| Forrest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Forrest Melvill Thomas Jr. |
| Born | (1953-04-21)April 21, 1953 Galveston, Texas, United States |
| Died | September 9, 2013(2013-09-09) (aged 60) Tilburg, Netherlands |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1982–2013 |
| Labels | Ariola |
Forrest Melvill Thomas Jr. (April 21, 1953 – September 9, 2013), known professionally as Forrest, was an American singer, based in the Netherlands.
Life and career
Born in Galveston, Texas, where he sang in church during childhood, he moved to Los Angeles, California as a teen and won several contests there as a singer. After this stage in his career, he moved to the Netherlands, where he had a hit in 1983 with the song "Rock the Boat", a cover of the Hues Corporation's 1974 No. 1 US hit. His version peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and in his native United States at No. 9 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
A second single, "Feel the Need in Me" (originally by the Detroit Emeralds), was a hit in the UK, reaching No. 17. A third single, "One Lover (Don't Stop the Show)", peaked at No. 67 in the UK.
He and his wife, Manon Thomas [nl], a television presenter had two sons, but later separated, after which he began to concentrate again on music. He sang in R.E.S.P.E.C.T., a theatre show, in 2001, dedicated to 1960s soul music. He was asked by DJ Roog to front the band Planet Hardsoul, who had a minor hit with their cover of "Where Did Our Love Go". In December 2012, Thomas married again, to Diana van Lippen.
Death
On September 9, 2013, Forrest died of a stroke in a hospital in Tilburg, Netherlands, aged 60.
Discography
Albums
- One Lover (Ariola, 1983)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance |
AUS |
UK |
NLD | |||
| 1983 | "Rock the Boat" | 9 | 33 | 4 | 7 |
|
| 1983 | "Dancing with My Shadow" | — | — | — | — | |
| "One Lover (Don't Stop the Show)" | — | — | 67 | 37 | ||
| "Feel the Need in Me" | — | — | 17 | 20 | ||
| 1984 | "Dance All Night" | — | — | — | — | |
| "She's So Divine" | — | — | 98 | — | ||
| 1986 | "She's So Free" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | "Valerie" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1989 | "You Got What It Takes" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Rock the Boat '89" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Feelin' Alright" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
References
- ^ Doc Rock. "July to December 2013". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 208. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "FORREST – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "Forrest Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 116. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Dutch Charts". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- "Forrest - Rock the Boat". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
External links
Categories:
- 1953 births
- 2013 deaths
- 20th-century African-American male singers
- 20th-century American male singers
- 20th-century American singers
- American emigrants to the Netherlands
- American dance musicians
- American male pop singers
- Dutch pop singers
- Singers from Los Angeles
- Singers from Texas
- Musicians from Galveston, Texas
- Post-disco musicians
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- Ariola Records artists