Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Playing the ukulele, Brett Hunter, 30, of Oakland, Calif., auditioned with “She’s a Bad mama Jama” by Carl Clinton. Blake Shelton turned midway through the performance but wound up being the only one to do so, leading him to proclaim he’d just landed the next Tiny Tim.

His background: Brett says he and his brother are really close. That’s because Brett gave up an “amazing job” recruiting for start-ups so he could give his music his full attention. To make that work, he moved in with his brother. “He’s just always wanted to help me see this dream come to life,” Brett says of music and his brother. Brett says he just released his first full-length record, which he produced himself. But he’s really hoping The Voice will help boost his music career to the point where he can move out on his own.

What the show didn’t show:

* There’s an interesting story behind how Brett got hooked on music. His parents divorced when he was 13 and he started acting out. His parents wound up sending him across the country to a boarding school where he was forced to sing in front of the entire school. According to his Voice bio, that’s where he found his voice.

* On Facebook and in his website bio, Brett says his original music transcends genres, incorporating elements of R&B, gospel, jazz, soul, folk and blues.

* He’s been writing “soulful tunes” for more than a decade and is now front man for the California-based Brett Hunter Band.

* That band also includes Tim Marconett on guitar, Daniel Erik on bass and Patrick Shields on percussion.

* The Brett Hunter Band released a four-track EP called “Love and Understanding” in 2016. I’ve embedded the excellent title track below.

* The band followed that up with an album, “Take Off,” featuring 12 tracks last year. “Brother Killer” is superb. And be sure to check out Brett’s acoustic cover of “Little Red Corvette.”

* The band recorded the EP in a vintage airstream trailer turned recording studio on the Santa Barbara coast; the album in a barn on their property in Castro Valley, Calif.

* For a taste of the band’s versatility, visit their Facebook page for a video where they cover Destiny’s Child “Say My Name” as part of a New Island Music Guilty Pleasure series.

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