Song:Romeo's Tune
Album:The Best Of Steve Forbert: What Kinda Guy?
Back in the 70s, it seemed like every other singer songwriter was labelled "the next Bob Dylan". Most of these guys, including Steve Forbert, survived this unfair comparison. And Forbert even had a top 20 pop hit with Romeo's Tune. And he's still around today. He was born Dec. 11, 1954 in Meridian, MS. He played in local bands as a teen until he moved to New York City at age 21. He signed with Nemperor Records in 1978. Nemperor owner Nat Weiss started out as Brian Epstein's partner in the 60s and turned Nemperor into a record company in 1974 with a Columbia Records distribution deal. The Bob Dylan comparisons started when Forbert released his 1978 debut album Alive On Arrival. It was critically acclaimed but didn't sell. And BTW, Forbert sounds nothing like Dylan. It was very unfair. Romeo's Tune is from his 1979 album Jackrabbit Slim. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The liner notes state that Romeo's Tune was dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard of The Supremes. Forbert says the song is actually about a girl from his hometown but he also dedicated it to Ballard because she was poorly treated by the music business. His subsequent albums didn't sell and he left Nemperor in 1984 when they shelved his new album. This comp covers the Nemperor years. Forbert also recorded for Geffen Records and Giant Records. And he's had a lot of success as a songwriter. He still tours and currently records on his own label 429 Records. Here's Steve Forbert performing Romeo's Tune 1979.
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