God Heals Otis Forrest
This month is a departure from my normal teaching article. This is a testimony that shows how valuable it is to know God’s Word and apply it in our lives. Keep reading and you will see what I mean.
I first met Otis Forrest in October of 1967. I was asked to candidate with the Trav’Lers Quartet for their position as pianist. As I have stated in a previous article, I had only been playing for four years with one formal lesson to my credit. To say I was nervous about this tryout is a grossly understated fact, especially when I discovered that Otis, the original pianist, was there to observe. However, a friendship was forged with Otis and the quartet that day has continued without interruption for these ensuing forty years.
The only way I can describe those next two hours as a candidate is that, whatever I thought it would be, it was 1,000 times more stressful. I had seen the Trav’Lers on stage at Memorial Auditorium and for years as regulars on the syndicated TV program, “Bob Poole’s Gospel Favorites”. They were truly Southern Gospel heroes to me. I was awed to meet them in person, much less have the opportunity to tryout with them.
All of the guys were fabulous in their treatment of me and Otis was extremely courteous and encouraging. They asked me to play some songs while Otis listened. For those of you who cannot relate to this, let me give you a comparison. It is like being asked to paint in front of Norman Rockwell, to direct in front of Steven Spielberg, to drive in front of Mario Andretti, or cook in front of Chef Boyardee. Sweat was pouring from every pore in my body and I could not wait to leave this fiasco and go back to my studies at the University of Georgia. Two agonizing weeks later, I got the call to join the Trav’Lers.
Little did I know just how deeply my friendship with Otis would develop. He became more than my mentor, he became a “brother”. We have walked through some extremely deep valleys and experienced some glorious mountaintop experiences since 1967. My wife, Abbie and his wife, Sharon, became dearest of friends. Our families have spent many wonderful days at their pool, on picnics, in the studio, preparing for TV programs and in sessions of prayer. The most recent victory for Otis I have witnessed has been his dramatic healing from the ravages of Clinical Depression. I would like to share some of his history and a brief testimony of this amazing miracle from the hand of God.
Otis Forrest began his piano instruction at age nine and continued with the same teacher for the next eleven years. At age 15, he started accompanying a local quartet and, as a senior in high school, was the original pianist with the Trav’Lers Quartet from Greenville, SC. Several years later, two of the Trav’Lers had to fulfill their military obligations and put the group on hold for a while. During this time, Otis joined the Blue Ridge Quartet filling the role Kenny Gates had held for so long. He served as their pianist from 1967 through 1968. He resigned to become the staff pianist at Mark V Recording Studio, where he also studied engineering and orchestration.
Since his professional career began, Otis has played on over 3,000 albums. Including, but certainly not limited to, groups such as The Trav’Lers, Blue Ridge, Cathedrals, Kingsmen and over 20 albums for the Inspirations. He has played on or arranged over 200 songs for the Gaither Homecoming Video Series and was the arranger and conductor for the Grammy Award winning “Kennedy Center Homecoming Video”.
Otis has also been nominated for three Grammies for his work in children’s music. He orchestrated and played on the Grammy nominated, Dove Award winning, album by the Blackwood Brothers in the late seventies. Otis was the producer for the Florida Boys’ album, “Moving On”. This Homeland project was awarded “2002 Album of the Year” by the Southern Gospel Music Association.
On the personal side, Otis and Sharon Reynolds were married in 1972. Sharon was a very successful singer who would go on to become a prolific writer and recording artist. When they married, she had a son and a daughter (Donnie & Andrea) and Otis had three daughters (Anne, Amy & Allison) they brought into this union. Their new family now consisted of five children. Otis and Sharon would later have two sons (Shannon & Christian) born to them making a total of seven children in the newly blended Forrest household.
Back in 1973, while having a medical examination, Sharon was told that she exhibited abnormal cellular development and was advised to have surgery. She declined and fought a courageous battle against cervical cancer for the next twenty-five years. In 1975, the Forrests decided to expand their professional careers and subsequently built a spacious recording studio in Easley, SC, which they named, “The Sounding Board”.
In 1987, Otis and Sharon realized it was time to make the move to Nashville (Hendersonville), TN. Here they built another studio and enjoyed a successful recording business that also opened more opportunities for Otis’ prolific skills as an arranger and conductor. He had such clients as Bill Gaither, Dean and Mary Brown, Mike Atkins, Walt Mills, Speer Family, Singing Americans, Triumphant Quartet, McKameys, Bill Traylor, and Homeland Records, again just to name a few. Otis also orchestrated and conducted three of Anthony Burger’s last projects.
