Earl Forest

Earl Forest (December 1, 1926 – February 26, 2003) was an American musician and a member of the Memphis-based R&B coalition called the Beale Streeters, which included Johnny Ace, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, B.B. King, and Roscoe Gordon. Forest had a hit record in 1953 with "Whoopin' And Hollerin'" on Duke Records. He also recorded for Meteor Records and Flair Records.

Life and career Forest was born in Memphis, Tennessee on December 1, 1926.

By the late 1940s Forest was part of the network of musicians performing around Beale Street known as the Beale Streeters. These musicians included Johnny Ace, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, B.B. King, and Roscoe Gordon. They weren't a formal band, but they played at the same venues and backed each other during recording sessions. Scout and program director of WDIA, David James Mattis, would attend local shows and have musicians perform live at the radio station. Forest, pianist John Alexander, and saxophonist Adolph "Billy" Duncan backed B.B King during broadcasts at WDIA. "I guess you can say this was the first little bitty B.B. King band," King recalled in his autobiography.

In 1951, Ike Turner, who was a talent scout and producer for the Bihari brothers at Modern Records, arranged for the Beale Streeters to record for Modern. Forest played drums during a session for Bobby Bland at WDIA studios in 1952. To capitalize off the success of the record, the Bihari brothers released a single by Forest on their sublabel Meteor Records, credited as Earl (Whoopin' & Hollerin') Forrest. Later that year, Forest's "Trouble And Me" was issued as a split single with Johnny Ace's "Mid Night Hours Journey" on Flair Records. Forest continued to record, releasing more singles on Duke Records until the 1960s.

As a songwriter, Forest co-wrote the blues standard "Next Time You See Me" which was recorded by Junior Parker, Frankie Lymon, James Cotton and many others. Forest co-wrote two songs on Little Milton's 1987 album Movin' To The Country, "Just Because You See Me Smilin'" and "Room 244."

Forest died from cancer at the Memphis Veterans Administration Medical Center on February 26, 2003. 1953: "Mid Night Hours Journey" (Johnny Ace) / "Trouble and Me" (Flair 1015) 1954: "Out On A Party" / "Oh, Why" (Duke 121) 1954: "Your Kind Of Love" / "Ohh, Ohh Wee" (Duke 130) 1962: "Memphis Twist" / "Beale Street Popeye" (Duke 349) 1963: "The Duck" / "The Crown" (Duke 363)

Albums

Featured appearances

1978: Big Blues From Duke & Peacock (Blues Anthology Vol. 2) (ABC Records) 1987: Earl Forest Featuring The Beale Streeters With Bobby Bland And Johnny Ace (Ace records) 1989: The Original Memphis Blues Brothers (Ace Records) 1992: The Best Of Duke-Peacock Blues (MCA Records) 2005: Blowing The Fuse 1953 – 29 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox in 1953 (Bear Family Records) 2008: Rockin' Memphis (Proper Records) 2010: Ike Turner – That Kat Sure Could Play! The Singles 1951–1957 (Secret Records Limited) 2012: Johnny Ace – Ace's Wild: The Complete Solo Sides And Sessions (Fantastic Voyage) 2017: Ike Turner – Sessionography Vol. 1 (Real Gone Records)

As a sideman

1981: B.B. King – The Rarest King (Blues Boy) 1987: Junior Parker & Roscoe Gordon – Feelin' Good (Sun Record Company / P-Vine Special) 1987: Bobby Bland – Blues You Can Use (Malaco Records) 1992: B.B. King – King of the Blues (MCA Records) 2001: Bobby Bland – The Anthology (MCA Records) 2010: Ike Turner – That Kat Sure Could Play! The Singles 1951–1957 (Secret Records Limited) 2013: B.B. King – The Indispensable 1949–1962 (Frémeaux & Associés) 2013: Little Junior Parker – Feelin' Good – The 1952–1962 Recordings (Hoodoo Records)