Ruthie Foster
{{short description|American blues musician, singer, and songwriter}}
{{distinguish|Ruth Foster}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ruthie Foster
| image = RuthieFoster1photocreditJohnCarrico.jpg
| caption = Foster performing at The Living Room in New York City; January 24, 2007
| landscape = Yes
| background = solo_singer
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1964|2|10}}
| birth_place = Gause, Texas, U.S.
| instrument = Vocals, guitar
| genre = Blues, folk, gospel blues
| occupation = Musician, songwriter
| years_active = 1997–present
| label = Sun Records, Blue Corn Music, M.O.D. Records
| associated_acts = The Blind Boys of Alabama, Warren Haynes Band
| website = [http://www.ruthiefoster.com/ ruthiefoster.com]
}}
Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues - A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger Publishers| location= Santa Barbara| pages=297 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin.{{cite web |url=http://www.wvgazette.com/Entertainment/201205090271 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615225145/http://www.wvgazette.com/Entertainment/201205090271 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |title=The Many Lives of Jazz Musician Ruthie Foster |work=The Charleston Gazette |access-date=June 13, 2013 |quote=In her 48 years, blues singer Ruthie Foster has lived a couple of different lives. }} Foster has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards for Best Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album, and won her first Grammy on February 2, 2025.
Life and career
Foster is from Gause, Texas, and comes from a family of gospel singers. At the age of fourteen, Foster was a soloist in her hometown choir and was certain that her future would revolve around music. After high school, she moved to Waco, Texas, to attend McLennan Community College where her studies concentrated in music and audio engineering. She began fronting a blues band, learning how to command a stage in the bars of Texas.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ruthie-foster-mn0000174022 |title=Ruthie Foster : Biography |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=August 8, 2016}}
Hoping to travel and gain a wider world perspective, Foster joined the United States Navy, and soon began singing in the naval band Pride which played pop and funk hits at recruitment drives in the southeastern United States. Following her tour of duty, Foster headed to New York City where she became a regular performer at various local folk venues. Atlantic Records heard of Foster's talent and offered her a recording deal with the intent of cultivating her as a budding pop star, but Foster was not interested in a pop career, preferring instead to explore the various strains of American roots music that had informed her childhood.{{cn|date=June 2023}} When her mother fell ill in 1993, Foster left New York and her recording deal and returned to Texas to be with her family. She began working as a camera operator and production assistant at a television station in College Station, Texas, while she cared for her mother who died in 1996.
Career
In 1997, Foster self-released the album Full Circle, the success of which paved the way to a long relationship with the record label Blue Corn Music.
Blue Corn released the follow-up album Crossover in 1999, Runaway Soul in 2002, and Stages (featuring a series of live tracks) in 2004. Foster's next release was Heal Yourself in 2006, followed by the studio album The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster in 2008, which was produced by Papa Mali.{{cite web|url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiefoster5|title=Ruthie Foster : The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster : CD Baby Music Store|publisher=CD Baby|access-date=2013-05-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201053830/http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiefoster5|archive-date=2013-02-01|url-status=dead}} In 2009, Blue Corn released The Truth According to Ruthie Foster, which was produced by Grammy-winning producer Chris Goldsmith{{cite web|url=http://www.rosebudus.com/foster/RF_PROMO.pdf|title=Ruthie Foster|website=Rosebudus.com|access-date=2013-05-24}} and recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis. The Truth According to Ruthie Foster earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. A second album of Foster's live performances, Live At Antone's (CD and DVD), was released in 2011. In 2012, Blue Corn released the studio album Let It Burn, which featured special guests the Blind Boys of Alabama, William Bell and the rhythm section of the Funky Meters, and was produced by Grammy Award winner John Chelew.{{cite web|url=http://www.lonestarmusic.com/magazine/mag_html/jan12/ruthie.html|title= Fire in the Soul: Ruthie Foster continues her artistic hot streak with Let it Burn|last=Skanse|first=Richard|work=Lone Star Music}} Let It Burn earned Foster a second Grammy nomination, this time for Best Blues Album, and was the vehicle for numerous Blues Music Awards won by Foster.
