Calls for the Checkerboard Squares (Advanced - A1&A2)
The 59ers Square Dance Club (Mainstream - Plus)
Magic Diamonds (Mainstream
Began calling in 2004
Royal Records Recording Artist
Hunter had been around square dancing all of his life,
having been dragged from dance to dance by his grandparents and parents.
He met and become friends with many national callers with whom he is still friends today.
After the death of his grandfather – his hero – in 2002, Hunter decided that he wanted
to do something that would always remind him of his grandfather, and decided to start taking
square dance lessons in 2004. A mere four months later he picked up a microphone and began calling.
He is now the caller for three clubs, the 59ers, the Magic Diamonds and in 2008 revived his
grandfather's old club, the Checkerboard Squares. Hunter also dances with three other clubs in
Billings and the surrounding areas. He called his first festival in July of 2007 in California.
Hunter is a member of Callerlab and has become a member of the Youth Committee when he attended
the Callerlab convention in Colorado Springs, Colorado and became the Chairman of the Youth Committee
in 2008. In October of 2007, Hunter attended the 4Dance Caller’s Academy in Napa, California
with Scot Byars as the instructor. In June of 2008, he also attended the Yellowstone Callers College
in West Yellowstone, Montana with Tony Oxendine and Jerry Jestin as the instructors. Both of these
callers colleges were made possible by the Bob Mace Memorial Fund. Bob Mace was a caller that Hunter
grew up around when his parents and grandparents danced. Thank you to that fund for bettering callers.
In 2008, Hunter was honored with a chance to become a recording artist for Royal Records. He recorded
his first song, Wild Horses, in October of 2008.Hunter’s influences include, first and foremost, his
grandfather, Frank Leenknecht, plus renowned callers Joe Saltel, Jerry Story, Tony Oxendine, Ken Bower,
and too many more to name. Hunter is a ten-year 4-H alumni and an active 4-H leader. Hunter credits
everything he has learned throughout the past 10 years to 4-H and says that, if it were not for that
program, he would not be where he is today. Hunter resides in Billings with his mother, father, brother
and grandmother.
Event Database
Hunter at Home
Hunter Keller
406-690-2640 
Hunter at Work
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