Forrest M. Thomas Jr., known professionally as Forrest, is an American singer and songwriter born on April 21, 1953, in Galveston, Texas. He began his musical journey singing in church during his childhood. As a teenager, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he gained recognition by winning several singing contests. His breakthrough came when he relocated to the Netherlands and released "Rock the Boat", a cover of The Hues Corporation's 1974 hit, which reached Number four on the UK Singles Chart and number 9 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1982. Following this success, Forrest released two more singles: "Feel the Need in Me" (originally by The Detroit Emeralds), which peaked at number 17 in the UK, and "One Lover (Don't Stop The Show)", which reached number 67 in the UK. His debut album, One Lover, was released in 1983. Forrest also performed in R.E.S.P.E.C.T., a theater show dedicated to 1960s soul music, in 2001. He passed away on September 9, 2013, at the age of 60 after a stroke in Tilburg, Netherlands.