File:20080814-RuthieFoster.jpg
Foster's awards list includes three Grammy nominations (Let It Burn for Best Blues Album, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and Promise of a Brand New Day for Best Blues Album{{cite web|url=http://bluecornmusic.com/ruthie-foster-picks-up-third-consecutive-grammy-nomination-for-promise-of-a-brand-new-day/|title=Ruthie Foster Picks Up Third Consecutive Grammy Nomination for Promise of a Brand New Day|website=Blue Corn Music|access-date=14 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/music/article/Ruthie-Foster-performs-in-Bay-Area-4484036.php|title=Ruthie Foster performs in Bay Area – San Francisco|last=Hildebrand|first=Lee|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=May 5, 2013}}), her numerous wins at the Blues Music Awards, including three awards for Best Female Vocalist and one for DVD of the Year for Live At Antone's, and Foster's crown for Best Female Vocalist at the 2013 Austin Music Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Awards/MusicAwards/|title=Austin Music Awards|website=Austinchronicle.com|access-date=2013-05-24}} In 2016, she was nominated for two Living Blues Awards and won the Koko Taylor Award for Best Traditional Female Blues Artist.{{cite web|url=http://www.ruthiefoster.com/news/|title=News|website=Ruthiefoster.com|access-date=6 April 2017}} Her list of honors also include a nomination from the Living Blues Awards for Best Live Performer.
Foster performed with the Allman Brothers Band in 2012 at their annual Beacon Theatre run in New York City. She sang on four songs, including a cover version of "The Weight" on which she traded verses with Susan Tedeschi.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJbApvxHzY0|title=The Weight – The Allman Brothers Feat. Ruthie Foster and Susan Tedeschi|work=YouTube|date=March 26, 2013}} She has toured with the Blind Boys of Alabama as well as Warren Haynes and also appears on Haynes' album Man In Motion.{{cite web|url=http://www.relix.com/features/2012/06/22/warren-haynes-papa-s-got-a-brand-new-bag?3|title=Warren Haynes: Papa's Got a Brand New Bag|last=Budnik|first=Dean|work=Relix|date=June 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615224630/http://www.relix.com/features/2012/06/22/warren-haynes-papa-s-got-a-brand-new-bag?3|archive-date=June 15, 2013}} She was featured in February 2013 as a special guest on House of Blues and Elwood Blue's radio show, The BluesMobile,{{cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/thebluesmobile/ruthie-foster-aim-for-the-hear|title=Ruthie Foster Aim For the Hear|website=Soundcloud.com|access-date=2013-05-24}} as well as an appearance in November 2012 in Austin Live: Tick Tock, a video short produced by the City of Austin.{{cite web|url=http://www.austintexas.org/visit/music-scene/tick-tock/|title=Austin Live: Tick Tock|website=Austintexas.org|access-date=2013-05-24}} She performed at the Texas State Society of Washington D.C.'s Presidential Inauguration Ball in January 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.blacktieandbootsball.com/Official_BTB_PROGRAM_2013_interative_1_8_13.pdf|title=Official BTB Program|website=Blacktieandbootsball.com|access-date=2013-05-24}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Foster continues to tour extensively around the world. As of 2016, her shows have spanned across the U.S., Italy, Germany, Spain, and Cuba.
File:Ruthie Foster at Kitchener Bluesfest 2018.jpg
She announced details for a 2017 album during an in-depth career retrospective interview with The Pods & Sods Network in November 2016.{{cite web|url=https://podsodcast.com/2016/11/01/em43/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220081550/https://podsodcast.com/2016/11/01/em43/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 20, 2016|title=EM43 – Ruthie Foster|date=1 November 2016|website=Podsodcast.com|access-date=6 April 2017}} That album, Joy Comes Back, was released on March 24, 2017, via Blue Corn Records,{{cite web|url=http://www.ruthiefoster.com/news/|title=News|website=Ruthie Foster|access-date=30 May 2018}} and included collaborations with several artists, including Derek Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Following Hurricane Harvey which damaged many coastal cities in Foster's home state of Texas, she was invited to participate in a benefit concert including Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and James Taylor.{{cite web|url=http://music.blog.austin360.com/2017/09/23/nine-great-moments-at-erwin-centers-harvey-benefit-and-one-that-got-away/|title=Great moments at Erwin Center's Harvey benefit, and one that got away - Austin Music Source|website=Music.blog.austin360.com|access-date=30 May 2018}} Another significant moment was Foster's performance at Carnegie Hall in February 2018.{{cite web|url=https://zealnyc.com/review-ruthie-foster-brings-her-commanding-presence-to-an-eclectically-southern-rooted-set-at-zankel-hall/|title=Review: Ruthie Foster Brings Her Commanding Presence To an Eclectically Southern-Rooted Set at Zankel Hall|website=Zealnyc.com|access-date=30 May 2018}} Foster was also awarded one of US Artists' fellowship awards, which recognized her contributions to her field, accompanied by an unrestricted $50,000 award.{{cite web|url=http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/fellow/ruthie-foster/|title=United States Artists » Ruthie Foster|website=Unitedstatesartists.org|access-date=30 May 2018}}
