Background
Forriest was born in Pendleton, North Carolina in 1934.
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Sonny Forriest
Edit ProfileCareer
He is best known for playing guitar for The Coasters. During the Korean War, Forriest served in the United States Air Force. From 1959 through 1961, he played guitar with The Coasters on such recordings as "Besame Mucho," "Wake Maine, Shake Maine," "Shoppin" Foreign Clothes," "Thumbin" A Ride," "Girls Girls Girls," "Ridin" Hood," and "Lady Like." He joined the Ray Charles Orchestra in 1962.
Forriest recorded four songs for Verve Records.
On September 30, 1963, he recorded "In Trouble" (unreleased) and "Now That I"m Lonely." On October 1, 1963, he recorded "I"m Travelin"" and "Wedding Day" (unreleased). He released a solo jazz album called "Tuff Pickin": The Blue Guitar Of Sonny Forriest And His Orchestra" on Decca Records in 1965.
He has also done studio work for other artists including Ray Charles and Hank Crawford. He died in 1999 in Capital Heights, Maryland.
