Helen Forrest, singer, 82

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Helen Forrest, who sang with big bands from Artie Shaw
to Benny Goodman, died Sunday of heart failure. She was 82.

Ms. Forrest was ``the most famous of all the big band singers'' and
recorded more than 500 songs, said Alan Eichler, her publicist.

Among her best-known recordings were ``All the Things You Are,'' with
Shaw; ``The Man I Love,'' with Goodman and ``I Don't Want to Walk Without
You'' and ``I Had the Craziest Dream,'' with Harry James.

She also teamed with Dick Haymes on popular recordings and a long-running
radio show.

Ms. Forrest - born Helen Fogel in Atlantic City, N.J. - also appeared in
the 1940s films ``Private Buckaroo,'' ``Bathing Beauty,'' ``Springtime in
the Rockies,'' and ``Best Foot Forward.''

In 1940, she gained some notoriety for recording with Lionel Hampton's
band. ``Back then, for a white singer to record with a black orchestra was
very unusual,'' Eichler said.

Ms. Forrest also made some waves when she replaced Billie Holliday as the
vocalist for Shaw in 1938.

For a while before Ms. Holliday left to start a solo career, both women
sang for the band and took their places on the bandstand. When some
theater operators required the black singer to stay off stage until
performance time, Ms. Forrest announced she would do the same.

``She wanted Billie to have the same rights she had,'' Eichler said.


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