Background
Forrester was born in Vernon, Tennessee into a family of many fiddlers—his father, grandfather and uncle played the fiddle. He grew up as the youngest of four brothers.
Forrester was born in Vernon, Tennessee into a family of many fiddlers—his father, grandfather and uncle played the fiddle. He grew up as the youngest of four brothers.
In 1933, during a convalescence from rheumatic fever where he was bedridden for months, Forrester learned to play the fiddle. In 1938, he joined The Vagabonds and landed a job on the Grand Ole Opry. When Herald Goodman of the Vagabonds formed another act called the Tennessee Valley Boys, Forrester was soon to join up.
He and Herald Goodman received an offer in 1939 to join the Saddle Mountain Roundup radio show in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
During this time Forrester received his nickname, "Big Howdy," by Goodman. After Forrester"s discharge from the United States Navy in 1946 he returned temporarily to Monroe.
Soon he moved to Dallas to join Georgia Slim Rutland and the Texas Roundup performing at KRLD-Department of Administration and Management. He also made recordings with Flatt & Scruggs in the early 1950s. In 1960, he recorded a solo album called Fancy Fiddlin" Country Style for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer subsidiary Cub label.
In 1964, Forrester left the Smoky Mountain Boys to join the Acuff-Rose Artists Corporation.
He continued to record solo albums during the 1970s and 1980s. Forrester died at his home in Nashville.
He was a long-time member of Roy Acuff"s Smoky Mountain Boys. In 1950, he joined Cowboy Copas before becoming a full-time member of Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys in 1951.