The Mandolins and Beer Podcast #191 Forrest O’Connor

My guest this week on the podcast if Forrest O’Connor. Nashville-born singer-songwriter, guitarist, and mandolinist Forrest O’Connor earned national recognition as one of the lead vocalists and instrumentalists in the O’Connor Band, a group he co-founded with his wife, Kate, and his father, seven-time CMA Award-winning violinist Mark O’Connor. Forrest wrote several songs, including the title track, for the O’Connor Band’s debut album Coming Home, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums Chart and won a Grammy Award in 2017. Most recently, he arranged and contributed a track to the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project Vol. 1 tribute album, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2021. Prior to the O’Connor Band, Forrest toured nationally as a duo with Kate and frequently performed as a sideman at The Station Inn in Nashville. In 2014, he won the Tennessee State Mandolin Championship. He is a graduate of Harvard University.

Be sure to head over to Forrest’s website HERE where you can find links to his projects and social media!


Here’s a link to the Article about myself and the podcast in this month’s edition of the Bluegrass Standard magazine!


As Always a HUGE thank you to all of my sponsor’s that make this podcast possible each week!
Mandolin Cafe

Acoustic Disc

Peghead Nation

Northfiled Mandolins

Ellis Mandolins

Pava Mandolins

Tone Slabs

Siminoff Books and Strings

Elderly Instruments

Stringjoy Strings 


Song Clips featured in this episode:
“The Saga of Harrison Crab Feathers” by The Hay Brigade (S/T)

“In the House of Tom Bombadil” by Nickel Creek (S/T)

“Caprice No 4 in D Major” by Mark O’ Connor (30 Year Retrospective)

“Coming Home” The O’Connor Band (Coming Home)

“Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom” by The Hay Brigade (S/T)

“Jerusalem Bridge” The O’Connor Band (Coming Home)

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