Guy Forsyth

Guy Forsyth
Background information
Born (1968-12-02) December 2, 1968
Denver, Colorado, United States[1]
Genres Texas blues, Americana, blues rock[2]
Occupation(s) Singer, guitarist, harmonicist and songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar, harmonica, musical saw
Years active 1990s–present
Labels Various
Associated acts Asylum Street Spankers
Website Official website

Guy Forsyth (born December 2, 1968)[3] is an American Texas blues and blues rock singer, guitarist, harmonicist and songwriter.[4]

He regularly tours both in the United States and Europe, and has opened for Ray Charles, Robert Cray, Dr. John, B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughan, and Lucinda Williams. His most recent release was The Freedom To Fail (2012).[5]

Forsyth's repertoire primarily incorporates elements of blues and Americana traditions, with the requisite traces of rock, R&B, folk, jazz and pop. As a songwriter, many of his albums contain his own work and songs he co-composed with other musicians.[6] Forsyth has won several Austin Music Awards, including one for "best male vocalist" in 2005.[5]

Life and career

Forsyth was born in Denver, Colorado,[7] and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.[8] With an airline employee as a father, Forsyth's formative years were interspersed with frequent relocations to New York, Connecticut, and California before settling again in Kansas City. By the age of 16 he began playing the harmonica, in addition to singing, and was influenced by the work to Robert Johnson to later learn to play the guitar.[1] Forsyth moved to Austin, Texas, in January 1990.[8] By the mid-1990s, Forsyth's live performances became well known around Austin. In addition to solo work and with his own band, Forsyth was one of the co-founders of the Asylum Street Spankers.[6] The band developed a raucous and irreverent sound, focusing on musicianship and theatricality.[9] They played most of their earlier concerts without any amplification, which resulted in a heightened theatricality to the shows.[10] Forsyth played on their 2000 album, Spanker Madness. A Dutch based independent record label had earlier released High Temperature (1994), a live recording of Forsyth's own band's work.[8] The following year, Needle Gun was released by Lone Star Music, with the work also billed as by the Guy Forsyth Band. AllMusic noted that his live work was "loud, raw and raucous."[2] Forsyth played a lengthy residency at Antone's during this time and, in preparing work for his third album, Forsyth decided to leave the Asylum Street Spankers to retain his solo based focus.[8]

In 1999, Can You Live Without was released, and in the following year Steak. Forsyth tried to promote both efforts but his record label hit financial trouble and momentum was lost.[8] In 2002, Forsyth set up his own label known as Small and Nimble Records.[11]

It took until 2005 before Love Songs: For and Against was issued.[8] Forsyth increased his touring schedule and performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2005 and 2007, plus the High Sierra Music Festival (2007), Notodden Blues Festival (1994), Los Alamos Festival, BBQ & Blues Festival, Tønder Festival (2008), Rhythm 'n' Blues Festival, American Music Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, Kerrville Folk Festival and Rochester's Bricktown Festival.[11] 2007′s Unrepentant Schizophrenic Americana, was a double live compilation album.[8] Calico Girl (2008), featured new songs as well as re-recordings from Can You Live Without.[11] 300 Miles from Here to There, a live performance CD and DVD was issued in 2011.[8]

In 2012, The Freedom to Fail was released by Blue Corn Music.[12] "These songs represent an articulation of the changes in my viewpoints and the new legality that I see." Forsyth explained. "Becoming a father in this period of time and looking around me and trying to figure out what it is that I had to say to my daughter to explain myself. I don't feel the need to explain myself to everyone, but I sure as hell feel the need to explain myself to my daughter, because I want her to have that sort of connection with her origins." It was recorded at the Lost Oasis Studio in Austin, Texas, and included musical contributions from Jon Dee Graham, plus Asylum Street Spankers band mates Jonathan Doyle and Sick.[8]

Forsyth continues to tour and perform regularly in 2015.[13]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Record label(s) Notes
1994 High Temperature Lizard Discs (Netherlands) Billed as The Guy Forsyth Band (live album)
1995 Needle Gun Antone's / Lone Star Music Billed as The Guy Forsyth Band
1999 Can You Live Without Antone's / Lone Star
2000 Steak Antone's / Lone Star
2005 Love Songs : For and Against 33rd Street Records / Small and Nimble Records
2007 Unrepentant Schizophrenic Americana Semaphore Records / Small and Nimble Records Compilation album
2008 Calico Girl Semaphore Records / Small and Nimble Records
2010 Live at Gruene Hall Semaphore Records / Small and Nimble Records Live album
2012 The Freedom to Fail Blue Corn Music
2014 Moustache Girl Small & Nimble Records Side project : The Hot Nut Riveters (debut album)
2015 Red Dress Lizard Disc/Small & Nimble Records
2015 The Pleaser Small & Nimble Records

[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Albums by Guy Forsyth: Discography, songs, biography, and listening guide". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  2. 1 2 Richard Skelly. "Guy Forsyth | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  3. ↑ "Guy Forsyth : The Blog". Guyforsyth.com. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  4. 1 2 "Guy Forsyth | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  5. 1 2 "Rag Radio 2012-11-16 - Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Guy Forsyth : Rag Radio with Thorne Dreyer". Archive.org. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  6. 1 2 "Guy Forsyth Biography". OLDIES.com. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  7. ↑ The Blues Encyclopedia - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Guy Forsyth". Blue Corn Music. 1990-01-10. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  9. ↑ Ferris, Patrick. "Artist of the Month". Hotbands. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  10. ↑ Coronado, Adam (2010). "Religious Asylum". The San Antonio Current. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  11. 1 2 3 "Guy Forsyth Concert". Fire-eye.com. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  12. ↑ "The Freedom to Fail - Guy Forsyth | Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  13. ↑ "Guy Forsyth Tour Dates". Pollstar. 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2014-03-15.

External links

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