Foster earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her album Mileage.{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=2024-11-08 |title=Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/grammy-nominations-2025-beyonce-taylor-swift-chappell-roan-complete-list-1236204610/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Discography
- Full Circle (1997) : M.O.D. Records{{cite web |url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiefoster1 |title=Ruthie Foster – Full Circle |publisher=CD Baby |access-date=August 2, 2016}}
- Crossover (1999) : M.O.D. Records{{cite web |url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiefoster2 |title=Ruthie Foster – Crossover |publisher=CD Baby |access-date=August 2, 2016}}
- Runaway Soul (2002) : Blue Corn Music{{cite news|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/2002-08-22/music/ruthie-foster&page=122|title=Ruthie Foster: Runaway Soul (Blue Corn Music)|last=Barr|first=Greg|date=August 22, 2002|work=Houston Press Music|publisher=Village Voice Media|access-date=2009-06-17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615060128/http://www.houstonpress.com/2002-08-22/music/ruthie-foster%26page%3D122/|archive-date=June 15, 2011}}
- Stages (2004) : Blue Corn Music{{cite news|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A221029|title=Ruthie Foster: Stages (Blue Corn) |last=Caligiuri|first=Jim|date=July 23, 2004|newspaper=The Austin Chronicle|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster (2007) : Blue Corn Music{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9799173|title=Ruthie Foster Aims for 'Phenomenal'-ness|date=April 25, 2007|work=NPR|access-date=2009-06-17}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/29/AR2007032900658.html|title=Ruthie Foster "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster" Blue Corn|last=Himes|first=Geoffrey |date=March 30, 2007|newspaper=The Washington Post|pages=WE09|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- The Truth According to Ruthie Foster (2009) : Blue Corn Music{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104660164|title=Ruthie Foster (Quietly) Tells The Truth|last=Silver|first=Marc |date=May 28, 2009|work=NPR|access-date=2009-06-17}}{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2009/02/23/ruthie_foster_the_truth_according_to_ruthie_foster/|title=Ruthie Foster, 'The Truth According to Ruthie Foster'|last=Capobianco|first=Ken|date= February 23, 2009 |work=The Boston Globe|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- Live at Antone's (2011) : Blue Corn Music (CD and DVD)
- Let It Burn (2012) : Blue Corn Music{{cite web|author=Bman |url=http://www.bmansbluesreport.com/2011/11/blue-cornmusic-artist-ruthie-foster-new.html |title=Bman's Blues Report: Blue Corn Music artist Ruthie Foster New Release – Let It Burn – Review |website=Bmansbluesreport.com |date=2011-11-15 |access-date=2012-11-21}}
- Promise of a Brand New Day (2014) : Blue Corn Music{{cite web|first=Hal|last=Horowitz |url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/2014/08/ruthie-foster-promise-brand-new-day |title=Ruthie Foster: Promise Of A Brand New Day |website=Americansongwriter.com |date=2014-08-21 |access-date=2014-08-22}}
- Joy Comes Back (2017) : Blue Corn Music{{cite web |url=https://www.bluesmagazine.nl/ruthie-foster-joy-comes-back/ |title=Ruthie Foster - Joy Comes Back |work=Blues Magazine |date=December 13, 2016 |access-date=April 22, 2017}}
- Live at the Paramount (2020) : Blue Corn Music
- Healing Time (2022) : Blue Corn Music
- Mileage (2024) : Sun Records
Awards and honors
- 2008 Blues Music Awards Nominee – Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.rosebudus.com/foster/|title=Ruthie Foster|website=Rosebudus.com|access-date=6 April 2017}}
- 2009 Blues Music Awards Nominee – Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
- 2010 Grammy Award Nominee - The Truth According to Ruthie Foster nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/ruthie-foster/8846 |title=Artist: Ruthie Foster|author= |date=2025 |website=Grammy.com |publisher=Recording Academy |access-date=February 3, 2025}}
- 2010 Blues Music Awards Winner – Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
- 2010 Living Blues Critics' Poll Winner – Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
- 2011 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2011/05/2011-blues-music-awards-winners/|title=2011 Blues Music Awards Winners|last=Marshall|first=Matt|date=May 6, 2011|work=American Blues Scene}}
- 2011 Living Blues Awards Nominee – Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
- 2012 Blues Music Awards{{cite news|url=http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/blue-notes/32944-2012-blues-music-award-winners|title=2012 Blues Music Award winners|last=White|first=Jim|date=May 11, 2012|work=Community Voices|access-date=January 30, 2013|archive-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130201111639/http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/blue-notes/32944-2012-blues-music-award-winners|url-status=dead}}
