Sing Forest Sing - Artist Q and A with Forest Wayne Allen

A while back I had gotten into a Facebook discussion about country music and what it should sound like.  Country music is about telling the story of the common man.  I maintain that fiddles, mandolins, and steel guitars should be common place in that genre.  Today we have too much over production in what is played to the masses. Someone who felt similar to me in that thought process was my friend Forest Wayne Allen.  Forest plays what I consider to be traditional country music. Forest moved here from out of state and has been playing in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos.  Currently working in the oilfield, he has been picking up gigs sporadically when he is in town. I decided I wanted to start  doing Q and A's with different people on the scene as I go.  I am channeling my inner Barbara Walters here on these little question and answer segments.  Forest was kind enough to be my first interview on this little highway of mine.  So ladies and gents here are some tunes from the man himself and below is our little conversation.  Enjoy.

 

 

 

Tell me about what has been happening with you?

 I've been farming in the oil patch lately. I was farming in the credit
card patch before that, so I had to get real. At least for 2 weeks out
of the month.  But I am really enjoying actually being responsible for
something other than changing my oil & strings; and, I'm loving music a
lot more lately.  Stepping away from it for a lil bit has helped me
appreciate every aspect of it so much more.

 Any really cool gigs coming up you want to tell people about? 

Until I get my oilfield schedule in stone, I'll just be playing

last minute stuff.  My friends like Jordan Minor, Tony Taylor, Daniel
Thomas Phipps have been hooking me up with shows when I'm back. I'm
supposed to play Tavern in the Gruene the 14th with my buddy Brett
Hauser, but he might have to be his own valentine if I'm on a rig in
BFE.

Most memorable show you have played?
Dosey Doe in Conroe  It's one of two shows I've done without a single
drop of booze, and it was very memorable.  Literally, I could remember
it.  People really came to listen and it's a super cool venue. Ray
Benson was playing at the other one in The Woodlands, and I was about
flattered when the owner chose to hang out at my gig.  Even I wouldn't
have done that...

 Do you any crazy on the road stories? Or at least any you can share without getting people in trouble? 

For the protection of others, the guilty will remain nameless.  I played a gig in Corpus at

Outta Bounds (shout out) with ____ _____ and ___ ____ and Angie from
Outta Bounds got us a hotel.  When we finally made it to the hotel, I
spent all my effort trying to get two girls to come over.  When I
finally gave up, I noticed the two were missing, but I had a feeling
they were somewhere in the building. I opened the bathroom door and they
were sitting in the bathtub with their legs over the side, just
lauuuuughin'

What inspired you to become a musician?
My mom and dad.  I grew up walking around old smokey bars, listening to
them play bluegrass. Sometimes I'd be an outdoor thing, sometimes they
played for funeral homes and my mom was the piano player at out church
growing up.  I started on the trumpet and got my first guitar my junior
year of high school.  I've been pickin' ever since.

 Of all the songs you have written, what song is your favorite? Why?

Well hell, the're all my favorite!  (I'm pretty sure a

guy named Billy Joe said that).  I have one called "My best days".  It's
just the truest song I have, and I really seam to get into it more than
any other song.

What goals are hoping to reach in 2013?

I just want to get this record out...and get my schedule figured out so

that I can book gigs and get myself and hopefully a country band back on
that road!

Favorite venue? Why?
The first place I ever played in the state of Texas was Tavern in the
Gruene.  That was 4 years before I moved here to stay.  I just love the
room, it's a great acoustic room and some of the crowds are really cool
about listening and hanging out after the show.

When you aren’t playing a show who do you go out to see?

I usually end up going to see my friends in the scene.  Court

Nance, Midnight River Choir, Jordan Minor, Tony Taylor, Jaime Cortinas, guys like that.  I
do love Dwight, Robert Earl, Billy Joe, Rodney Parker & Reckless.

 What do you think sets you or your band apart from other bands?

 I'm the weirdest guy in the business, and I'm not even trying. It

comes so easy to me.

Anything else you would like the people to know about you or your band?

Grab the new record!  It's country.  They'll have it playing

on Radiofreetexas and Superfly's Lonestar Music in San Marcos will
probably be the first ones to carry it.  This is my forth record, but
the first one I really believe in all the way through.  Thanks to Jordan
Minor for producing it with me and Gary Hickenbothem for engineering it.

 

So there you have it.  Go Check out Forest when he is in town.   As soon as I know when the new record will be coming out, I will let you know. 

 

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