Foster & McElroy
{{short description|American production team}}
{{For|the character named Thomas McElroy|list of recurring South Park characters}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Foster & McElroy
| image =File:Foster McElroy Photo.jpg
| caption = Denzil Foster (left) and Thomas McElroy
| background = non_performing_personnel
| birth_name = Denzil Foster & Thomas McElroy
| alias = {{flatlist|
- Fmob
}}
| origin = Oakland, California (both)
| instrument = keyboards, synthesizers, drum machine
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Songwriters
- producers
}}
| years_active = 1986–present
| label =
| url =
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy are an American R&B record production and songwriting duo, releasing recordings under the names Foster & McElroy and Fmob.{{cite book | title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | publisher=Simon and Schuster | author=Nathan Brackett, Christian David Hoard | year=2004 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/208 208] | isbn=9780743201698 | url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/208 }} They have written and produced songs for musicians such as Club Nouveau, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Alexander O'Neal, Regina Belle, and Swing Out Sister.{{cite magazine | title=Industry Vets, City Back Y? Entertainment, Multifacedted Oakland Co. Formed By Foster & McElroy | magazine=Billboard | date=21 Dec 1996 | author=J.R. Reynolds}} Their music has been sampled in hit songs by the Luniz, Puff Daddy, Ashanti, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Jessica Simpson, and others. Foster & McElroy are best known as the founders of the group En Vogue,{{cite news|title=Holding On|date = October 1997|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oSsEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22&pg=PA117|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Vibe}} listed by Billboard as one of the "Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time".{{cite news|last1=Lipshutz|first1=Jason|title=Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/pop-shop/girl-group-week/5901266/top-10-girl-groups-of-all-time|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard|date=5 March 2015}} In addition to producing music for various television shows, they are also credited for songs in numerous movie soundtracks including The Great White Hype, Lean on Me, and Who's That Girl.
Biography
Denzil Foster was born in Oakland, CA and was greatly influenced by different styles of music, from The Beatles to Parliament/Funkadelic. Thomas McElroy, also born in Oakland, was influenced by his father's love for jazz music. The two musicians first met in California while attending college and decided to work together as colleagues.
Career
Signing to the independent Triangle label, they released one 12" single. Soon after, Foster & McElroy joined forces with Jay King producing Timex Social Club's hit single "Rumors" in 1986.{{cite book|last1=Phinney|first1=Kevin|title=Souled American: How Black Music Transformed White Culture|date=2005|publisher=Billboard Books|isbn=9780823084043|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QYDuAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22|access-date=22 June 2016}} When that group disbanded, they regrouped with King to form Club Nouveau.{{cite news|last1=Leland|first1=John|title=Cold Busted, Timex Social Club takes a licking and stops ticking|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gcCEwpvxozAC&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22&pg=PA10|access-date=22 June 2016|publisher=Spin|date=February 1987}} Eventually, the duo left Club Nouveau after their first album Life, Love & Pain to focus on production and songwriting. In 1988, they landed a production deal with Wing Records, eventually signing the band Tony! Toni! Toné!, as well as brother and sister act Channel 2.{{cite news|last1=Gonzales|first1=Michael A.|title=Family Ties|date=February 1997|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qCwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22+%2B+Tony%21&pg=PA76|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Vibe}}
Foster & McElroy are considered pioneers of new jack swing, a genre they helped define with the group Tony! Toni! Tone!.{{cite news|last1=Williams|first1=C.L.|title=How a Movement Redefined as Era|url=http://www.popmatters.com/feature/148896-new-jack-swing-forever-how-a-movement-redefined-an-era/|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Pop Matters|date=6 October 2011}} The duo produced the group's first album and had success with the first single release, "Little Walter", which peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1990, the group released The Revival, its second album which went 2× Platinum and had numerous number-one singles. Following the success of Tony! Toni! Toné!, Foster & McElroy released their first album as a group, FM2, one of which included songs such as "Around the World in 80 Beats", "Gotta Be a Better Way", and "Dr. Soul", the latter of which was a top ten R&B hit featuring rapper MC Lyte. It earned moderate success. While working on the album, Foster & McElroy made plans to put together a girl group that would be a modern-day version of the Supremes,{{cite book|last1=Bianco|first1=David P.|title=Parents aren't supposed to like it|date=1998|publisher=U X L|isbn=9780787617349|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OsJY_ofqlkgC&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22|access-date=22 June 2016}} with what eventually became the group En Vogue.{{cite book|last1=Bogdanov|first1=Vladimir|title=All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul|date=2003|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9780879307448|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o552g5xRRiwC&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22&pg=PA224|access-date=22 June 2016}}
After several audition calls, Foster & McElroy eventually selected Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Dawn Robinson to become the members of the newly titled "For You".{{cite book|last1=Bogle|first1=Donald|title=Brown Sugar: Over One Hundred Years of America's Black Female Superstars|date=2007|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=9780826416759|url=https://archive.org/details/brownsugaroveron00bogl}} The group became a quartet after the addition of Terry Ellis and the name was changed to "Vogue".{{cite news|title=En Vogue's Funky Divas album revisited with producers Foster & McElroy Return To The Classics|url=http://soulculture.com/features/interviews/en-vogues-funky-divas-album-revisited-with-producers-foster-mcelroy-return-to-the-classics/|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Soul Culture|date=6 February 2012}} After learning that another group already had that moniker, Foster & McElroy changed the name to "En Vogue". The group's first album, Born to Sing, was released in 1990 and sold over one million copies with numerous singles reaching number one on Billboard charts. En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas, was released in 1992 and became the highest-selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of that year with over five million copies sold worldwide. With hits such as "Hold On", "Lies", "Free Your Mind", "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)", and "Don't Let Go (Love)", En Vogue has become one of the most successful girl groups in music history. It was also listed as one of the Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time by Billboard.
