Steve Forbert

Biography

Samuel Stephen Forbert (born December 13, 1954) is an American pop/folk singer-songwriter. His 1979 song "Romeo's Tune" reached No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It also spent two weeks at No. 8 in Canada. Forbert's first four albums all charted on the Billboard 200 chart, with Jackrabbit Slim×Jackrabbit Slim1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Romeo's Tune3:282The Sweet Love That You Give (Sure Goes a Long, Long Way)3:353I'm in Love With You4:474Say Goodbye to Little Jo3:525Wait5:316Make It All So Real5:547Baby4:128Complications3:419Sadly Sorta Like a Soap Opera3:4010January 23-30, 19784:37 certified gold in Canada. In 2004, his Any Old Time album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Folk category. Forbert has released 21 studio and 3 live albums.
Forbert's songs have been recorded by several artists, including Rosanne Cash, Keith Urban, Marty Stuart and Webb Wilder. In 2017, a tribute album, An American Troubadour: The Songs of Steve Forbert, was released, with covers of his songs by twenty-one artists. Bob Harris of BBC Radio 2 said Forbert has "One of the most distinctive voices anywhere."
In September 2018, he released his self-penned memoir, Big City Cat: My Life in Folk Rock, with editor Therese Boyd. It accompanied the release of his 19th studio album The Magic Tree×The Magic Tree2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Magic Tree (Version No 1)3:512That'd Be Alright3:123Carolina Blue Sky Blues3:024Let's Get High3:135Tryna Let Go4:556Lookin' at the River in the Rain3:127Diamond Sky2:518Movin' Through America3:409I Ain't Got Time3:3510The Magic Tree (Version No 2)3:1911Only You (And Nobody Else)3:5812The Music of the Night2:59 on Blue Rose Music.

Early life

Forbert was born in Meridian, Mississippi, United States. As a child, he fell in love with music, even playing air guitar in a pretend band he called The Mosquitos. Due to a fascination with Top 40 radio, he proclaimed himself a "music junkie." At 17, he started writing songs. After high school, he attended junior college and worked as a truck driver. Forbert moved to New York City in 1976 to experience the punk rock scene of the 1970s. There he performed on the street to passersby in Greenwich Village, and had early shows as a singer with a guitar and harmonica at punk club CBGB before moving on to folk venues Kenny's Castaways and Folk City.

Musical career

Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album Alive on Arrival×Alive on Arrival1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Goin' Down to Laurel5:092Steve Forbert's Midsummer Night's Toast2:503Thinkin'3:284What Kinda Guy?2:355It Isn't Gonna Be That Way4:586Big City Cat3:047Grand Central Station, March 18, 19774:168Tonight I Feel So Far Away From Home3:149Settle Down3:4810You Cannot Win If You Do Not Play4:36 that year. While some, like Village Voice, called him "the new Dylan," of any comparison to Bob Dylan, he said, "You can't pay any attention to that. It was just a cliché back then, and it's nothing I take seriously. I'm off the hook – I don't have to be smarter than everybody else and know all the answers like Bob Dylan."
Even though the sleeve of his second album Jackrabbit Slim×Jackrabbit Slim1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Romeo's Tune3:282The Sweet Love That You Give (Sure Goes a Long, Long Way)3:353I'm in Love With You4:474Say Goodbye to Little Jo3:525Wait5:316Make It All So Real5:547Baby4:128Complications3:419Sadly Sorta Like a Soap Opera3:4010January 23-30, 19784:37 stated that "Romeo's Tune" is "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard", the song is not really about the Supremes singer who died in 1976. The song, which went to No. 11, was actually written about a girl from Forbert's hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, but was dedicated to Ballard because, as Forbert explained, "that seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story." The piano part on "Romeo's Tune" was played by former Elvis Presley pianist Bobby Ogdin.
Jackrabbit Slim was recorded completely live at Quadrophonic Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and the record was produced by John Simon, who had worked with the Band. Jackrabbit Slim peaked at No. 54 in the UK Albums Chart. The album reached No. 20 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.
Forbert also had a cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video, playing her boyfriend.
In 1984, Forbert had a disagreement with his record company Nemperor and contractual issues prevented him from recording for a number of years afterwards. His 1988 album, Streets of This Town×Streets of This Town1988 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Running on Love3:352Don’t Tell Me (I Know)3:353I Blinked Once4:484Mexico3:315As We Live and Breathe3:216On the Streets of This Town3:417Hope Faith and Love3:448Perfect Stranger3:359Wait a Little Longer3:5110Search Your Heart4:38, and the 1992 followup The American in Me×The American in Me21 January 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Born Too Late4:082If You're Waiting on Me3:363Responsibility3:304When the Sun Shines3:155The American in Me4:106Baby, Don't3:447Change in the Weather3:488You Cannot Win 'Em All2:589Rock While I Can Rock1:5810New Working Day2:56, were released by Geffen Records. They received significant airplay.
In the years following, Forbert recorded more albums of songs he wrote and sang, accompanied by his guitar. He maintained a constant touring presence as well.

