Steve Forbert

Listening to Steve Forbert feels like catching up with an old friend who has spent years traveling and finally has the right words for everything he saw. His sound is anchored by a voice that is famously weathered, a raspy and breathy instrument that conveys a deep sense of sincerity and lived-in experience. It is music that sits comfortably between the grit of a Greenwich Village busker and the melodic sensibilities of a classic pop songwriter.

What truly distinguishes Forbert is his ability to infuse traditional folk structures with a bright, almost jaunty pop energy. While his peers often leaned into the heavy cynicism of the late seventies, Forbert maintained a sense of wide-eyed wonder and melodic optimism, even when singing about loneliness or the struggle of the big city. His use of the harmonica is rhythmic and punctuating, serving as a second voice that dances around his acoustic guitar work.

Start with Jackrabbit Slim if you want to hear the peak of his commercial folk-pop craft, specifically the timeless Romeo's Tune. For a more raw, immediate introduction to his songwriting prowess, Alive on Arrival captures the hungry energy of a young artist arriving in New York with nothing but a guitar and a notebook full of observations.