak to Ron about releasing the record on his other label, Warehouse records, and I did. Ron trusted me and agreed to let him release it and the rest is history.
5. Debbie Gibson – One Step Ahead (MAW Remix) [Atlantic]
I remember hearing this track in one of my very first visits to New York. I believe I was at the Zanzibar Bar and I heard Tony Humphries drop this on that system. All I can remember is going behind the DJ booth and asking him what this record was and he told me. The next day I went to Moving Records in Newark and bought the record. I couldn’t wait to break it in Chicago.
6. Terry Hunter feat. Terisa Griffin – Wonderful [Soul Heaven Records]
Now a Chicago classic. Me and Terisa had fun re-creating this song. Originally a ballad off her album, we went in the studio and she recut the whole song like it was a new record. In March we went to Miami to attend WMC. She performed the record at a gig I was playing and the bidding wars started. We toured all over the world performing that song.
7. Jennifer Hudson feat. R. Kelly – It’s Your World [T’s Box]
This record is special. You had two of Chicago’s best RnB giants coming together on a house song produced by myself and Wayne Williams. The record was originally for R. Kelly but it made its way to Jennifer Hudson. She loved it and we cut the record with her. The following year the song was nominated for a Grammy in 2015. And it’s still tearing up dance floors across the world today.
Book Terry Hunter now to hear more great picks. Listen out for one of these lucky seven.
Watch Terry Hunter get hands on with the MPC Touch here:
Read more of our Lucky Sevens here:
Lucky Seven: Josh Caffe
Lucky Seve: Claire Morgan