Stellar Award winning syndicated radio host and gospel artist Lonnie Hunter is living his life above and beyond with three simple words: "Get it done." His latest album on Tyscot Records is titled "#GETITDONE" and his radio show (previously on Radio One) featured segments and testimonies for the sole purpose of helping listeners to stop procrastinating and begin positive steps towards their goals. Hunter has utilized every platform available to him preach this "Get It Done" mantra in hopes that it resonates with his many audiences.
In a recent interview with AIRPLAY 360, Hunter elaborated on his "Get It Done" campaign, his departure from Radio One and his plans for the future.
Tell us about the #Get It Done Campaign and how it became the title of your new CD.
LH: The Get it Done Campaign started on New Year’s Eve 2014. I was walking out on stage after being backstage waiting to sing and all I kept hearing was people talking about their New Year’s resolution and what they planned to do for the upcoming year. And unbeknownst to me, it was in my spirit because when I walked out on stage to greet the people, God quickened my spirit and He said, “Tell the people to just get it done. Stop with all the resolutions. Stop with all the ‘I plan to on this date’ and just get it done.” And literally before I could open my mouth and say that, He told me, “Not these people, the people.” And that’s how it ended up being a bigger campaign on the radio show. Lives have been changed in these last two years from people just being inspired to do what God has called them to do and understanding that what your “it” is. Once you kind of describe and come to grip with what your “it” is, you can do it—small steps. We broke it down on a weekly basis and every Friday we have a celebration for you achieving your weekly goals. On Monday we write down what it is we plan to achieve and on Friday if you achieve that, then we celebrate you. We’re never trying to achieve the complete goal. So if you want to start a business, we’re not looking for Friday for you to be in business but we’re looking for Friday for you to have learned about the LLC. So it doesn’t look like the goal is in surmountable. That’s how all of that came to be. The word of God says to write the vision and make it plain. So that you write down in steps every day you take one of those steps and only work on that step for that day and by Friday, you’ve done five of your steps. Before you know it your goal is in reach.
Is this the way that you’ve always lived your life or did this come about when God spoke to you about “Get It Done”?
LH: I have always lived my life this way. A lot of times when people read my bio and they read the things I’m doing, it just seems like too much in 24 hours to be believable. But when God is orchestrating it, you have to have in your spirit man a process in which to get all of these things done and do them well. In the last two year, I’ve even come closer and more keen to what God has promised me and how I plan to get it done. You can’t do a campaign about “Get It Done” and not do anything. You just cannot be the spokesperson for something that do not do.
How has your long tenure of being a Worship Pastor, first in Chicago and now at Bethany Baptist Church, been a foundation or helped you in your daily life or in this “Get It Done” campaign?
LH: Well, I tell you it has helped me immensely because I’m a firm believer that if you fail at people, you fail. So if you don’t know how to treat people; if you don’t know how to discern people, if you don’t know how to deal with different attitudes and personality and still be successful as it relates to being a leader for a group of people, you fail as a leader. So being Minister of Music and Pastor of Worship for all of these years has been a complete training ground for me both spiritually as well as in my business as a leader and a process that has been ongoing but a process that has helped me become who I am today.
LH: The Get it Done Campaign started on New Year’s Eve 2014. I was walking out on stage after being backstage waiting to sing and all I kept hearing was people talking about their New Year’s resolution and what they planned to do for the upcoming year. And unbeknownst to me, it was in my spirit because when I walked out on stage to greet the people, God quickened my spirit and He said, “Tell the people to just get it done. Stop with all the resolutions. Stop with all the ‘I plan to on this date’ and just get it done.” And literally before I could open my mouth and say that, He told me, “Not these people, the people.” And that’s how it ended up being a bigger campaign on the radio show. Lives have been changed in these last two years from people just being inspired to do what God has called them to do and understanding that what your “it” is. Once you kind of describe and come to grip with what your “it” is, you can do it—small steps. We broke it down on a weekly basis and every Friday we have a celebration for you achieving your weekly goals. On Monday we write down what it is we plan to achieve and on Friday if you achieve that, then we celebrate you. We’re never trying to achieve the complete goal. So if you want to start a business, we’re not looking for Friday for you to be in business but we’re looking for Friday for you to have learned about the LLC. So it doesn’t look like the goal is in surmountable. That’s how all of that came to be. The word of God says to write the vision and make it plain. So that you write down in steps every day you take one of those steps and only work on that step for that day and by Friday, you’ve done five of your steps. Before you know it your goal is in reach.Is this the way that you’ve always lived your life or did this come about when God spoke to you about “Get It Done”?
