Johnny Forrest, Radio Broadcaster, Playwright and Songwriter

News Flash! Johnny Forrest and Lola Sugia's 1959 record, Blue Tears, has been re-released on the double CD, "The Best Of Golden Crest"!

Where are the descendants of Seattle's Jackson Street era of jazz? Some of them are Don Anderson Jr. (son of trumpeter Don Anderson), Jay Thomas (son of trumpeter Marv Thomas), Molly Sargent (daughter of guitarist Gene Sargent), Dave Coleman, Jr. (son of drummer Dave Coleman), Ed Krafft (son of saxophonist Dick Krafft), Marty Tuttle (son of trombonist Dave Tuttle), Robin Morehouse (daughter of Rollie Morehouse), Lynn Durfy (daughter of saxophonist and arranger Ken Johnson), Sue and Peter Sugia (daughter and son of accordionist, bandleader, arranger and club owner Frank Sugia) and Maia Santell (daughter of Lola Sugia, daughter of "Tebby", saxophonist and clarinetist, and niece of Frank Sugia). Are you a descendant of a jazz, swing or big band musician that performed in the Seattle area during the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's or 60's? If so, it is time to start a Facebook group called, "Descendants of Jackson Street Jazz"!!

Paul deBarros says in his book, "Jackson Street After Hours": "Traditional jazz enjoyed a revival at the Lake City Tavern. The band, "Seattle Rhythm Kings" was led by trumpeter Don Anderson, who was from Yakima, but had worked for years in the MGM studios in Los Angeles and played in the original Spike Jones Orchestra. In addition to trumpeter Anderson, the Seattle Rhythm Kings included Rollie Morehouse, clarinet; Mike Hobi, trombone; Red Kelly, bass; John Wittwer, piano; and Dave Coleman, drums."

The legendary Gaylord Jones Band featured Floyd "Tebby" Tebelman on saxophone, Carle Rising on trumpet, Gordy Challstedt on drums, Sven Sandstrom on trumpet, Dick Krafft on saxophone, Glenn Martin on sax, Tiny Martin on bass and Gay Jones on piano. This band was the most popular swing band in Washington state during the late 30's and early 40's.

Johnny Forrest and Lola Sugia's 1959 recording of Blue Tears is now available on "The Best of Golden Crest"!

Maia Santell is looking for other descendants of Seattle's Jackson Street era of jazz and swing. If you are a relative or family member of a jazz musician that performed in the Seattle music scene during the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's or 60's, let's join together and start a Facebook site called "Descendants of Jackson Street Jazz".

Thank you for your comments about Johnny! Yes, he was on KOL for many years; up to the mid 60's. Then he moved to KFKF in the late 60's. He also worked on KIRO. In his "spare time" he was composing songs, radio jingles and writing plays. I sure hope his descendants stumble across this web site someday!

Johnny Forrest UPDATE: Thank you Suzanne and Debbie for the wonderful recordings of your dad and my mom singing songs and harmonizing together at the piano! I remember the songs from the musical that Johnny composed called, "Johnny Appleseed". I only wish we could find document on the Internet about the production!

Hi Lonnie.... It's great to hear from you! I was thinking of hiring the engineer who masters my CDs to put Johnny's tapes onto CD format.It would be great to hear some of the tapes you have!! My sound man can transfer records, cassettes and old reel-to-reel tapes onto a clean sounding CD. It would be a nice compilation, and a way of passing it on to your children, grandchildren and generations to come. Looking forward to talking with you soon!

This is Lonnie Benson. Oldest son of Connie. I have some old tapes and I think music from Johnny Forrest I saved when mom passed away. I should see if I can find it.

Linda, Cheryl and Dave, I am so much looking forward to meeting you in person! This web site is flourishing!! It makes me very proud! Maia

THIS IS AMAZING! Johnny has great great grandchildren! I am looking forward to meeting his family. At this time I do not have a Facebook or MySpace page because of the "challenges" it would be for me to maintain it (as an entertainer with a fan base of over a thousand music lovers and dancers)...But I am always checking my email and this Footnote page. I am looking forward to sharing lots of stories with you.

Hi! I'm Linda (Boyce) Everts, one of John Forrest's granddaughter's. This is great that you have done all this research. Although I never met your mom, I do remember the name very well. I have lots of information for you.

wow! I am just sending you an email right now....so much to tell you!

Did you get the last two emails?

Where are Johnny's descendants, including grandchildren and great grand children? What are their names? Are they are on Facebook? Are they on MySpace? I am still waiting for them to "come out of the woodwork"! What happened to his daughters, Bonnie, Connie, Debbie and Suzie? Are they alive and well? My research indicates that Bonnie (Bonnie L. Forrest Boyce Townson) still lives in Washington state, in the Bothell area, but I cannot find an email or an address for her. My own (biological) father died when I was a kid.

Don Riggs, formerly of KMPS-FM writes in one of his blogs: ".......John Dubuque, the Chief Engineer at KFKF, and former Chief at KXA, called me and said that their morning anchor Johnny Forrest had had a heart attack, and could I come over and learn what buttons to push and start tomorrow? The format was drive-time news blocks, with music in between. Manager Kemper Freeman, Jr., liked to call his air staff "news jockeys". It was a nice fit. Bil O'Mara was there, back to doing what he should, sports. After a couple of years, the station was sold, the format changed to personality dj's, with new call letters, KBES."

Special thanks to the following radio celebrities, historians, journalists, broadcasters and media persons for their contributions to my research on Johnny Forrest: Danny Holiday, Gord Lansdell, Pat O'Day, Bill Taylor, Jim French, Alex Cosper, Terry Salomonson, Feliks Banel, Peter Blecha, Howard Giske, Bill Kossen, Carolyn Marr and John Broven of CFG Publishing Co / Golden Crest Records.

I'm still hoping that someone related to Johnny will stumble upon this information about their creative, intellectual, talented (and highly complex) father, grandfather and great grandfather. This is my gift to them. Johnny Forrest's biological daughters' names are Connie, Bonnie, Suzanne and Debbie. (If you are related to John Forrest, I look forward to hearing from you!). Let's resurrect his "ghost" by crediting his achievements. He was too busy CREATING to have left a paper trail of his many accomplishments!

Hi there! Yes, I do remember Johnny Forrest, and specifically the jingle GO GUY DRUGS! The singer on that jingle had an awesome voice! I'm a huge radio fan, and was in the broadcasting field for several years. I believe Johnny worked for KOL (possibly back in the late 60's). Wasn't he also one of the voices of the Seattle Hydroplane races. Great man indeed!

I remember Johnny Forrest's radio jingles when I was a kid, especially the one advertising GO GUY DRUGS. I listened to KOL and KJR back in those days. In fact I recall John Forrest's pop single in 1960 called "Blue Tears", sung by Lola Sugia. They used to play it on AM radio. It was a pop ballad with a 50's feel. Who ever would have thought that forty years later I would meet and marry Lola Sugia's daughter, Maia Santell?!?!? Lola is alive and well, and living in Seattle...she is great mother-in-law!