Those Fabulous Forester Sisters: 30 great years

Thirty years ago, Warner Brothers released a song by an unknown quartet of sisters from Lookout Mountain, Georgia.  “That’s What You Do When You’re In Love” put the Forester Sisters on the map.  Radio stations across America took a chance on a new act, and listeners loved their music.

That set into motion an incredible series of events.  Kathy, June, Kim and Christy were thrilled that ONE of their songs got on the radio.  Far from an overnight success, the sisters had first sung together when they were 10, 8, 4 and 2.  Now in their 20s, they had no idea what the future would hold.  The year before, that song got passed around in Nashville, ending up at the record label.  Kim Forester recalls, “When we got a call saying “This is Warner Brothers” we thought it was a joke and hung up on them.  Thankfully, they called back!” After all those years of wishing and hoping, would they only be a one-hit wonder?

Forester Sisters fans know the answer.  The mountain girls succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.  Their second single, “I Fell In Love Again Last Night” went to number-one on the country charts.  So did the one after that, and the next one too. Between 1985 and 1991, the sisters scored fourteen top-ten hits.  They were on all the awards shows, winning their fair share.  June Forester McCormick remembers their first performance at the Grand Ole Opry. “Our eyes were big, and our mouths were hanging open.  We’re meeting all these superstars, and they’re interested in our music!”

Kim said they appreciated the fame and its perks, but the travel?  It’s not what it’s cracked up to be. She said, “Your world is very small; bus, hotel room, dressing room, stage, airport.  You’re living out of suitcases, eating a lot of fast food when the buses are fueling because there’s no time to find a good restaurant.  You’re missing weddings, funerals, birthdays, graduations and holidays.  And all that flying isn’t nearly as glamorous as it sounds.  Once, we were going to Greece, and a storm kept us on the runway in New York for hours.  That affected all the connecting flights, and we finally got to Greece two days later, by way of Poland.  Trust me, you’re not thinking “This is the life!” when you haven’t changed clothes for days, and you’re sleeping while sitting upright on planes or in airports!”

The close-knit quartet kept their sanity by being surrounded by family.  “Husbands, kids, an aunt who was like another mother.  Our parents (C.D. “Bunk” and Vonnie Forester) would travel with us sometimes as well,” Kim said.

Along the way, they met their idols.  Among them, according to Kim, “The Oak Ridge Boys are some of the sweetest folks around, and SERIOUS pranksters!  We always enjoyed Ricky Skaggs and the Whites.  We worked a lot with George Jones.  Merle Haggard, what a singer.  We spent time with June Carter Cash, who had a lunch and antique sale at her house every year.  We loved getting together with family groups –the McGuire Sisters, the Pointer Sisters, the Everly Brothers.  We sat and talked with George Harrison and Tom Petty at one Grammy Awards party, and Madonna at another.   Some are so kind and thoughtful, like Kenny Rogers.  He asked us to fly home with him on his plane during the holidays so we’d get home before Christmas. He knew we’d never make it in time on our bus.”

Eventually, the sisters tired of touring as their children got older, and family duties beckoned.  As June put it, “I enjoyed the travel at first, but after twelve years of it, I just wanted to be in my house for more than two days at a time.” So as country music’s sound got harder and more male-oriented in the 90s, the sisters stepped back, raising kids and starting new careers.  Kathy got her doctorate and became a music teacher.  June, whose daughter Canaan was born with visual disabilities, became a teacher for the visually impaired.  Kim and Christy studied interior design, and have done quite well in that field.  In 2013, they reunited for their induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.  “An incredible honor,” said Kim.

Kim admits that what is considered country music today has little appeal to her.  “Now there’s so much emphasis on your look, instead of your sound.  You don’t have to be able to sing well anymore.  They can fix that in the studio or onstage with auto-tune.”  She remembers a conversation with the late George Jones a few years ago.  He told her, “Kim, if I was a young man today trying to get a record deal, it would never happen.”  She said, “Sadly, he was right.”

Thirty years after their big splash, they still do an occasional show, those harmonies blending beautifully.  Most of their kids are on their own now, leaving the ladies with more spare time than they used to have.  I couldn’t help but ask: could there be new recordings, and more live shows?  June said, “The kids are all about out of college now, and ready to start their lives. So, we’ll see what happens.” Kim added, “We get a lot of requests for some new music, so we’re thinking about it.  There might be a solo project for me, it’s been on the back burner.  There’s no telling what may come out of this bunch!”

I first met the Foresters on a snowy day in January 1985, at the family home on Lookout Mountain, near the New Salem community and Cloudland Canyon State Park.  Their first song was becoming a hit, and it was a pleasure to spend time with them just before they hit it big nationally, and worldwide.  Through it all, they never changed, and I’m honored to say, “I knew them when.”  Here’s an video clip from my news story about them.  Please excuse the poor audio, you may have to crank up the volume.

Here is one of their lesser-known singles, “I Got A Date,” which was released in 1992.  Kim handles the lead vocals, and I think it’s a great performance.  This song should have been a bigger hit.  Enjoy!