By 1985, Forbert sought out new inspiration and relocated to Nashville. His tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time×Any Old Time8 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Waiting on a Train2:252My Blue Eyed Jane2:483Why Should I Be Lonely?3:224Any Old Time3:025Ben Dewberry's Final Run3:346Miss the Mississippi and You3:287Blue Yodel #9 (Beale and Main)3:338Gambling Bar Room Blues3:319Desert Blues3:1710Train Whistle Blues3:0111My Rough and Rowdy Ways3:1312My Carolina Sunshine Girl3:07, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame, and in 2007, Keith Urban covered his hit "Romeo's Tune." The same year, Forbert's music was featured in the film Margot at the Wedding starring Nicole Kidman.
Forbert wrote new music in support of the Occupy Wall St. movement. He also began doing photography using an old LG phone. An exhibit of his cell phone photographs opened at the Tinney Contemporary Art Gallery in Nashville in September 2011.
In 2012, he joined Blue Corn Music, and they released Over With You, produced by Chris Goldsmith (the Blind Boys of Alabama), that same year. Musical backing on the record included Ben Sollee on cello and bass, with Ben Harper guesting on guitar on several tracks. American Songwriter stated "it's all lovely, melancholy, lyrically moving and beautifully performed" and "Like Warren Zevon, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, Steve Forbert has left his unmistakable imprint on the landscape of American music."
After the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Forbert released a music video, "Sandy," to raise awareness about the storm and its aftermath.
In 2013, Blue Corn Music re-released Forbert's first two albums, Alive on Arrival and its gold-certified follow-up Jackrabbit Slim. That year marked the 35th anniversary of the release of Alive on Arrival, and Forbert played that album in its entirety at a number of shows. Alive on Arrival was profiled as one of the greatest debut albums ever in the book Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself.
Forbert's memoir, Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock (PFP Publishing, 2018), was edited by Therese Boyd and released in September 2018. The book covers his four-decade-long career. To accompany the book, at the same time, Forbert released The Magic Tree album on Blue Rose Music. The twelve tracks were culled from demos and new material, and builds on his pop and folk rock style. Joining Forbert on The Magic Tree is longtime accompanying guitarist Clay Barnes and the album was produced by Karl Derfler.

Personal life

In the early 1980s, Forbert moved to the Asbury Park area of the Jersey Shore. There, he married, had children, and in 2001 divorced. That same year, he renewed a relationship with Diane DeFazio.
In 2017 Forbert received a cancer diagnosis. As a result, he had one kidney removed, received chemotherapy and was able to be diagnosed as cancer free.

