Gene Forrest

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Gene Forrest (actually Forest Gene Wilson , born September 3, 1931 in San Antonio ; † July 24, 2003 in Las Vegas ) was an American musician ( vocals , piano ) and songwriter , who mainly worked in doo wop and rhythm & Blues emerged.

Life

Forrest, who first grew up in Harlem , moved with his family to Los Angeles in the early 1940s. As a teenager he learned to play the piano before playing the Hawaiian guitar . He founded the doo-wop formation Gene Forrest & The Four Feathers , with whom he performed in nightclubs in town; he played his first single in 1951 for the RPM label. 1952 three more singles for John Dolphins label Recorded in Hollywood emerged ; the track "Thrill Your Soul" sold well. In 1954 he formed with Eunice Levy (actually Eunice Hazel Russ ), whom he met at a singing competition, the duo Gene & Eunice , which until 1962 did a number of singles a. a. for Combo and Aladdin . The duo, who wrote most of the songs together, achieved several hits in the American pop and R&B charts such as Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So) (one of the earliest rock 'n' roll songs, covered by among others Perry Como ) and This Is My Story , accompanied by the studio band of Johnny Otis . Poco Loco (1959) hit the charts in Jamaica . The singles appeared on several compilations on the Score label and in Europe on Vogue . The duo performed together until the 1990s. Her tracks have also been interpreted by The Flamingos , Dobby Dobson , Mickey & Sylvia , The Four Lovers , The Crew Cuts and George Faith .

In his later years, Forrest worked at Hughes Aircraft . He died of kidney failure in 2003.

Singles

Solo recordings

Title,
A-side 		Title,
B-side 		Label, number Release Remarks
Everybody's Got Money It was you Recorded in Hollywood 172 1951 with the Eddie Beale Fourtette
Thrill Your Soul Hollywood Bound Recorded in Hollywood 190 1952 with the Freddie Simons quintets
Picture on the wall Little Children Recorded in Hollywood 226 1952
Aching and crying I want to hold you RPM 276 1952
Dubio Wiggle Aladdin 1954 Gene Forrest and the Four Feathers:

Duo recordings with Eunice Levy

Title,
A-side 		Title,
B-side 		Label, number Release Remarks
Ko Ko Mo You and Me Combo 64 or Aladdin 3276 1955
This is my story Move it over, baby Aladdin 3282 1955
Flim Flam Can We Forget It Aladdin 3292 1955
I gotta go home Have You Changed Your Mind Aladdin 3305 1956
I'll never believe in you Hootchie Kootchie Aladdin 3315 1956
Let's get together I'm So In Love With You Aladdin 3321 1956
Bom Bom Lulu Hi Diddle Diddle Aladdin 3351 1956
Strange World The Vow Aladdin 3374 1956 with Ray Ellis Orchestra
Don't Treat Me This Way Doodle Doodle Thu Aladdin 3376 1957
The Angels Gave You to Me I mean love Aladdin 3414 1957 with Earl Palmer , Plas Johnson , René Hall
Poco-Loco Go on Kokomo Case 1001 1959
Ah AH You Think I'm Not Thinking Case 1002 1959
Without love You Drive Me Buggy Case 1005 1960
Sugar babe Let's play the game Case 1007 1960
Hully Gully / Beatnik You Think I'm Not Thinnking / Poco Loco EP, case 100 1960
Got a right to know Ever lovin baby Lilly Records 330/331 1962
Soul loving Walking away Cenco 113 1967

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cf. u. a. Joel Whitburn 's Music Stars: Brief Bios of Every Recording . 2009, page 101
  2. ↑ a b c Nick Talevski: Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door , p. 180
  3. ↑ According to Brian Lee, this production wasn't made until 1952 and was released in 1953.
personal data
SURNAME Forrest, Gene
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wilson, Forest Gene (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American musician (vocals, piano) and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH September 3, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH San Antonio
DATE OF DEATH July 24, 2003
Place of death Las Vegas