Jeff Foskett was (in my opinion) the unsung hero of the Beach Boys during the last couple of decades and almost no one knows his name. He is the closest thing we have to Carl Wilson. He should've been an official Beach Boy. I came across this video tonight. He's amazing. What's he up to now? Beach Boy fans -- enjoy this:
I was in a bar tonight and I saw a guy wearing a T-Shirt that said "I Still Miss Carl Wilson." I went up to him and said "Great T-Shirt!" He said "You must be the only guy in this place who knows what I'm this means." We talked a bit and when I mentioned how Jeff was Carl's protege his eyes lit up -- "You know about Jeff Foskett?" I hope Jeff knows how much some Beach Boy fans appreciate him. I certainly do.
from the only Beach Boys concert I ever attended (1983)..... my thread about it: BEACH BOYS in early 1983 ..... @Alert
He's been around a LONG time. A talented guy overall but I never cared for his falsetto. Surely they could have found someone who sounded more like Brian or Carl to cover those parts.
Very sorry to hear about his health. I saw him play w/Brian in Boston twice in Symphony Hall in 1999 & the Orpheum in 2004 (the SMiLE Concert)
I have known for a long time about Jeffrey's health issues and I'm hoping that he is doing well. When he said that his last album would probably be his last, that kind of sadly speaks volumes, doesn't it? I knew about his talents before he hooked up with Brian and The Beach Boys. Here he does a great cover of The Carpenters/Ruby & The Romantics "Hurting Each Other" ...
Here's another favorite cover by Jeffrey, this time covering Marshall Crenshaw's "You're My Favorite Waste Of Time" ...
I was there, too! Fun day in the Maui sun. Wish I remembered more about that day, but, it's cool that some pictures recently surfaced!
I saw him with BW several times and it wouldn’t have been the same without him. He knows that music inside out. I’ve read he’s been unwell and I hope he knows how much all BB and BW fans love and respect him, and hope for his speedy recovery.
So sad...Jeff's the magic sauce that kept the Brian machine running. Hoping that the experimental treatment he's on continues to work.
Yes. Here’s the part of the interview dealing with his health, as of 2019. I’ve heard he’s lost a vocal cord, but have no link to that : What can you tell us about the current state of your health? Anaplastic thyroid cancer is vastly different than thyroid cancer. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the grimmest of grim as far as prognosis. When you’re diagnosed, people typically live, at the outside, five months. That’s why it was so extremely vital that I get on this trial that I’m on in Houston. I went to a very prominent, private university in Palo Alto, California. And they gave me until May to live. And I insisted that they refer me to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. And these people now say, “If you stay with us, we’ll keep you around for years.” I mean, it’s tough. The drugs don’t feel good and you have to be in Houston every 11 days, but the doctors there and the minds there are constantly learning and doing new things. They literally are keeping me alive. Edit: Here’s the link regarding losing a vocal cord: “ Sadly, in early 2019, Jeff was diagnosed with Anaplastic thyroid cancer. Surgeries and treatments have robbed him of one of his vocal cords … and that makes the very idea that we may not ever again hear him lend his beautifully expressive voice to another recording, ever, hard to accept and imagine. “ Jeffrey Foskett - Voices (review) » Endless Summer Quarterly
Jeff was a rock for Brian, and leaving the BW band must have been a real wrench, for both of them. I reckon he must have been a Beach Boys for longer than some of the Beach Boys, if you take his BW band years into account as well. The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson have been fortunate to have him on their side, that he had their backs, yet I’m sure he also saw his time with them as a privilege. He was also a real friend of the fans, always respectful to us, generous with his time and never precious or aloof. Quite a guy. I guess we might never hear his voice within that vocal blend again but I really hope he’s able to live comfortably, that he enjoys the unique store of memories he must have, and that he’s aware that his fans miss him, appreciate him, and love him for who he is and for what he’s done for us down the years.
He's a buddy of a friend of mine, and got us backstage at a Brian Wilson show (which was kinda crazy, but that's a story for another time). Jeff's a lovely, lovely guy and massively talented. I wish him the best.
Any doubts that he has been the MVP in the modern-day Beach Boys or Brian Wilson mix will be laid to rest by this:
Checking this thread to see what's up with Jeff's health and also....can you guys believe that Jeff's vocals are featured on the newest Stranger Things 4 trailer??? A Place in California. People on the web and youtube are referencing the song writer, but its easy to tell it's Jeff Foskett doing all vocals. Sounds great.
Well, I just checked his Facebook page and I don’t see any activity since June. I don’t know if that implies anything good or bad. I’m not even sure if Jeff is personally “hands on” on his Facebook page or if someone else takes care of it.
According to Mike Love's facebook page Jeffrey joined the band at a couple of shows last month. Based on his own description of his prognosis when he first publicly disclosed it a couple of years ago, it is miraculous he has been able to do this. Here he is
