| William Layton Nelson | |
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William Layton Nelson |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Layton Nelson |
| Also known as | Forestman |
| Born | March 3, 1945 |
| Origin | Jamaica |
| Genres | Country music/Gospel music |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, musician, poet |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1970's–present |
William Layton Nelson (born March 3, 1945) is a singer, songwriter, poet and musician currently (2009) living in Jacksonville, Florida. William has been known as the Forestman for many years and is rarely seen without his black or white cowboy hats.
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William Nelson was born in the small village of Providence, in the Saint James Parish, Jamaica
He attended three different schools inconsistently over a number of years. At the age of thirteen he became a tailoring apprentice with his father. He began writing poems and composing lyrics between the age of 15 and 16.
In the 1980s he moved from Jamaica to New Jersey USA, then Rochester, New York, where he worked as a tailor. Later, in New Hampshire he started this full-time ministry, through articles, poems and songs. In 1999 he moved to North Texas and in 2009 moved to Jacksonville, Florida.
He is married to Dr. Emmeline Lescouflair Nelson.
William has a unique musical style of Christian country music - an uncommon combination from a Jamaican. He plays both electric and acoustical guitar left-handed.
From the early 70s until 1978, Nelson performed with the group The Pleiades in Jamaica. He wrote all of the lyrics to their album Thunder & Lightning.
In 2002 he released the religious album I Promised God, which he performed in concert in Dallas/Fort Worth area churches. He still occasionally performs solos at churches and nursing homes.
The principal topic of William's poetry and short stories for most part is of a Christian religious nature. In addition to his personal website, his writings can be found on other websites such as jamaicans.com, virtualtourist.com and thestarlitecafe.com
I Promised God Ministries is a charitable ministry founded in 2001, by himself, his wife Emmeline and a few friends. In 2002 a group of his Christian friends met with him at his home to discuss ways and means by which they and the (I Promised God Ministries) could help those who were in need, and at the same time make the ministry expand. Their greatest joy is spreading joy on faces and hearts of the needy. Sales of CDs provide funding for the ministry.