Tanner T. Hunt, Jr. died, April 6. While he had a successful career as an attorney, he may be best known as Corndodger Snopes, as he hosted the Saturday radio show, “Saturday Night With the Folks” on 91.3 KVLU for more than 40 years.
Born in Port Arthur on March 3, 1936, Hunt was 89 years old.
Former KVLU program director, Byron Balentine, said he met Hunt while helping him produce the show.
“He was a very kind, witty and gentlemanly fellow and one of the best people I’ve ever known,” Balentine said. “When we would have a party at a restaurant or something like that, he would often pick up the bill for all the drinks without telling us — we’d find out later. He did little things like that that were very nice, during times when we were fundraising and things like that.”
Balentine said Hunt was not a broadcaster, but he put the show together in a way which influenced KVLU’s other shows.
“When we started, we thought it was just going to be a bluegrass show, but from the very beginning, he mixed in all different kinds of music,” Balentine said. “Pop, country, classical and opera sometimes, and he made it all fit together by some clever devices that we have since put into use in other shows on the station. It’s a trick that a lot of people can’t do.”
Station manager Jason Miller said he learned about bluegrass and folk music through Hunt.
“That was kind of his area of expertise,” Miller said. “He was ‘the’ show host, when it came to singer-songwriters, bluegrass and folk music. He was one of the real legendary KVLU hosts over the years, and just kind of a staple of our Saturday night programming where we’re playing music besides classical and jazz. We’re all gonna miss him a whole lot.”
A memorial service will be held May 10 at 3 p.m. at the family home in Beaumont.