Studio albums

Alive on Arrival, Nemperor/CBS Records, 1978
Jackrabbit Slim, Nemperor, 1979
Little Stevie Orbit, Nemperor, 1980
Steve Forbert, Nemperor, 1982
Streets of This Town, Geffen Records, 1988
The American in Me, Geffen Records, 1992
Mission of the Crossroad Palms, Giant/Warner Bros. Records, 1995
Rocking Horse Head, Giant/Warner Bros. Records, 1996
Evergreen Boy, Koch Records, 2000
Any Old Time (Songs of Jimmie Rodgers), Koch Records, 2002
Just Like There's Nothin' to It, Koch Records, 2004
Strange Names & New Sensations, 429 Records, 2007
The Place and the Time, 429 Records, 2009
Down in Flames, Sony Music, 1983 (Released 2009)
Over with You, Blue Corn Music, 2012
Compromised, Rock Ridge Music, 2015
Flying at Night, Rolling Tide, 2016
The Magic Tree, Blue Rose Music, 2018
Early Morning Rain, Blue Rose Music, 2020
Moving Through America, Blue Rose Music, 2022
Daylight Savings Time, Blue Rose Music, 2024

Live albums

King Biscuit Flower Hour: New York, 1982 1996
Here's Your Pizza 1997
Live at the Bottom Line 2000
Jackrabbit Slim (Live) 2020

Compilation albums

The Best of Steve Forbert: What Kinda Guy? Columbia/Sony 1993
Young, Guitar Days Madacy/Rolling Tide Records 2001 [studio outtakes 1978-1981]
More Young, Guitar Days Valley Entertainment 2002 [studio outtakes 1975-1982]
Rock While I Can Rock: The Geffen Years Geffen 2003
Early On: The Best Of The Mississippi Recordings Rolling Tide Records 2012
Alive on Arrival / Jackrabbit Slim 2CD reissue Blue Corn Records 2013
An American Troubadour: The Songs of Steve Forbert Blue Rose Music 2017

Soundtrack albums

Knockaround Guys, 2001 – performed "Romeo's Tune"
Margot at the Wedding, 2007 – performed "Romeo's Tune" and "Goin' Down to Laurel"

Singles

1978: "It Isn't Gonna Be That Way"
1978: "Goin' Down to Laurel"
1979: "Thinkin'"
1979: "Romeo's Tune" – U.S. number 11, AUS number 13, CAN number 8
1980: "Say Goodbye to Little Jo" – U.S. number 85
1980: "The Sweet Love That You Give (Sure Goes a Long Long Way)"
1980: "The Oil Song"
1980: "Big City Cat"
1980: "Song for Katrina"
1980: "Get Well Soon"
1980: "Cellophane City"
1980: "Lonely Girl"
1980: "Schoolgirl×Schoolgirl1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Schoolgirl3:012Rain3:10"
1982: "When You Walk in the Room"
1982: "Ya Ya (Next to Me)"
1988: "On the Streets of This Town"
1988: "Running on Love"
1992: "Born Too Late"
1992: "Responsibility"
1992: "Baby, Don't"

DVD releases

The Steve Forbert DVD Anthology: You Cannot Win If You Do Not Play, 2005
On Stage at World Cafe Live, 2007
Steve Forbert in Concert, 2007

SteveForbert.com exclusive releases

Be Here Now: Solo Live Rolling Tide Records 1994
Be Here Again: Solo Live Rolling Tide Records 1998
Acoustic Live: The WFUV Concert Rolling Tide Records 2000
Solo Live in Bethlehem Rolling Tide Records 2002
Good Soul Food – Live at the Ark Rolling Tide Records 2004
It's Been a Long Time: Live Acoustic with Paul Errico Rolling Tide Records 2006
Best of the Downloads Vols. 1 + 2 (live compilation) Rolling Tide Records 2008
Meridian CD/DVD Rolling Tide Records 2008
Don't Look Down Rolling Tide Records 2011
Get Your Motor Running Rolling Tide Records 2012
Early On: The Best of the Mississippi Recordings Rolling Tide Records 2012
Palladium (live in New York on November 24, 1979) Rolling Tide Records 2013
New Liberty Half Vol. 1 (pre-production demos for The Place and the Time) Rolling Tide Records 2013
A Safe Past Tense (studio demos from Over with You) Rolling Tide Records 2015