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Former 'Idol' contestant enjoys new gig

Posted August 21, 2010 11:00 pm

By Dave Heun

It doesn't seem like that long ago when Leslie Hunt was singing and playing keyboard with her rock band "Tripe" in the basements of St. Charles homes in which the parents didn't mind loud music.

After graduating from St. Charles East in 2000, Hunt advanced from "Tripe" to singing and playing piano on stage at the Norris Theater, opening for Jim Peterik and the Ides of March.

Then it was on to Roosevelt University in Chicago to study music composition. And then, as most everyone in the Tri-Cities area who follows "American Idol" knows, she auditioned for that show, which she had never watched, and made it to the final 20 contestants in the 2007 season.

"It's not that I don't like the show," said the 28-year-old Hunt, who appeared during the popular show's sixth season. "I just don't watch much TV."

But those who do watch TV could see Hunt on any number of local news or entertainment shows for two years after her Idol experience, such as performing her solo song "American Dream Man" on "Chicago Tonight."

To no one's surprise, she continues to make music and she's doing it with a progressive rock band called District 97, which will release its debut album "Hybrid Child" on Sept. 14.

"We all went to Roosevelt University together, though they were jazz majors," Hunt said of her new band mates. "The drummer in that band, Jonathan Schang, had seen me sing with my band, Mark Twang, and he approached me about opening for one of his shows."

Hunt obliged and sang in a bar called Lilly's in Lincoln Park before a District 97 show in the spring of 2008.

"I hung around and watched their show, and I was just blown away," Hunt said. "I thought, 'Oh my God, I gotta be part of this somehow.'"

Thus began her newest music project in July 2008, writing, singing and producing for District 97.

"It's very involved music, but it's very cool because it's not over anyone's head," Hunt explained. "It is like King Crimson, Yes and Rush, and it has a hard edge to it."

District 97 hopes to book a show in St. Charles around the time the new CD is available, and Hunt was in town a few weeks ago to see her "American Idol" friend, Gina Glocksen of Naperville, perform an outdoor concert.

"We were roommates during "American Idol," but we've never done any music together," Hunt said. "She does her thing, and I do mine."

Hunt, who is busy as a mother of a 1-year-old daughter, said music remains her focus and main source of income. She works with the band, helps others produce music and teaches out of her Chicago home.

"It's been going OK, and I am really excited about the band and its future," Hunt said.

Small stage, big commitment: The passion and commitment of those devoted to small community theater in the Tri-Cities never ceases to amaze.

Whether it's at Steel Beam in St. Charles, Albright in Batavia or the Geneva Underground Playhouse, you are seeing the results of months, even years, of hard work unfolding on a small stage.

After attending a showing of "The Psalm of Edie Catz" last weekend at the Geneva Underground Playhouse, we walked away knowing that we're likely to hear more about these actors in the future.

Abigail Stombres, a 14-year-old freshman at Wheaton Academy, had the lead role of "Edie" in this adult drama - and it was already the 21st production in which she has worked. Something tells me that Wheaton Academy will have a solid student in acting and drama classes, and school plays or musicals, for the next four years.

And, as mentioned in a previous column, this play was a work of love long in the making for playwright Nancy Hanna, who wrote it 10 years ago and had the sheer joy of seeing her daughter, E. Faye Hanna, direct it.

Who really changes? As the high school football season gets closer, here's an interesting comment from former Geneva head coach Jerry Auchstetter, who still serves as an assistant, regarding his 50 years of coaching for the Vikings:

"I hear the other coaches tell me that today's players are really different from the past, that they've really changed," Auchstetter said. "I don't really believe that. The kids are still just 17 or 18 years old, and they haven't changed much at all.

"It's the coaches who have changed," Auchstetter added. "I'm a lot different person now at age 74 than I was when I was 24."

Always in danger: It's an event held close to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack anniversary, but the recent death of a Chicago firefighter after slipping off a ladder during a fairly routine restaurant fire reminds us that these guys are in danger on a regular basis when trying to save us or our property.

The Geneva Fire Department will host its second annual National Fallen Firefighters Foundation golf outing at noon Sept. 10 at Tanna Farms. Golf, lunch, door prizes and an awards banquet are offered for the $100 entry fee. Those interested in supporting the foundation can register to play at firehero.org.

For those who like to cook or eat chili, the foundation is also the beneficiary of a chili cook-off to be held the last day of the Festival of the Vine, at 5 p.m. Sept. 12, at the FoxFire restaurant in Geneva. Local firefighters will be cooking up their best chili recipes, and the public can eat as much as they like for a $5 donation.

dheun@sbcglobal.net

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