Friday, January 9, 1998 By FISH GRIWKOWSKY -- Just in case you think being a 60-year-old man travelling across the country performing two shows a night would burn out the most steadfast rocker, Tommy Hunter has a word for you.

"There's a trick to it,'' says the Canadian icon, whose long-running show (27 years) puts him a notch above Don Cherry and even Mr. Dressup. "You hire very good people to do all the little details.''

Hunter's life is full of wonderful little details. Born in London, Ont., in 1937, his life changed at nine years old when he caught a Grand Ole Opry road show.

He was making music money by 13, and was on TV before he was 20. At the time of The Tommy Hunter Show's cancellation, the successful followup to Country Hoedown (a classier Hee Haw) the program enjoyed an average of 837,000 viewers a show. And then, like they had done with Don Messer's Jubilee decades earlier at the peak of its popularity, CBC pulled the plug.

"I don't miss the pressure,'' Hunter says, ever the country gentleman. "I'm going to stay away from it for a while. The pressure comes from trying to provide a very high level of entertainment.

"I've watched some recent country specials - I didn't think they were very special at all. I'm not willing to do anything but the best.''

His plan is simple. Get out there and meet the people again. It fills him up like rocket fuel. He's playing two shows tonight at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove. Of course they're sold out. (Though the ones in Red Deer on Jan. 17 aren't - yet.)

"I've had so many people come up to me saying: 'We're not fans of country music, but we never missed one of your shows.' That's quite an accomplishment. We always tried to do something different. I fought to get it changed to put it in the widest possible form.

"Can you imagine trying to do a variety show today, having five of the top country performers who all look the same, all sound the same?''

He goes on: "It's gone the other way these days. Once you get grey hair and you get over 30 years of age, they don't play us. I'm not bitter about it. The market's just dictating that. Radio can do what it likes, to its own detriment. So you have to make the records for your fans,'' he explains.

Hunter is a businessman, and proud of it. And somehow he pulls it off. He's even got a 1-800 number and a Web page (www.tommyhunter.com).

"Look, I'm not trying to change the world, I'm here to entertain people, to get close to my fans. I'm proud of the serious moves I made at the beginning.

"At the time it was, 'Let's just build a barn and put on some dungarees and we'll have a country show.' I think that was insulting to farmers and country music fans alike. I wanted a piece of a wider audience, to be honest, so I injected a little class.''

And he placed himself in the Canadian consciousness forever. Then he makes an interesting point: "We've made tremendous leaps as Canadians in country - especially the women.

"They're surrounding themselves with smart people and treating it like a business. Because it is a business, and you have to have a broad business sense.''

No pun intended.

"The gals have done great. Each one of them has kept her individuality, like it used to be in the old days with the guys. You can listen to them and tell them apart immediately.''

Unlike the fellas, he adds, calling them "talking-hat acts.

"All you can see is their mouth moving and their blue jeans,'' he laughs.

"But like I said, I'm not bitter.''