- Winner: Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
- Winner: DVD of the Year for Live at Antone's
- Nominee: B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
- 2012 Grammy Award Nominee – Let It Burn nominated for Best Blues Album{{cite web|url=http://www.gaynorcrawford.com/ruthie-foster-picks-up-third-consecutive-grammy-nomination/|title=Ruthie Foster third consecutive Grammy nomination|website=Gaynorcrawford.com|access-date=6 April 2017}}
- 2013 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2013/05/2013-blues-music-awards-winners/|title=2013 Blues Music Awards Winners|last=Marshall|first=Matt|date=March 9, 2013|work=American Blues Scene|access-date=March 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607030720/http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2013/05/2013-blues-music-awards-winners/|archive-date=June 7, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}
- 2014 Grammy Award Nominee - Promise of a Brand New Day nominated for Best Blues Album
- 2015 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2015/05/2015-blues-music-awards-winners/|title=2015 Blues Music Awards Winners|website=Americanbluesscene.com|access-date=2015-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519063558/http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2015/05/2015-blues-music-awards-winners/|archive-date=2015-05-19|url-status=dead}}
- 2016 Living Blues Award Nominee - Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Best Live Performer
- 2016 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web |url=http://blues411.com/2016-blues-music-awards-winner-list/ |title=2016 Blues Music Awards Winner List |website=Blues411.com |access-date=2016-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506104750/http://blues411.com/2016-blues-music-awards-winner-list/ |archive-date=2016-05-06 |url-status=dead }}
- 2018 US Artists Fellowship Award
- 2018 Blues Music Award Winner - Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year{{cite web|url=https://t.e2ma.net/message/md5rp/2lyo2d|title=email : Webview : BREAKING: Blues Music Awards winners announced; Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo's 'TajMo' wins seven awards.|website=T.e2ma.net|access-date=30 May 2018}}
- 2019 Texas Music Hall of Fame Inductee (Austin Music Awards){{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2019-03-01/here-are-your-2018-19-austin-music-award-winners/|title=Here Are Your 2018/19 Austin Music Award Winners|date=March 1, 2019|website=Austinchronicle.com|access-date=11 May 2019}}
- 2019 Blues Music Award Winner - Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female){{cite web|url=https://www.antimusic.com/news/19/May/102019_Blues_Music_Awards_Winners_Announced.shtml|title=2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced|website=Antimusic.com|access-date=11 May 2019}}
- 2023 Blues Music Award Winner - Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-blues-music-awards-winners-list-tommy-castro-1235327334/|title=Tommy Castro Repeats as Entertainer of the Year at 2023 Blues Music Awards: Full Winners List|first=Paul|last=Grein|website=Billboard.com|date=May 12, 2023|access-date=May 12, 2023}}
- 2025 Grammy Award winner - Mileage won for Best Contemporary Blues Album
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F46F4B9BA6AC532&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Ruthie Foster will make a believer out of you|last=Corcoran|first=Michael|date=June 27, 2002|work=Austin American-Statesman (TX)|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/2003-06-05/music/soul-power/|title=Soul Power, The gospel according to Ruthie Foster|last=Bass|first=Shermakaye |date=June 5, 2003|work=Dallas Observer|publisher=Village Voice Media|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20539210_ITM|title=Ruthie Foster & Cyd Cassone: two souls.|last=Dreilinger|first=Danielle |date=March 22, 2004|work=Sing Out!|access-date=2009-06-17}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/ruthie-foster-introduces-folk-to-soul-ep-390835050-324224011.html|title=Ruthie Foster introduces folk to soul|last=Jordan|first=Mark |date=September 16, 2010|work=The Commercial Appeal|access-date=2010-09-17}}
- {{cite news|title=Ruthie Foster|url=http://www.ruthiefoster.com/about/|access-date=2 August 2016|agency=Ruthie Foster}}
External links
- [http://www.ruthiefoster.com/ Official website]
- [https://archive.org/details/RuthieFoster Ruthie Foster collection] at the Internet Archive's live music archive
- {{AllMusic|id=mn0000174022|title=Ruthie Foster}}
- {{Discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Ruthie}}
Category:African-American guitarists
Category:American folk guitarists
Category:American fingerstyle guitarists
Category:American folk singers
Category:American blues guitarists
Category:American blues singers
Category:American soul singers
Category:American gospel singers
Category:20th-century American guitarists
Category:People from Gause, Texas
Category:Proper Records artists
Category:United States Navy sailors
Category:20th-century African-American musicians