- Jimmy Forrest
Jimmy Forrest (
January 24 1920 -August 26 1980 ) was ajazz musician who playedtenor saxophone throughout his career.Born Jimmy Robert Forrest Jr., he is famous for his first solo recording of "Night Train", with its hook and classic tenor solo. He recorded frequently as both a
sideman and abandleader . "Night Train" reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in March 1952, and stayed at the top for seven weeks. "Hey Mrs. Jones" (#3 R&B) and "Bolo Blues" were his other major hits.Forrest was born in St. Louis,
Missouri and played alongsideFate Marable as a young man. He was withJay McShann in 1940-42 and withAndy Kirk from 1942-48, when he joinedDuke Ellington . After his solo career, he played in small combos withHarry "Sweets" Edison andAl Grey as well as appearing withCount Basie .Forrest's version of "Night Train" was the theme song of a nightly
rhythm and blues radio program in the Houston,Texas market that virtually introduced white teenagers to what was then calledrace music . The program, also called "Night Train", was hosted by William A. "Rascal" McCaskill, and was broadcast on KREL-AM from 1954 to 1957. The "Night Train" show brought in more than 100,000 mail-in requests per year, and was the most listened to program in its time slot.Fact|date=February 2008Late in life Forrest married Betty Tardy and settled in Grand Rapids,
Michigan , where he later died.ee also
*
List of Jump blues musicians
*List of jazz saxophonists
*List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart He also played with Miles Davis, in the Spring of 1952 at The Barrelhouse Club.References
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:28q2g40ttv3z~T1 All Music Guide biography]
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