R.I.P. Jeff Foskett

[AKA]

Awful news. From Brian’s Facebook:

I’m so heartbroken that my dear friend Jeff Foskett has passed. Jeff was always there for me when we toured and we couldn’t have done it without him. Jeff was one of the most talented guys I ever knew. He was a great musical leader and guitarist and he could sing like an angel. I first met Jeff in 1976 when he knocked on my door in Bel Air and I invited him in, and we were friends ever since. I don’t know what else to say. Love and Mercy to Jeff’s family and friends, we will remember him forever.

[Rocker]

Oh no! That is sad news. Jeff always seemed to me like one of the good guys, an important part as a musician as well as as an anchor for every Beach Boys related act he worked with. And what a crystal clear voice!
Rest in peace, Jeff!


Everything I Need

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4cmhFTHnZ8

[Pretty Funky]

I don’t think it would be a stretch, but Brian would not have had the solo touring career without Jeff at his side. RIP.


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jeffrey-foskett-beach-boy-brian-wilson-dead-obituary-1234924498/

[Emdeeh]

 

I am broken-hearted. I've lost two good BB fan friends recently, this just compounds things.

Jeff was the guy who called to tell me Carl had passed, so I wouldn't have to hear it from the news channels first. He was such a great friend to the fans, and he did a lot for us, because he was a fan himself. Such a big-hearted guy, such a beautiful voice, such a loss for us. Surely he's jamming with Billy, Carl, and Dennis tonight.

[Shady]

I'm absolutely devastated. What an important figure in Beach Boys history.

RIP Jeff

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

So sad to hear this. RIP Jeff, thanks for so many wonderful concert memories.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

My deepest condolences to his friends and family

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Damn.  Along with all his other musical endeavors -  including playing with the Beach Boys - it's hard to imagine the wonderfulness of Brian's second act without him.  The crowning moment of which for me were the Smile album and shows - I still watch the video time to time.  He's there with that incredible band hitting the high notes, acting as emcee and cheerleader, and filling the room with Big Love.  Rave on, sir.

[Rentatris]

Gutted to hear this. Having only been lucky enough to see recent incarnations of Mike and Brian’s bands he’s felt absolutely essential to the narrative of this band.

Thanks for all the memories dude x

[SMiLE-addict]

Oh no! RIP Jeff.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Put on the 2004 Smile album and Jeff’s voice is the first thing you hear, leading off “Our Prayer”. A powerful voice and such a joyful and enthusiastic stage presence. He will definitely be missed.

[Shady]

Put on the 2004 Smile album and Jeff’s voice is the first thing you hear, leading off “Our Prayer”. A powerful voice and such a joyful and enthusiastic stage presence. He will definitely be missed.

He was wonderful on that tour and on the album

[rab2591]

ahhh man his voice and harmonies have brought a lot of joy to the fandom. I can see him singing harmonies with the angels right now. Thanks, Jeff, for all of your hard work over the years.

What sad sad news.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Adios JF

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WK6eQHD9_DQ

[Jim V.]

I'm sad to hear about this. You will be missed Jeff. Thank you for your voice and your talents.

[Sound of Free]

I don’t think it would be a stretch, but Brian would not have had the solo touring career without Jeff at his side. RIP.

It's not a stretch at all.

Rest in peace, Jeff.

[Robbie Mac]

The voice of an angel has returned home to be with the angels.

Godspeed, JF.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

Such sad news. Jeff was such an amazing part of those wonderful touring years with BW. Must have seen him 10 times or more.

Re: the RS article https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jeffrey-foskett-beach-boy-brian-wilson-dead-obituary-1234924498/amp/ - I hadn't heard this part before "Foskett reached out to his buddies Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko in the L.A.-based band the Wondermints, lifelong Beach Boys fanatics who Foskett knew would be perfect for the job." - Thought it was Brian and Melinda who saw them at a BW/BB tribute show?

[SMiLE Brian]

RIP

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Adios JF

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WK6eQHD9_DQ

❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[Wirestone]

Such sad news. Jeff was such an amazing part of those wonderful touring years with BW. Must have seen him 10 times or more.

Re: the RS article https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jeffrey-foskett-beach-boy-brian-wilson-dead-obituary-1234924498/amp/ - I hadn't heard this part before "Foskett reached out to his buddies Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko in the L.A.-based band the Wondermints, lifelong Beach Boys fanatics who Foskett knew would be perfect for the job." - Thought it was Brian and Melinda who saw them at a BW/BB tribute show?

Peculiar it should say that. The earlier interview JF did with Rolling Stone makes it clear that Brian and Melinda asked Jeff to meet with the 'Mints because they had seen the show.

And then one day I got a call from either Melinda Wilson or Elliot Lott, the Beach Boys’ [tour] manager [in 1998]. [They] said, “Brian is going to be accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, and Carnie and Wendy [Wilson] are signing with him, and they need a guitar player that knows the material and can sing. Would you be interested in doing that?” I said absolutely. We did “In My Room” and another song off the then-unreleased Brian album called Imagination; it was called “Lay Down Burden.” The place went nuts hearing Brian sing, because he had been out of the public eye for some time. So then I walked the Wilsons back to their limo and Melinda said, “Could you come up to the house?” They said, “We would like to go out on tour with this album, but we just don’t know how to go about putting a band together. Would you be interested in helping us?” And I said yeah, absolutely.

She said, “We saw a really cool band as a tribute to Brian.” And it turns out it was the Wondermints guys. I agreed to meet with Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko at a Starbucks on Sunset. I said, “The Wilsons are considering having you guys be in Brian’s band.” And I could tell by talking to them that they knew way more than I knew. And I couldn’t believe that, because I thought I was the biggest Beach Boys fan.

[juggler]

Such a sad loss.  R.I.P.

[Pablo.]

His voice is more than essential on That's Why God Made the Radio. (also, he and Brian demoed all the vocals parts).

Such a shame.

[Tony S]

Such sad news. Jeff was such a huge part of the touring band, and often as an uncredited singer on BB record releases in the 80s and 90s. But as a performer, singer, arranger and producer, I really love Jeff's solo CDs. I have every one of them from his first, Thru My Window(the most Beach Boy sounding cd ever) through his last one, Voices. They are all superb, one better than the next. He will be greatly missed.

[HeyJude]

Such sad news. Jeff was such an amazing part of those wonderful touring years with BW. Must have seen him 10 times or more.

Re: the RS article https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jeffrey-foskett-beach-boy-brian-wilson-dead-obituary-1234924498/amp/ - I hadn't heard this part before "Foskett reached out to his buddies Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko in the L.A.-based band the Wondermints, lifelong Beach Boys fanatics who Foskett knew would be perfect for the job." - Thought it was Brian and Melinda who saw them at a BW/BB tribute show?

Some of the obits have been garbling some details, especially years. It's to be expected from these outlets. I think there was a Variety obit that seemed to get almost every cited year incorrect.

Even many years back, I've often seen details about Jeff's tenures in the Beach Boys expand and contract based on who is reporting it. I guess we can't expect these outlets to contact nerd BB fans to find out Jeff's first BB gigs were late December 1981, and his last (first time around) July 4, 1990. I've seen a couple of articles that imply he was with the band all through the 90s prior to joining Brian's band, when the 90s was one era where he *wasn't* with any of the touring bands for most of the decade, doing his solo stuff and Papa Doo Run Run, etc.