Benjamin Hunter:Mormon Musician

Benjamin Hunter is a Scottish musician who experienced an unexpected realization of his dreams by participating in the 2013 British Pageant held on the grounds of the Preston England Temple.

Born in 1995, Hunter is a third-generation member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has lived his entire life in Airdrie, Scotland, a small town in North Lanarkshire, where he was one of two or three members of the Church at his high school.

Coming from a musical family, Hunter learned to play the piano as a child. He learned to play the guitar when he was 14. During high school, he devoted much of his time to musical theater, but when he noticed that participating in that program sometimes clashed with his beliefs, he quit.

In 2013, his bishop asked him to audition for the first Latter-day Saint British Pageant, a production that is similar to the Hill Cumorah Pageant held in the United States. While participating in that pageant, he realized that there were places where he could have a career in musical theater and keep his Latter-day Saint standards.

During the pageant, he was invited to be part of the “Savior of the World” production at the Church Conference Center located in Salt Lake City, Utah. While staying in Utah for three months, Hunter performed in the Boy Scouts of America production “A Century of Honor” (also at the Conference Center), worked at the Church Office Building, did a show at the Tuacahn Amphitheater in St. George, and sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during its Christmas concert.

The Utah trip and his personal scripture study inspired him to record his first full album. His indie-folk album “Secret Prayer” was released in March 2014 for digital download. The album features Later-day Saint hymns and songs of faith. The opportunities of his Utah trip caused Hunter to believe that he has a responsibility and calling to share his faith through music.

Hunter will begin serving as a full-time missionary beginning sometime in 2014.

Facebook.com/BenjaminHunterMusic