On Thanksgiving Day of 2002, Sharon tragically succumbed to cancer. This heartbreaking loss of Otis’ best friend, wife, companion and business partner was colossal for him and their children. To try to cope with the horrific pain, Otis immersed himself into his work at the studio. He did not allow himself the time or the luxury of grieving for his sweetheart. Their daughter, Andrea, lived nearby and did her best to help Otis through this loss the family had experienced. After two and a half years, Andrea and her family moved.
Shannon, Otis and Sharon’s son who is a Nashville studio drummer in great demand, lived over an hour away and was simply unable to fill the role Andrea had so adequately filled for her father. The reality of Sharon’s death and a deep sense of loneliness began to hit Otis with devastating results. He could no longer avoid facing life without Sharon by his side.
Otis Forrest, the musical genius, was reduced to a mere shell of what he had been. The “Three Major Offsprings of Depression” , which I teach counseling clients, were never more evident than in Otis. He displayed (1) APATHY, (2) WITHDRAWAL and (3) LACK OF PRODUCTIVITY. Otis sank lower and lower emotionally and physically as he downwardly spiraled with an inability to control the grief which now consumed him. He lost all interest in playing, arranging, producing and recording. Otis finally hit bottom with no one in the area to help him. Otis eventually, lost everything!
Then, the Master came calling. With nowhere to go, he went back home to Easley to be near his mother, brother, extended family and, in the words of a Bill Gaither song, “Old Friends”. As word circulated about Otis’ tragic situation, people all over the country began to pray for him. Friends and family would not let him isolate himself any longer. Through the intervention of friends, and the prayers of the saints, Otis Forrest is now HEALED by the power of God. He gives the Lord Jesus Christ all the praise, honor and glory for his complete restoration.
Since his healing, Otis has freely given his time and skills to Rock Springs Baptist Church where he faithfully attends three services weekly. He has written six complete musical scores for their sixty- piece orchestra and one hundred -voice choir. He testifies that his musical skills, “are as high as they have ever been” and he is quick to give praise to God. He plays piano three to four hours daily to sharpen and expand his abilities. Otis is now constantly busy writing scores, practicing and composing new songs.
One his latest accomplishments was to co-write a song with me from Psalm 23. It speaks to the very heart of where he was in his darkest valley and how his faithful Shepherd/Friend, Jesus, rescued him. Otis is very excited about sharing this song and many others in our growing repertoire with groups or for choral projects.
We have recently formed our own musical collaborating ministry called AMI KingsWay Music Publishing (BMI). Though we are still in the early stages of development, we already have nearly 500 songs in our catalogue. Several former clients and colleagues have also asked Otis of his availability to assist them with recording and production projects. He recently played on a studio session with Danny Crawford and is anxious to see what all God has in store for him.
Otis would love to hear from some of his friends and associates in Gospel Music. You may reach him at or by calling (864) 850-9130. He is starting to get busy so you may have to leave a message for him.
God has certainly done a wonderful work of healing and restoration for Otis Forrest. Recently, I was speaking on the phone with him from my home in Houston and asked if he could help me with an arrangement on a song I wanted to play in concerts. Otis told me to get some paper. For the next hour, he walked me through an elaborate introduction and the complete chord structures for the song to be done in a smooth jazz style. He gave me every note to play in my left hand and right hand for every chord with the proper fingering for each chord (such as A7, 9, flat 5; Eb 9 +11; D7, aug. +9; E minor 11).
Why is this so amazing? OTIS WAS NOT WITHIN 100 YARDS OF ANY TYPE OF INSTRUMENT AND HE WAS DOING THIS ALL IN HIS HEAD, EXTEMPORANEOUSLY! Many of us could not accomplish this feat if we were seated at our keyboards. However, without any forewarning, Otis was creating and arranging a complete and sophisticated musical rendition for me to play. This is a testimony of the power of God to restore fully what the devil had stolen from him.
And all God’s people said, “Amen”.
Donald M. Frazier, PhD
Website: http://www.donfrazier.com
Reader Comments
Page 1 of 1 Comment Pages
|
Now Playing
|
Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites 
[8] Comments
Written: 08/01/2007 
Author: Donald Frazier
Category:
Golden Nuggets
Email this article
RSS
feeds
