Read a recent article in the Vancouver Sun by Francois Marchand about Roy’s recent revelation HERE.
Penguin Eggs Review of Edge of Blue
His first album of original material in two decades feels as natural as his first recording.
by Pat Langston
Edge of Blue, the new album by Roy Forbes, glances backward while simultaneously speaking to the present.
The record is a tasty blend of soul, old-school rock’n’roll and country, with Forbes’s high, quavering voice—a voice that, decades ago, gave us the definitive cover of Hank Williams’s I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry—positioned front and centre.
When he decided to make the album, the West Coast artist quite consciously dipped into the past.
“I wanted to get back to the spirit of Kid Full of Dreams,” he says, referring to his debut album, released in 1975 when he was performing under the name of Bim. Back then, “I dug my heels in and said, ‘I want to sing everything live (off the floor).’ That’s the way you want to get me.”
Over the years, he’s taken advantage of technology for some records but for Edge of Blue the basic vocal tracks are live. There was some overdubbing and a couple of fixes along the way but not the autotuning and other tricks that make some singers sound so perfect it’s almost scary.
Making the album was “like it used to be. For the most part, what you’re hearing is what I was feeling. The vocals aren’t perfect but they are heartfelt.”
Even his pre-studio technique has an element of times past. When he’s working on a new song, for instance, he often uses a cassette recorder. He says it sounds terrible but he likes the tactile quality of the recorder’s buttons.
And though no one would accuse Forbes of living in the past, he mentions that most of the music he listens to comes from an earlier time, when today’s multi-track recording technology wasn’t available. If you’ve ever listened to the collection of 78s, 45s, and LPs he plays on his Sunday afternoon CKUA show Roy’s Record Room you’ll know what he means. Add it all up and this album feels like a first album to him.
“I can’t explain it, but it does,” says the man who has recorded 14 of them, including a couple as a member of UHF with Shari Ulrich and Bill Henderson. “I’ve kind of come full circle.”Continue reading
CFMA Nomination for Producer of the Year
Roy got an early Christmas present this year…a Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination for Producer of the Year for his new album ‘Edge of Blue’. Since 1985, Roy has produced or co-produced all of his own albums as well as records by other artists. He is tickled to get the nod for this area of his work from the CFMA ‘Producer of the Year’ jury.
The awards will be held virtually on April 9th and 10th, 2021. Find out more here: folkawards.ca
AMI TV Documentary on Roy
Back in August, 2019, AMI TV’s Rob Simpson and Tim Testor came to Vancouver to spend a few days hanging out with Roy, gathering material for a documentary on the singer.
Roy’s episode of “Rhythms” features quite a bit of footage of his mid-August outdoor Vancouver CBC Nooner concert along with an extensive interview. They even got in a visit to a record store!
Go HERE to view it online.
‘Straight Outta Dawson’ on CBC-TV
Roy performed for the first time with opera singer Ben Heppner and soul singer Tonye as part of CBC Music’s special show ‘Straight Outta Dawson’. “There is no Dawson Creek sound,” said Forbes. “The three of us are very different. But the fact that [Dawson Creek] had a little something to do with all three of us is pretty interesting. There’s more stuff going up there as well that people don’t know about.”
You can read more about the show HERE. It aired on September 23rd, 2017.
BC Entertainment Hall of Fame Induction
On July 28, 2017 The BC Entertainment Hall of Fame (BCEHOF) announced its 2017 BCEHOF inductees. These seven new Star Walk Stars and two Pioneer Stars will join the 275+ previous inductees who have been recognized for their significant contribution to the province’s entertainment industry and cultural landscape.
The BCEHOF is divided into two prestigious categories: Star Walk and Pioneers. The Star Walk inductees are individuals who have enhanced the province’s cultural profile, both locally and on the world stage. The 2017 Star Walk inductees included Roy in the music category.
Roy was formally inducted at his old stomping grounds the CBC, at his Musical Nooner concert there on August 24th. His fans and friends joined in on the celebration.
Roy’s star was unveiled on the Walk of Fame on Granville Street near the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Vancouver. The ceremony will take place on Monday, September 25 at 3pm.
Read the entire press release HERE.
Check out Roy’s Facebook page for some photos of the occasion.
An Article in The Salmon Arm Observer
In conjunction with the recently held Salmon Arm Blues and Roots Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the local paper did an article on Roy. You can view it HERE.
CBC.ca Article – August 8
Here’s an article from the CBC News web site by Rafferty Baker about Roy’s return to the Vancouver stage at the CBC Nooner series HERE. You can also see more pictures of the event on Roy’s Facebook page.