In the late 1970s, Forrester joined forces with two former members of Illinois act Roller, guitarist Russ Shirley and bassist/vocalist Kevin Lee, and drummer Jim Schroeder, to form Hitman.

[1] Forrester's big break came while he was with a New York cover band named Rachel, when he successfully auditioned to replace the departing Guy Speranza in Riot.

After the demise of Riot, Forrester teamed with former Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr and appeared on his 1984 solo album, Out of the Darkness,[2] which featured The Rods rhythm section of Carl Canedy and Gary Bordonaro.

He wound up utilizing the months of September and October to record his first solo album, Gone with the Wind, including a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Live with Me", at Studio Max Waldberg in Paris.

In 1985, Forrester took part in the Combat Records initiated Thrasher project, featuring an all-star cast of mostly New York based musicians, including members of The Rods, Talas, Bible Black, and Dust, contributing vocals to the song "Bad Boys" on the Burning At the Speed of Light album.

In the early 1990s, Forrester became the frontman for Calgary, Alberta-based band The Black Symphony, featuring guitarist Rick Plester, bassist RJ Killinger, and drummer Tim Waterson.

Dirty project, featuring Forrester, ex-Steel Lily guitarist Rob Robbins (now found in Moxy), bassist/songwriter Scot Gains, and drummer Ray Mehlbaum,[8] was released in 1996 on the Hell or Highwater memorial CD.

The album also contains three songs from the Dirty Water sessions, recorded with Grell, drummer Dwain Miller (Keel, Outlaw Blood, Dogbone), and bassist Robert Cooper.

In November 2013, an expanded 30-year anniversary edition of Jack Starr and Rhett Forrester's Out of the Darkness, including rare pictures and liner notes, was issued by Germany's Limb Music label.