They recorded a second album in 1994, a hip-hop jazz album Once in a Blue Moon, under their new name FMob.{{cite news|last1=Marius|first1=DJ|title=EastWest Looks For Fmob's Blend of Hip-Hop Jazz To Produce Success|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQgEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22&pg=PA20|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard|date=19 February 1994}} The duo has also written theme songs for television programs, including Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Roc (both themes, used during the former’s first season and the latter’s final two seasons, were performed by En Vogue), and BET's Video Soul.{{cite news|last1=St. Croix|first1=Stephen|title=Its About Time|publisher=Mix|date=1998}} They have also been credited with numerous movie soundtracks.
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Credits ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2008
| Jay Z | Writers | Peaked at #17 on Billboard Hot Rap Songs{{cite news|title=Billboard Chart History - Jay Z|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/304305/jay-z/chart|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard}} |
| scope="row" | 2000
| Riddle | En Vogue | Writers & Producers | From the album Masterpiece Theatre |
| scope="row" | 1999
| Writers | Peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs{{cite news|title=Billboard Chart History - Puff Daddy|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/355143/puff-daddy/chart|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard}} |
| scope="row" | 1995
| Writers | Peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs{{cite news|title=Billboard Chart History - The Luniz|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/418563/luniz/chart?f=367|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard}} |
| scope="row" | 1993
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | Peaked at #10 on Mainstream Top 40 and #15 on Billboard Hot 100{{cite news|title=Billboard Chart History - En Vogue|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/301747/en-vogue/chart|access-date=7 June 2016|publisher=Billboard}} |
| scope="row" | 1993
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | Peaked at #8 on Billboard Hot 100 and nominated for Grammy. |
| scope="row" | 1992
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1992
| My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) | En Vogue | Writers & Producers | Certified Gold by the RIAA and peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot R&B Singles |
| scope="row" | 1991
| Don't Go | En Vogue | Writers & Producers | #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1991
| Writers & Producers | #3 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #49 Pop |
| scope="row" | 1990
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Samuelle | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Lies | En Vogue | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Hold On | En Vogue | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1989
| Dr. Soul | Foster McElroy | Writers & Producers | #10 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1989
| Body Talk | Sharon Bryant | Writers & Producers | #15 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1989
| For The Love Of You | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers | #3 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Baby Doll | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers | #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| "Born Not to Know" | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers | #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Tell Me It's Not Too Late | LIA | Writers & Producers | #33 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| True Obsession | LIA | Writers & Producers | #49 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Little Walter | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Alexander O'Neal | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1987
| To Prove My Love | Writers & Producers | #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Last Time | Theresa | Writers & Producers | #12 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Heavy On My Mind | Writers & Producers | #7 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006|date=2007|publisher=Record Research Incorporated|isbn=9780898201697|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sjM5AQAAIAAJ&q=Joel+Whitburn+Presents+Billboard+Top+Adult+Songs,+1961-2006|access-date=22 June 2016}} |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Why You Treat Me So Bad | Club Nouveau | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Club Nouveau | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Situation #9 | Club Nouveau | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Jealousy | Club Nouveau | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Rumors | Producers |
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Credits ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2018
|En Vogue |Writers & Producers | |
| scope="row" | 2004
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | #47 on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart |
| scope="row" | 2002
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | |
| scope="row" | 2000
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1997
| EV3 | En Vogue | Writers & Producers | Platinum |
| scope="row" | 1995
| Writers & Producers | Peaked at #27 on Billboard R&B/Hip-hop albums{{cite news|last1=Reynolds|first1=J.R.|title=En Vogue's Ellis Steps Out With EastWest Solo Debut|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mw4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22&pg=PA13|access-date=22 June 2016|publisher=Billboard|date=21 October 1995}}{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Chart History - Terry Ellis|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/375974/terry-ellis/chart?f=333|magazine=Billboard|access-date=22 June 2016}} |
| scope="row" | 1995
| Writers & Producers | Peaked at #18 on Billboard R&B{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Chart History - Regina Belle|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/364822/regina-belle/chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=22 June 2016}} |
| scope="row" | 1994
| Once In A Blue Moon | FMob | Writers & Producers | |
| scope="row" | 1993
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1992
| En Vogue | Writers & Producers | 5× Platinum, #8 Pop |
| scope="row" | 1992
| Forever | Sample tracks used from Why You Treat Me So Bad | #2 on Billboard 200 |
| scope="row" | 1990
| En Vogue | Platinum, #1 R&B, #8 Pop |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Revival | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers | 2× Platinum, #1 R&B |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Living in Black Paradise | Samuelle | Writers & Producers | #37 R&B |
| scope="row" | 1989
| FM2 | Foster & McElroy | Writers, Producers, Performers | |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Writers & Producers | #37 R&BTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums{{cite web|title= Robert Brookins – Awards |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-brookins-mn0000828545/awards |publisher= AllMusic. All Media Network |access-date= October 20, 2014}} |
| scope="row" | 1988
| Who? | Tony! Toni! Tone! | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1986
| Life, Love & Pain | Club Nouveau | Writers & Producers | 3× Platinum, #1 R&B, #2 Pop{{cite book|last1=White|first1=Adam|title=The Billboard book of gold & platinum records|date=1990|publisher=Billboard Books|isbn=9780823075478|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ARc5AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Denzil+Foster%22|access-date=22 June 2016}} |
=Movie soundtracks=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Soundtrack ! scope="col" | Song(s) ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Credits |
|---|
| scope="row" | 1996
| Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1989
| Lean on Me | Writers & Producers |
| scope="row" | 1987
| Writers & Producers |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{En Vogue}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster And McElroy}}
Category:Songwriters from California
Category:Record producers from California
Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups