FOREST THURMAN
“I am driven to play by the music itself. Playing music with others and for others is what life is all about.”
Forest Thurman has been playing guitar, drums, and bass for two decades. Known for his deep and powerful voice, soulful songwriting, and fast guitar pickin’, he is equally at home in front of an audience of thousands as he is playing at an intimate house concert.
Upcoming shows
The Matheson Music Festival
Forest Thurman & Friends
Saturday, February 15, 2024
Safford, Arizona
A Bar Above
Catch Forest Thurman (3-4pm) and his new duo, Sugar & Rye (4-5pm) at A Bar Above in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado.
Friday, January 3, 2025
3pm-5pm
Honey Buckets
Check out the Honey Buckets schedule here
ABOUT FOREST
FOREST THURMAN
Singer | Songwriter | Guitar | Bass
Work Experience
Honey Buckets, Oct 2020–CurrentApocalypse Roadshow, June 2024-Current
Solo Performer, Los Angeles, CASelected Performances
Pickin' in the Pines, 2023, Flagstaff, AZHuck Finn Jubilee, 2021-2024, San Dimas, CA
Frankly Bluegrass Festival, 2024, Plymouth, CA
Skills and Qualifications
GuitarBass
Vocal
Jamming
Available For:
Solo shows
Band performances
Guitarist and vocalist for hire
BIO
Forest began his music career as a radio music host where he shared his passion for fast-paced metal music with new audiences. As the host of Metal Intervention, he introduced listeners to underground bands and promoted grassroots music festivals in California.
He discovered a love of bluegrass music, drawn to the fast rhythms, strong community, and technical challenge of the genre. In 2020, Forest joined the Honey Buckets bluegrass band as a guitarist and vocalist, playing at bluegrass festivals including the Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival in Flagstaff, AZ and the Huck Finn Jubilee Bluegrass Festival in San Dimas, CA. In addition to performing on stage, Forest is often hired by music festivals to lead evening jams because of his large repertoire, high energy picking, and gregarious personality.
In addition to his work with the Honey Buckets, Forest plays solo shows and is a highly sought after pick up performer for other bands due to his versatility, high energy, and charismatic stage presence. He performs primarily in California and Arizona, though he often travels further afield as a guitarist and vocalist in The Apocalypse Roadshow, a traveling variety show about how to survive the apocalypse that includes bluegrass, folk, and other styles of music. Forest is also a songwriter, creating music both for bands and for his own solo performances.
Forest is available for solo performances and is available to sit in with bands as a guitarist and vocalist. He is also available to teach workshops on rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and jamming technique and etiquette.
Bands
Forest Thurman & Friends
Forest Thurman & Friends is high-energy superband led by Forest Thurman, a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a talent for bringing together musicians who can shred - bringing skillful and intricate musicianship to fast tempo Bluegrass, Country, and Americana. With diverse musical influences from Heavy Metal to Folk to Jam Bands, Forest Thurman & Friends bring the party energy to every show, riveting audiences with syncopated rhythms, tight harmonies, rockin’ solos and foot-stompin’ fun.
Forest Thurman is the guitarist and a vocalist for Honey Buckets, playing festivals, music venues and special events throughout the Western United States. Along with Devin Wilcox on mandolin, Mike Stern on banjo and Brian Dragoman on bass, Honey Buckets are a high-tempo, hard-drivin' bluegrass band raised on heavy metal and Southern California smog.
Sugar & Rye
Sugar & Rye is a duo with Forest Thurman and Athena Aktipis, featuring whiskey-soaked old school duets from Prine & Dement, Cash & Carter, and more. Athena is multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, author, professor and producer of The Apocalypse Roadshow. Together, Forest and Athena bring the perfect blend of high-energy songs and warm classic country to any venue or event.
CONTACT
For booking, media inquires or to show some love, use the contact form below.