Higher To Go: Tribute To Forrest Lee Sr

This record started as a tribute to the life and songs of Forrest Lee Sr. Forrest Lee Sr was a country music legend, and underground hero of musicians. He was always helping others get started in the music business, and many went on to become huge successes. He's had so many great guitarists play for him it's too hard to list. But a couple names that you will recognize are Buck Owens who co-wrote and played on Forrests original hits in the early 50s, and Eddie Cochran who worked for Forrest when he was 14 years old. As time passes, we forget the origins of some of music's pioneers. Forrest Lee Sr was a pioneer, of picking talented guitarists. Listen to an Eddie Cochran record, and you'll hear a little bit of Forrest Lee's influence. One of the earliest pictures of Wynn Stewart, another artist who went on to become a pioneer of honky tonk music, is at KXLA in Pasadena Ca, when he was on the radio show Forrest Lee Sr hosted. Forrest Lee Sr toured with many of the classic country artists we know and love. He would also book talent and MC what he called package shows in the 50's. By the 60's he was settled down in California, playing locally and raising his family. He never achieved the fame of his friends, but he was respected throughout the musical community as a kind a giving man. And his songs have been recorded by Buck Owens, Billy Dee, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and Jim Reeves. Since his passing in 2010, we've taken 2 years of assembling talented friends to honor Forrest with this tribute. He always wanted Forrest Lee Jr to record his gospel songs, and here they are, updated a bit, but mostly true to the original classic country gospel form. When you listen to the song King Of Kings, you'll hear the unmistakeable guitar playing of Albert Lee, Johnny Hiland, Forrest Lee Jr, Redd Volkaert and John Pettifer, along with Jay Dee Maness on pedal steel, all taking turns playing inspired solos, cutting heads. The musicians played on several tracks, sometimes multiple solos by the different musicians on the same song. If you love gospel music, country music, guitar music, or all of the above, you will love this CD. And we hope after you're purchase, and you've heard the songs, you will leave comments about the record. Thank you!