December 13, 2019 – Nashville, TN – A little over 43 years ago, Meridian, MS, native Steve Forbert boarded a train bound for New York City. Twenty-one years old at the time, Forbert, with his guitar and harmonica, spent two years working his way up from street performer living at the YMCA to filling historic Greenwich Village clubs and signing a major label contract. By 1979, Forbert had hit his stride with the release of Jackrabbit Slim, which produced his first top 40 hit, “Romeo’s Tune.” Today, a limited edition vinyl reissue of Jackrabbit Slim, remastered by the legendary Ted Jensen of Sterling Sound (The Eagles, The B-52s, Dave Matthews, Norah Jones) is available via Blue Rose Music. A special 500 copies were pressed on red-colored wax; only a few are left and available for purchase here. Forbert recently played fan favorites from Jackrabbit Slim with his band The New Renditions at the SiriusXM studio for Outlaw Country and is set to embark on an East Coast tour in January.
In addition to “Romeo’s Tune,” Jackrabbit Slim introduced the world to Forbert’s Mississippi instincts and catchy-but-deep rock and roll tunes. From the rollicking “Say Goodbye To Little Jo” to the almost-reggae-tinged “Complications” to the straight-ahead folk of “January 23-30, 1978,” Jackrabbit Slim spans Forbert’s early creative potential, all while entertaining different types of listeners. “Jackrabbit Slim was the release that put me on the map and gave me the audience that’s still with me today,” says Forbert. “Every singer/songwriter needs one of these!”
Artists like Keith Urban, Rosanne Cash, and Marty Stuart have covered songs from Jackrabbit Slim and Forbert’s extensive 20 album catalog. And in 2017, twenty-one artists paid tribute to Steve by recording An American Troubadour: The Songs of Steve Forbert, further validating the quality of Forbert’s musicianship, writing, and profound contributions to Americana and Folk music.
In late October, The Mississippi Arts Commission announced that Forbert will be honored as the “Excellence in Music” recipient at the 2020 Governor’s Arts Awards. Taking place on February 6, 2020, in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize outstanding work in the artistic disciplines as well as arts-based community development and arts patronage in Mississippi.
Catch Steve Forbert On Tour:
12/31 - Kennett Square, PA - Kennett Flash
1/9 - Madison, WI - The Winnebago
1/10 - Evanston, IL - SPACE
1/11 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
1/16 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
1/17 - Portland, ME - One Longfellow Square
1/18 - Shirley, MA - Bull Run Restaurant
1/23 - Washington, DC - City Winery
1/25 - Asbury Park, NJ - House of Independents
1/26 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage
2/6 - Jackson, MS - Governor’s Award Private Performance
2/7 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
2/21 - Winter Haven, FL - Gram Parsons Derry Down
2/22 - Sarasota, FL - Fogartyville Community Media Arts Center
More on Steve Forbert:
From 1978 to 1982, Forbert released four acclaimed albums, including the Gold-certified Jackrabbit Slim with its #11 hit “Romeo’s Tune.” Recording success vaulted Steve onto a broader musical stage, touring the U.S. and Europe many times over. Steve’s early accomplishments would be a career for most artists, but he continues to write, record, and perform to this day. His artistic pursuit has resulted in twenty studio albums and numerous live releases, compilations, and accolades.
Like other great artists, Forbert embraces challenge as he did by recording, Any Old Time, a retrospective of the music of Meridian’s Jimmie Rodgers, which received a 2003 Grammy nomination for “Best Traditional Folk Album”. As Rodgers’ music has inspired Forbert so has Forbert’s music influenced a new generation of artists.
In 2018, Steve released his memoir Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock. “Like the earlier Bob Dylan and Patti Smith books, Forbert has a warm way of describing the pull of NYC and the ensuing challenges of getting traction, against the context of a small-town upbringing. He offers a sparkling observation about the pull of music as excellent as any I have seen,” says Entertainment Today.