Forrest has spent time performing with the BOSTON ROCK SYMPHONY and was also a member of the wellknown band WADSWORTH MASION(“ Sweet Mary I’ m Comin’ Home”) and also appeared on such television shows as“ The Dating Game” and“ American Bandstand”. His biography tells the tale of a man whose life’ s work is music … and one that has been spent eating, sleeping, breathing and LIVING the BLUES. His biography boasts a veritable“ Who’ s Who” of close encounters with some of the most recognizable names in music— MUDDY WATERS, JEFF BECK, ALICE COOPER, EDGAR WINTER, JIMMY PAGE, VAN HALEN, STEVE PERRY, to name a few. He has toured the world, appearing with the likes of JOHN LEE HOOKER, CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, BOBBY“ BLUE” BLAND, ROY GAINES, BOBBY WOMACK, LUTHER TUCKER, SILVER PLATINUM AND GOLD, ROGER DOLLARHIDE, MARIE FRANKLIN, JERRY LEE LEWIS, and many others … and they all have found good company hanging out with a man of Forrest’ s musical stature.
He has garnered numerous awards throughout the years. REAL BLUES MAGAZINE named his group“ Best Southern Blues Band” in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He also received the nod for the JUST PLAIN FOLKS MUSIC AWARD for“ Best Blues Album” of 1999 for his“ Spirit of the Blues” CD. Forrest has captured numerous mentions and acclaimed reviews in various media outlets worldwide.
And very recently( June 1, 2017), he released his latest offering,“ Stand My Ground”— perpetuating the legacy of this living legend.“ Stand My Ground” delivers straight up, slap-your-momma, bold and beautiful BLUES. And surrounding this marksman of music, is a posse of powerfully talented bandmates. Forrest’ s current lineup includes lead singer BECKY WRIGHT, a commanding vocal presence who impressively interprets these wellcrafted songs. Ms. Wright is joined by adept drummer JOHN HANES, with PIX ENSIGN blowing on the blues harp and LEE GAMMON languishing on the low tones, keeping the beat on bass. I would also like to acknowledge the plethora of incredible musicians that lend their talents to the CD as well. The sum of these parts is a winning combination!
In the case of“ Stand My Ground”, 13 is a lucky number. This is the 13 th CD produced by Forrest, and it also features 13 tracks— some of the most requested songs by fans of the band’ s music. The CD opens with“ Guitar String Blues”, deliciously funky and upbeat, with McDonald’ s trademark screaming guitar work punctuating the song and Pix’ s harp accentuating the track. I’ d like to make a quick mention that Pix’ s skills are a show-stopper in their own right— and the source of several“ WOW’ moments at the IBC. Next up on the CD is“ Chicken Scratch Boogie”, a fun and flavorful number that has McDonald jumping and jiving playfully on his guitar.
Third on the CD is a retooling of the SCREAMIN JAY HAWKINS’ song,“ I Put A Spell On You”. Wright truly does this song justice with her baleful vocals— with McDonald joining in the wail-fest on his ax … pure magic! The song builds beautifully, taking the listener on the lament-filled journey. I particularly love the end treatment of this song …. which is both surprising and impactful.
The title song“ Stand My Ground” is a light and zestful track with a catchy beat and a healthy dose of Pix in the mix— one that I’ m sure causes the dance floors to fill up wherever the Forrest McDonald Band appears. The next track,“ Turnaround Blues”, makes a reappearance on this“ fan favorite” CD— and I’ m glad it does. It is a wonderful showpiece for Forrest and the band as a whole, where the cohesiveness of the group really shines through.
I love, love, love the next song …“ Certified Blue”— which I had the pleasure to hear live at the IBC. Ms. Write’ s vocals are stunningly showcased on this song where she lusciously runs the gamut of tones, from husky to sexy, then slipping effortlessly into a softer hush of yearning. It’ s a song I found myself humming both literally and in my head, long after the last note ended. It is buoyed by the Muddy-esque whining of Forrest’ s guitar, riding the musical wave of this mournful“ done right” blues song. A“ don’ t miss” on the album, and one that I’ m confident that I’ ll revisit, time and time again. Did I happen to mention that I LOVE this song? I guess I did …