Longwood Debut
Known for his four-decade-and-counting folk rock career spanning 20 studio albums and a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album, Steve Forbert exemplifies the best of the troubadour tradition. With songs that are as literary as they are musically vibrant, anyone can see the writer in the musician as Forbert delivers his brutally honest lyrics with a sensitivity that creates an uncommon trust with his listeners.
Listen to Steve Forbert
More about Steve Forbert
In June 1976, 21-year-old Steve Forbert boarded a train in Meridian, Mississippi, bound for New York City, then the epicenter of folk music. His combination of musicianship and authenticity demanded notice. In less than two years, he went from being a street performer and living at the YMCA to filling historic Greenwich Village clubs and signing a major label record contract.
From 1978 to 1982, Forbert released four acclaimed albums. Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild wrote that “now or then, you would be hard pressed to find a debut effort that was simultaneously as fresh and accomplished as Alive on Arrival . . . it was like a great first novel by a young author who somehow managed to split the difference between Mark Twain and J.D. Salinger.”
Forbert’s second studio release, Jackrabbit Slim, went RIAA Gold Certified with its Billboard #11 hit Romeo’s Tune. Recording success vaulted Forbert onto a broader musical stage, touring the U.S. and Europe many times over. Forbert even appeared opposite Cyndi Lauper in her music video for Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. His early accomplishments would be a career for most artists, but he continues to write, record, and perform to this day. His artistic pursuit has resulted in 20 studio albums and numerous live releases, compilations, and accolades. His songs have been recorded by Keith Urban, Rosanne Cash, and Marty Stuart.
Any Old Time, a retrospective of the music of Meridian’s Jimmie Rodgers, received a 2003 Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album. As Rodgers’ music has inspired Forbert, so has Forbert’s music influenced a new generation of artists. In 2017, 21 artists paid tribute to Forbert by recording a compilation titled: An American Troubadour: The Songs of Steve Forbert, further validating his artistic legacy. Forbert’s 2018 memoir Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock serves as a primer for young musicians setting out on their own journeys.
Forbert’s latest studio album release The Magic Tree (2018) serves as a sound track to his memoir. The album rings with the verve and vitality that Forbert’s fans have always come to expect, underscoring what revered critic Paul Nelson wrote about Forbert in Rolling Stone almost 40 years ago: “Nothing, nothing in this world, is going to stop Steve Forbert, and on that I’ll bet anything you’d care to wager.”
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COVID-19
Beginning January 23, masks and proof of vaccination (government issued card, a photocopy or photograph of the government issued card, or a vaccine verification app) or a negative COVID-19 test result (within 48 hours of the show date) are required for all indoor performance ticketholders. Ensure you bring the required documentation with you as we will not make any exceptions. After we scan your concert ticket, we will check your vaccination card or negative test result and issue your event wristband allowing you admittance to the venue. Masks are not required throughout the Gardens, only in the concert venue and for the duration of the performance. Please be sure to share this information with all members of your party.
We thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and patience as we all continue to navigate the fluctuations of COVID-19. We look forward to seeing you in the Gardens soon.
Please note, per Pennsylvania’s lifting of pandemic restrictions, indoor concerts will be at full capacity and social distancing will not be in place.
Dine with Us
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Full-service dining in 1906
Full-service dining in 1906
1906 offers an unparalleled full-service dining experience. Advance reservations recommended and Timed Gardens Admission Tickets or Membership required.
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Fresh local meals served in The Café
Fresh local meals served in The Café
Visit The Café for an à la carte menu suitable for the whole family, featuring both indoor and outdoor seating. Timed Gardens Admission Tickets or Membership required.