LH: I have always lived my life this way. A lot of times when people read my bio and they read the things I’m doing, it just seems like too much in 24 hours to be believable. But when God is orchestrating it, you have to have in your spirit man a process in which to get all of these things done and do them well. In the last two year, I’ve even come closer and more keen to what God has promised me and how I plan to get it done. You can’t do a campaign about “Get It Done” and not do anything. You just cannot be the spokesperson for something that do not do.
How has your long tenure of being a Worship Pastor, first in Chicago and now at Bethany Baptist Church, been a foundation or helped you in your daily life or in this “Get It Done” campaign?
LH: Well, I tell you it has helped me immensely because I’m a firm believer that if you fail at people, you fail. So if you don’t know how to treat people; if you don’t know how to discern people, if you don’t know how to deal with different attitudes and personality and still be successful as it relates to being a leader for a group of people, you fail as a leader. So being Minister of Music and Pastor of Worship for all of these years has been a complete training ground for me both spiritually as well as in my business as a leader and a process that has been ongoing but a process that has helped me become who I am today.
You had been a radio personality on Radio One's Praise format for a number of years but you are no longer on air. Why did you leave Radio One and what’s coming up for you in the future?
LH: The Lonnie Hunter Show was syndicated for about four years on the Radio One network and we were on from 3-7pm—hugely successful—the ratings were great. This kind of happened both for me and them simultaneously. I got offered a television show that starts taping the first quarter of 2016. It’s a Jimmy Fallon type show with the couch and the desk and we talk about issues and there is some singing but it’s not a Christian-based show. Literally, the week I found out about that show is the week that I found out that Radio One wanted to go in a different direction with their programming and the vibe of that afternoon drive and they moved Willie Moore, Jr. into that time slot and I was not open to do any other time slot because I have an 11 year old and 7-11pm at night is not when you want to be away from home with a pre-teen. So I kind of declined any other daypart and it was a (cordial) separation and I’m still very close with that network and with the people there. Cathy Hughes (Radio One CEO) and all of them were very accommodating with the transition so it was a good move—not bridges burned.
With you being an artist, I think people would be interested to know what music you listen to, so what’s in your iPod?
LH: What’s interesting is the only thing in my iPod is music I’m keeping for either Structure to sing or Bethany to sing.
LH: The Lonnie Hunter Show was syndicated for about four years on the Radio One network and we were on from 3-7pm—hugely successful—the ratings were great. This kind of happened both for me and them simultaneously. I got offered a television show that starts taping the first quarter of 2016. It’s a Jimmy Fallon type show with the couch and the desk and we talk about issues and there is some singing but it’s not a Christian-based show. Literally, the week I found out about that show is the week that I found out that Radio One wanted to go in a different direction with their programming and the vibe of that afternoon drive and they moved Willie Moore, Jr. into that time slot and I was not open to do any other time slot because I have an 11 year old and 7-11pm at night is not when you want to be away from home with a pre-teen. So I kind of declined any other daypart and it was a (cordial) separation and I’m still very close with that network and with the people there. Cathy Hughes (Radio One CEO) and all of them were very accommodating with the transition so it was a good move—not bridges burned.
With you being an artist, I think people would be interested to know what music you listen to, so what’s in your iPod?
LH: What’s interesting is the only thing in my iPod is music I’m keeping for either Structure to sing or Bethany to sing.
Lonnie Hunter was recipient of the 2010 Stellar Award for "Announcer of the Year" and holds an Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music from One Flesh Ministries Bible Institute (OFM) in Glenwood, IL.
To connect with Lonnie Hunter, follow him on Twitter @LonnieHunter and on Facebook and Instagram @LonnieHunterMusic.
To connect with Lonnie Hunter, follow him on Twitter @LonnieHunter and on Facebook and Instagram @LonnieHunterMusic.
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