Home

Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music [ A-Z entries]

Gene Lees’ JAZZLETTER

The Rise And Fall of Popular Music [A polemical history]

All Or Nothing At All: A Life of Frank Sinatra

Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon

Jascha Horenstein: A CD Discography of the Great Conductor

Donald's Blog

 

Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

FORREST, Helen

(b 12 April '18, Atlantic City NJ; d 11 July '99, L.A.) Vocalist of the Big Band Era: a gifted singer, strong on lyric projection. 'Helen Forrest was, with the possible exception of Jack Teagarden and Mildred Bailey -- and until Sinatra came along -- the finest white singer of the entire Swing Era ... there is not a single song that she didn't somehow elevate by her uncanny musical sensibility and fine ear for accurate pitch and subtle nuances' (Gunther Schuller in The Swing Era). At first she sang under various names: Bonnie Blue, the Blue Lady, Marlene, etc. She sang with her brother's band in Washington DC, then Artie Shaw band '38 following Billie Holiday: her first record with Shaw was 'You're A Sweet Little Heartache' on Bluebird. After Shaw junked that band, she joined Benny Goodman late '39, stayed till Aug. '41; cut lovely side with Lionel Hampton and Nat Cole trio July '40 'I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You'. Hits with Harry James as Billboard began printing charts: 'I Don't Want To Walk Without You' no. 2, 'He's My Guy' no. 9, 'I Had The Craziest Dream' no. 1, 'Mister Five By Five' no. 2 (all '42), 'I've Heard That Song Before' no. 1 '43; then handed over to Kitty Kallen and went solo. Made films Springtime In The Rockies '42, Bathing Beauty and Two Girls And A Sailor '44; sang 'Time Waits For No One' in Shine On Harvest Moon '44, had no. 2 hit with it. Teamed that year with Dick Haymes on radio show, recorded duets including six top ten hits: 'Long Ago And Far Away', 'It Had To Be You', 'Together', 'I'll Buy That Dream', 'Oh! What It Seemed To Be' all top five '44-6. Sang 'Out Of Nowhere' in film You Came Along '45. Less active in '50s; early '60s sang with Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (led by Sam Donahue); active on club circuit '70s. Now And Forever on Stash '83 has backing including Grady Tate, Frank Wess, Hank Jones, George Duvivier. Tracks from '49-50 with conductor Carmen Dragon on Hindsight and Audiophile CDs; Them There Eyes on Mr Music CD compiled sessions with Ray Bloch, Larry Clinton, Sy Oliver etc.